WAG Straight Leg Cast Handstand vs. straddle to Cast Handstand

[htimcj]

Is there a difference between doing your cast hand stand with completely straight legs vs going up in a straddle? DD is trying/doing them without the straddle. She gets it every once in awhile. Two other girls on her team get them more often but straddle up to them. Is one easier than the other? Better than the other no difference? I have asked why she is try straight legs and if her coaches have said anything and she says the coaches haven't expressed an opinion and she just wants to do it with straight legs.

Just curious.

 

[wallinbl]

Straight body is more strength; straddle is more technique.

 

[Seeker]

Straddle is definitely easier for my DD....she basically was able to do that one straight away, with minor form issues to correct. Still working on the straight body version! Not sure if the scoring is the same...I think so? Hopefully a judge will chime in!

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

I am pretty sure that the value is the same but the straight body cast takes more strength. My DD is also working on the straight body cast. She does the straddle cast consistently but likes the challenge of the other.

 

[Gymmommy71]

My DD is much better at the straddle up version as well (she's a good press handstander, so I think the muscles in her body are just naturally stronger when it comes to that straddle up motion). I wanted to ask if you are allowed to do the straddle up version in the L6 routine? DDs whole team does it w/ a straight body cast - I think doing it w/ a straddle would help DDs scores (as she REALLY struggles getting above horizontal in a straight body cast when coming out of a kip)...is that allowed?

 

[MaryA]

Right now all of the level 7's at DD's gym are doing straight body casts, but I see that some of the upper-level optionals are doing straddles. I wonder if it's because there isn't a cast-handstand required at level 7 so HC would like to see them continuing to build the strength necessary to do the straight body cast? Plus I think the straight body casts look "prettier"... maybe less room for form deductions? I'll be interested to see if HC will start introducing the straddle cast to them as they get closer to the end of their level 7 season. I haven't been to a ton of NCAA meets, but I've been to a few, and I think I've only ever seen the college girls doing straddle casts.

 

[mariposa]

My daughter can do straight body cast HS from front support, but struggled with connecting it to a kip. She had pretty bars during level 6, but never got to a 9 because she couldn't cast big. Now as a level 7, she does straddle cast and it is much easier for her.

I think straight body look prettier only if they aren't archy. I don't like those archy casts, not sure why. I do think the straddle cast looks pretty when done nicely.

 

[wallinbl]

I haven't been to a ton of NCAA meets, but I've been to a few, and I think I've only ever seen the college girls doing straddle casts.

I just watched a few Olympic routines on YouTube out of curiosity. Gabby did one straddle and the rest straight. Mustafina did all straddle.

 

[mariposa]

My DD is much better at the straddle up version as well (she's a good press handstander, so I think the muscles in her body are just naturally stronger when it comes to that straddle up motion). I wanted to ask if you are allowed to do the straddle up version in the L6 routine? DDs whole team does it w/ a straight body cast - I think doing it w/ a straddle would help DDs scores (as she REALLY struggles getting above horizontal in a straight body cast when coming out of a kip)...is that allowed?

No, you can't do straddle cast in L6. I did hear that the new L5 (current L6) won't have the angle requirements for the casts like they do now, but that won't be until fall.

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[Gymmommy71]

No, you can't do straddle cast in L6. I did hear that the new L5 (current L6) won't have the angle requirements for the casts like they do now, but that won't be until fall.

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Haha...I guess that means if my DD repeats the current L6, the *problem* that may make her have to repeat it, won't be a problem anymore...kind of ironic, and interesting...

 

[mariposa]

Not sure if what I heard was true 100% or if the routines and elements have been finalized. Anyone know?

 

[vagymmomma]

Not sure if what I heard was true 100% or if the routines and elements have been finalized. Anyone know?

Not sure anything is final till spring, but I recall the same thing on level 6 cast height. I don't really like that change because I think one challenge with giants is getting the cast high enough.

DD is the only one on her level 7 doing straight body cast. Everyone else is doing a straddle. I'd never heard the strength aspect before with straight body, but it definitely makes sense with DD.

 

[wallflower]

Mostly the younger girls who are doing TOPS do straight body in DD's level 7 group, while the older girls straddle.

 

[ALgymMom]

I ask about types of cast this Summer...search: Bars: Straddle Cast vs Straight Body Cast

 

[htimcj]

Does seem to be somewhat easier to do the straddle handstand. If the other is more challenging then that is probably why DD wants to do it that way. Always has to take the more challenging path As long as they are both scored the same then I guess it doesn't really matter.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Straight body is more strength; straddle is more technique.

This is it in a nutshell.

The technique of a straight body cast is much simpler, but it has much greater strength requirements. A straddle cast is much more technically difficult, but requires far less strength.

A straight body cast has certain advantages with regards to pirouetting, but these advantages are fairly minor.

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

A straight body cast has certain advantages with regards to pirouetting, but these advantages are fairly minor.

Interesting. What are the advantages?

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Interesting. What are the advantages?

A perfect pirouette finishes exactly in handstand. In a straight body cast, the pirouette can be initiated on the way up, which means the gymnast can finish turning at vertical without breaking the flow of the routine. In a straddle cast, the gymnast cannot pirouette until she is already in the handstand; therefore she has to hit handstand, stay there as she turns, and then continue on.

In theory, it should be very slightly easier to consistently finish the pirouette in handstand if it is initiated on the way up, and therefore very slightly easier to connect directly into another skill (this is particularly true for an in-bar skill such as a stalder or toe-on).

Aesthetically, there's some real visual appeal to a pirouette that completes right as the gymnast hits handstand (For example, check out Rebecca Bross's pirouette at 0:50 in this video). She hits a full handstand at the end of the pirouette without ever stopping (or even noticeably slowing) the swinging rhythm of the routine. For comparison, take a look at Nastia's pirouette at 1:18 in this video (she does it out of a straight cast, but the timing of the pirouette matches the timing that ANY pirouette out of a straddle cast will have). Notice how she goes up, stops, and then pirouettes; it simply doesn't look as nice as Bross's pirouette through handstand without stopping, in my opinion.

In practice, however, the advantages of the early pirouette are almost negligible. Most gymnasts -- even at the Olympic level -- don't bother connecting in-bar skills directly out of pirouettes. Few observers will notice the difference in rhythm between a pirouette on the way up and a pirouette in handstand, and even fewer (even among judges) will care. And while it may be easier to finish an early pirouette in handstand, it's REALLY hard to start the pirouette on the way up, even for gymnasts who can already do a straight body cast.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

that^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^