International Gymnast

LAST issue covered Body- Extension Twist, and this article will explore a sec-
ond method of initiating twist
after the gymnast is airborne:
Body-Tilt Twist.

By tilting the rotating body slightly outside the somersault plane, the gymnast can borrow a small portion of the already-existing somersault rotation and convert it into twist rotation. If, for example, a gymnast wanted to perform a back layout with a (late) half twist, when upside-down she would merely drop one arm sideward while keeping the other arm overhead. This tilts the body off the somersault plane, so a portion of its rotation is transferred into the twist plane.

Also, because twist rotation is easier to accomplish than somersault rotation, this technique is particularly useful in multiple somersault skills wherein no twisting occurs until after the first somersault.

When using the body-tilt technique, the twist direction is determined by the somersault direction (forward or backward) and the side of the body’s radius being shortened (left or right). For example, if a gymnast naturally twists left, she would shorten the left side of her body on backward somersaults (by dropping left arm) and the right side on forward somersaults (drop right arm).

The illustration below shows a double som-
ersault with a full twist on the second flip.
Note how she opens slightly in (D) and turns
her upper body toward her left. At this point,

Back-in Tuck, Full-out Layout

the “wrap” action of the arms about the longitudinal axis of the body should occur in a rapid 1-2 sequence. So in figure (E), her left arm will drop forcefully, just prior to the right arm doing the same.

Once airborne, the performer can perform the “wrap” sequence with bent arms or straight arms. The latter is popular among trampolinists and aerial skiers, who

have much more air time than gymnasts.
Body-Tilt Advantages
1) When used in conjunction with either
the on-ground or body-extension technique, it
serves as an effective supplement to maximize
the twist.

2) Because one arm remains overhead during the initiation of the twist phase, greater control can be maintained within the somersault component, which will help control the landing.

Body-Tilt Disadvantages
1) Without sufficient somersault rotation, it
is virtually ineffective.
2) In single somersaults, it has limited prac-
tical value beyond a full twist.
3) It is not suitable for certain twist move-
ments, such as those in the preflight phases
of many advanced vaults.

Adapted from “Championship Gymnastics” by Gerald S. George, Ph.D. For more information, visit www.winninggymnastics.com.

ILLUSTRATION: JAMES STEPHENSON

A

Early (C-D) and then continuous (E-J) visual contact
with the ground is critical for a controlled landing.

B C D E FGHIJ

Edited by Dwight Normile
PARENTS: What are
YOUR goals for your child
in gymnastics? (And what
are your child’s goals?)

BELOW is a 100-Points Test that both parents and their gymnasts can take sepa- rately, assigning the most points to the categories that are most important. Each can also write in his/her own goals if they are missing from this list. The points should add up to 100.

In hundreds of workshops, we have learned that most parents have similar hopes and goals for their gymnasts: physical fitness, having fun, making friends, increased self-confidence and learning life lessons. One father gave all 100 points to having fun. Many parents resonate with the goal of learning to deal with defeat without becoming defeated. Rarely do parents give many points to winning. In the low-key atmosphere of a classroom or cafeteria, winning doesn’t get much respect.

But what happens at a competition? All but one of these items go out the window. Which one seems to get all 100 points if we look at the way parents act in the bleachers? This leads to sheepish expressions because we all have acted in conflict with our goals and made winning the main goal.

When their child fills out the test, parents may have some “aha moments.” Most kids say they want to have fun, make friends and learn a new sport. This can lead to a wonderful discussion. Parents should ask their children why they distributed their points a certain way, and what their goals are. Then really listen.

Become a good gymnast Learn to do gymnastics Learn to be a good teammate Win competitions Gain increased self-confidence Learn to deal with defeat Improve physical fitness Learn “life lessons” Have fun Make new friends Earn a college scholarship Make the Olympic team Other (specify)