blind changes!

[gymnasticsbabie]

help! so every time i do a blind change or a swing half turn they go so crooked!!! one time i even landed on the bar! now im really really scared of them. does anyone have any suggestions, drills, anything that will help me?!?

i'm turning to the right and i usually land on the bar on the left. does that mean im over twisting?

[kls0418]

Make sure that when you turn to aim your feet to the right. When you get to the top you should have almost all your weight on your right hand.

A drill that you can work on is tap swings with a half turn to the right. As you get comfortable with small swings you can work on bigger swings with the half turn. Make sure that when you turn that you turn you toes first and then you hips. After you turn those the rest of your body will want to turn too, so you can complete your blind change. Another tip is that when you do the blind change out of a handstand, try to keep your hands closer than you normally would for a giant, that way it is less distance to turn.

Hope this helps.

[hammy]

It sounds like you're not turning your toes enough to the right, but it's hard to say without seeing it. Do lots of blind "turns" as kls0418 described, and be sure to pick your toes up and turn them first. Also, be sure to keep tight and hollow, and try to shift your weight onto your right hand. Hope this helps!

[gymnasticsbabie]

wait but wouldn't i be turning to much?? maybe i explained it wrong or maybe im just wrong.

im turning to the right. and AFTER i turn im falling to the left. guess what i fell on top of the blocks today haha. my coach was like "mayybeee we should stop these for a while..." i was like wow these must be really bad.

so i need major help lol does anyone have any drills? im going to ask the coaches also.

[hammy]

My bad--I misunderstood what you'd typed. Watch pulling your toes and body over quite as far--you want to turn hollow and just enough to complete the turn. Also, be sure to keep tight and hollow when you turn. I had the same exact problem that you do, and I've come down on the bar many a times--just remember (as a safety tip) pull back into the bar if you go crooked--DO NOT push away. You'll have more control if you pull yourself back into the bar than you would pushing away.

Anywho--back to the blind change.
Watch the angle of turn that your post arm (the one you're turning on) has...if it's too far to the left you'll end up going farther than you need to, or you'll end up crooked.

Drills:
1. Blind turns--Do a blind change then, swing down and do another one, then swing into another one. With each one work on shifting your weight from your post arm to the other arm and evening your body out. Try to stop in handstand or close on each one.

2. Blind changes on a floor bar against a wall or with a spot.

[gymnasticsbabie]

thanks!! im going to try the blind change to blind change thing on monday! im excited. okay i have another slight problem with my blind changes.
we have this thing at my gym called a strap, it serves as a low bar. when i take the strap out my blind changes are perfect. however when i put the strap in the go berserk. its not a mental thing because i just thought about it right now. when the strap is out i don't really hollow (past the low bar) like i would if it was in. then when the strap is in they get really archy and dangerous. any suggestions?

[hammy]

yeah, it sounds like when you don't have the strap in you're not really thinking (either consciously or subconsciously) about the low bar. I would suggest trying to do more with the strap in because it makes you think about being hollow while swinging down, because when you go to do the skill between the bars you'll have the low bar there.

When you have the strap in think about the being hollow (not piked), but hollow and then as you start the blind change turn your toes first and stay hollow as you turn.

Good luck and keep us updated! Try not to get too frustrated--a lot of gymnasts do the same thing!