beam handstand safety question

[k-dog]

My dd's coach is starting to ask the girls to do much higher handstands on the beam than what they had been doing previosly. I was just wondering what the best "safety move" is to get out of a handstand gone wrong
(going past vertical). Apparently, the coach has not addressed that issue, as dd just tells me that the coach only tells them to "squeeze" and not arch their backs so that they don't go past vertical. It has not happened to dd yet, but I imagine that it might eventually. Maybe I am just being paranoid, but it looks like they could really get hurt if they don't know what to do in this situation.

 

[coachcasie]

They should be learning how to do a 1/4 turn out of it if they are working towards a vert. handstand. This way they can safely come off the beam.

While it is important to squeeze and stay tight, it won't save a handstand that goes past vertical.

 

[JBS]

Pirouette...

We do lots of handstands on the end of the beam...then they are "safe" if they fall.

 

[Kiwi]

They should be learning how to do a 1/4 turn out of it if they are working towards a vert. handstand. This way they can safely come off the beam.

This - they can practice it on the floor first if they don't already.

 

[gymgurl]

you simply twist to the side of the beam and you end up on your feet

 

[KarenUK]

I just wanted to say thanks so much for asking this - for my daughter's level of competition, they do a shown handstand over 45 degrees for an A score, a shown handstand at 90 degrees for a B and a held handstand is a C - her handstand is the only A in her routine, but she didn't have the confidence to push it higher as she was worried about going over and hurting herself. I just showed her this thread and the replies, and she had a '..oh.........yeah of course... that's so obvious - why didn't I think of that!' moment

 

[Iwannabemargo]

What level is your daughter at Karen, Grade 13 ? My mini-me is just starting handstands on beam this year.

'Margo

 

[KarenUK]

Margo - she's primarily a floor and vault gymnast, they do a couple of four piece comps a year, and about 5/6 floor and vault ones. She is not WAG, she started too old and is probably not the 'right' build. In Sussex there is a floor and vault stream, the levels are novice, inter, advanced, bronze, silver and gold, she started novice last year, went up into inter and won a medal at pretty much every competition so is working to compete at advanced in the coming year.

For advanced in her age group, they need a handspring vault, and either a flic (BHS) or handspring in their floor routine, among other things. For bars and beam the skills are rated A, B, C, and D, they are given a number of skills they need (so for beam a mount, a jump, a spin, a balance, an 'agility' and a dismount) and the higher the rating of the chosen skill, the higher the start value of their routine

 

[Iwannabemargo]

ah -

Mines intermediate this year - hopefully 4 piece (depending on attitude ) Shes working on her roundoff flic tuck back on floor, flicks on beam, half on on vault and a two bar routine. She does suffer a bit with strops as she panics when asked to do something new - but she's 7 and two years ago just sat on my lap crying cause she wanted to join in but was too scared - so we have come a long way


Been enjoying the lovely weather this week ?

'Margo

 

[TexasRose]

Glad the OP asked this question! My DD is in level 3 and I've noticed on her handstand on beam she really kicks too hard and over arches. She's still spotted on it all the time but she's eventually going to have to do it on her own and I've been nervous about it. I keep seeing her kicking over and landing on her back on beam then falling.

 

[SuperGirlmlm]

I'm sure that she will lean to one side and twist out of it. It worked naturally for me.