Hand Placement?

[d0nut_l0ver]

I got my cartwheel on high beam 2 days ago and the coaches corrected me on some things (straighten back leg, point toes, etc.) but not on my hands.

Just now, I was reading about "t-shaped" hands, and apparently, nearly everybody uses this. Is it wrong to have your hands just side by side, with your thumbs parallel to each other? The coaches didn't tell me to place my hands differently, though.

So, is it okay to put hands a different way, and can you get point deductions for it? Thanks

 

[Coach.Simon]

I know a few of the deductions for a cartwheel on beam are as follows.....

Falling off, Bending your legs/arms, not pointing your toes, and not passing through vertical (not kicking directly over your head), not levering in....

While there are deductions for "alternate/incorrect hand placement" however I dont think one exists for a CW on beam (they assume if you do something too funky you'll just end up falling off)

The "t-shape" >^ thing is something I use for my athletes on floor, however on beam I have them put their hands parallel.

 

[Brittany jacueline]

T hands, when the first hand goes down as normal and the second hand goes down fingers turned in twards the first hand is very important. You grab the beam with the pinky and thumb of that second hand. The T is what turns the cartwheel so the hips can be square with the beam and the feel go over top and one around the side of the beam puuly your weight off the side. With the head in, you look between the arms under the armpit of the arm that is in T so you can see the beam and with the hand turned in the belly is now facing the beam and it is much easier to put the foot down turned out for square hips. If you dont use T hands you will usually keep falling to the same side Of the beam your belly is facing because you wre unable to get square with the beam on the way down. When you eventually turn the cartwheel into a roundoff on beam it is even more important to have T hands to keep the feet going over top, to see where your feet will be landing and to stay on the beam. It makes the transition easier if you already are comfortable and the muscles know the T hand placement. I am also pretty certain it is a deduction in cumpilsery gymnastics.

 

[Coach.Simon]

T hands, when the first hand goes down as normal and the second hand goes down fingers turned in twards the first hand is very important. You grab the beam with the pinky and thumb of that second hand. The T is what turns the cartwheel so the hips can be square with the beam and the feel go over top and one around the side of the beam puuly your weight off the side. With the head in, you look between the arms under the armpit of the arm that is in T so you can see the beam and with the hand turned in the belly is now facing the beam and it is much easier to put the foot down turned out for square hips. If you dont use T hands you will usually keep falling to the same side Of the beam your belly is facing because you wre unable to get square with the beam on the way down. When you eventually turn the cartwheel into a roundoff on beam it is even more important to have T hands to keep the feet going over top, to see where your feet will be landing and to stay on the beam. It makes the transition easier if you already are comfortable and the muscles know the T hand placement. I am also pretty certain it is a deduction in cumpilsery gymnastics.

A very informative post, good info Just not sure on the deduction though lol

 

[Brittany jacueline]

Why thank you!

 

[d0nut_l0ver]

T hands, when the first hand goes down as normal and the second hand goes down fingers turned in twards the first hand is very important. You grab the beam with the pinky and thumb of that second hand. The T is what turns the cartwheel so the hips can be square with the beam and the feel go over top and one around the side of the beam puuly your weight off the side. With the head in, you look between the arms under the armpit of the arm that is in T so you can see the beam and with the hand turned in the belly is now facing the beam and it is much easier to put the foot down turned out for square hips. If you dont use T hands you will usually keep falling to the same side Of the beam your belly is facing because you wre unable to get square with the beam on the way down. When you eventually turn the cartwheel into a roundoff on beam it is even more important to have T hands to keep the feet going over top, to see where your feet will be landing and to stay on the beam. It makes the transition easier if you already are comfortable and the muscles know the T hand placement. I am also pretty certain it is a deduction in cumpilsery gymnastics.

Okay, thanks! My feet keep landing twisted to the side and I fall off that side, and my coaches say it's because I do the first quarter turn good but not the second. I'll start working on my cartwheel with t-hands so I can land them more often. Thanks

 

[CoachTodd]

The "t-hands" make it easier to stick the skill. Last I checked it wasn't in the list of deductions for Level 5. It used to be listed as a "side handstand, quarter turn, step down" If they looked at the hands using that description, they'd take off for the "t-hands".

I'd stick with the "T-hands" either way. It also makes much of your floor tumbling less stressful on the wrists if you can do it. Some folks have a few flexibility issues when trying to turn their hands in when tumbling but they manage to do well also.

 

[CoachTodd]

..."Incorrect (simultaneous) hand placement 0.10
TURN INWARD Failure to pass through vertical..."
It looks like if you put both hands down at the same time, they take off 0.10
From what I've seen, the T-hands make it easier to go through vertical more consistently as well.

 

[gymdog]

Personally I would never do a cartwheel on beam with my second hand turned that far in. Just doesn't make that much sense to me. Second hand turned slightly in, okay, that is basically natural hand placement. You should be able to 1/4 turn without that much turn in. The compulsory text recommends hand facing either forwards or slightly turned in. Turning the hand completely in is not really necessary. I do not think most judges would apply a deduction. There is absolutely no deduction for NOT turning the second hand in that far. The necessary element for a straight cartwheel on beam is consistent speed throughout the skill, and I feel that regular hands, slight turn in basically favors that transfer of momentum on the beam by making it easier to hold on while passing through vertical.

 

[Brittany jacueline]

I'm glad you are able to land on the beam more often now that you are trying T hands glad my post was helpful. Good luck!

 

[gymgirly]

I only use the t-shape handplacement for round-offs. i havent had any trouble with cartwheels and i just put my hands the same as you do. my coach told me for cartwheels with that hand placement is not any deduction. hope that helps!!!:vault:

 

[BlairBob]

I prefer T-hands but not all the other coaches do because a lot of the gymnasts problems suffer from other issues like failure to kick through vertical, be brave, etc.

 

[Kiwi]

Some folks have a few flexibility issues when trying to turn their hands in when tumbling but they manage to do well also.

This is interesting because I can't turn my hands in ninety degrees. Well, I can if I really force it but it puts a lot of strain on my elbow and I wouldn't be able to tumble like that. I can manage about forty-five degrees or slightly more and that is how I do round-off. I have been trying to learn cartwheel on beam, so next time I might try it with my hand turned in a little and see what happens.