Straight arm front hips

[gymdd]

I am one of those super involved gym moms on my daughters' gymnastics teams. Some of the l4s&5s are struggling with getting their front hips with straight arms. Any drills or tips i could share with the team?

 

[AmandaLynn]

I am one of those super involved gym moms on my daughters' gymnastics teams. Some of the l4s&5s are struggling with getting their front hips with straight arms. Any drills or tips i could share with the team?

Are you part of their coaching staff?

 

[GymSurvivor]

Don't know about the OP but I'm a gymnast and I'd love to hear any tips as well!

 

[Chocoholic]

What worked for my daughter was her coach telling her that her arms had to be straight. Even if that meant that she would not make her front hip (which she always had), he demanded that she not bend her arms. He wanted her to focus on that one correction above all else. That seemed to be the directive that did the trick for her.

 

[gympanda]

As an FYI - there is an expectations that the arms will slightly bend at the end of the front hip circle...for which there is no deduction.

 

[Quadqueen]

^^^^ what gympanda said. I think it's very difficult to do this skill with completely straight arms, and I don't know that I've seen too many with straight arms all the way around.

 

[gymdd]

The kids arms are bent badly, sometimes even to 90*

 

[Esoteric]

It is my understanding that the arms need to be completely straight and body in a tight hollow when beginning the element, and then completely straight upon finishing the element. During the element, a bend in the arms is acceptable/ necessary. Out of curiosity I looked at one of my dds bar videos. I am almost 100% positive that this routine received its only deduction for the landing (step & trunk bend.)
Ryan at Rose City Challenge 3/4/12 - YouTube

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

I am one of those super involved gym moms on my daughters' gymnastics teams. Some of the l4s&5s are struggling with getting their front hips with straight arms. Any drills or tips i could share with the team?

I'm with AmandaLynn on this one.

Are you part of the coaching staff? If not, leave the coaching to the coaches.

As for the "straight arm" front hip circle, I don't think I've ever seen one with completely straight arms throughout (unless you count weilers, but that's really a different skill). I doubt it is even doable without a slight bend. However, that bend can be minimized with good entry technique.

 

[pattymello]

I have strait arms throughout the skill. The way I do this is simple. The start of the skill I am in support. then I push the bar down my legs until it is near the middle of my thighs and I am in a hollow shape. While holding this shape tight I fall forwards and try to stay long throughout the fall. As I rotate to the point where I am upside down and about to try to rotate above the bar I perform a kip action. This is the tug at the end of a kip with similar timing. This shoots me up above the bar with strait arms and a fair degree of power.

To work on this I would practice candles and candle rockers on the bar and lots of kips.

 

[gymdog]

I have strait arms throughout the skill. The way I do this is simple. The start of the skill I am in support. then I push the bar down my legs until it is near the middle of my thighs and I am in a hollow shape. While holding this shape tight I fall forwards and try to stay long throughout the fall. As I rotate to the point where I am upside down and about to try to rotate above the bar I perform a kip action. This is the tug at the end of a kip with similar timing. This shoots me up above the bar with strait arms and a fair degree of power.

To work on this I would practice candles and candle rockers on the bar and lots of kips.

In order to "regrip" the bar in the correct position to planche the shoulders over at the end, there is a slight bend during the circle. Perhaps for some it's anatomically possible to do this with completely straight arms, but for most kids it won't be possible. I have much more advanced circling skills than an average compulsory and I can't do it without a slight bend. When you planche over the top if you're really strong then during the "fold" action before the cast even then there's a difference between locked arms (which usually results in pushing away from the bar, both in kip casts and FHC) and "not bent" arms. During the casting action the arms should obviously be straight.

That's not to say I haven't seen some judges misinterpret (in my technical opinion) the "slight bend" thing. I sat watching a judge judging bars and there were a couple I disagreed about having a "slight" bend - again, if the kid is in the back swing of the cast action and the arms aren't straight, to me that's not the slight bend we're talking about. But even in a successfully performed kip cast handstand the arms aren't going to be "locked out" throughout the entire planching part. They shouldn't be bent enough that the stomach is in contact with the bar.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

i'm confused... who's on 1st???

 

[pattymello]

In order to "regrip" the bar in the correct position to planche the shoulders over at the end, there is a slight bend during the circle. Perhaps for some it's anatomically possible to do this with completely straight arms, but for most kids it won't be possible. I have much more advanced circling skills than an average compulsory and I can't do it without a slight bend. When you planche over the top if you're really strong then during the "fold" action before the cast even then there's a difference between locked arms (which usually results in pushing away from the bar, both in kip casts and FHC) and "not bent" arms. During the casting action the arms should obviously be straight.

this would be true if we went with the premise that you can't do a strait arm kip. I change my grip during the kip action. I can assure you it is entirely possible.

 

[iwannacoach]

i'm confused... who's on 1st???

I think we both are, and the judges are standing right next to us!!!!.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

this would be true if we went with the premise that you can't do a strait arm kip. I change my grip during the kip action. I can assure you it is entirely possible.

Straight arm kip, yes.

Straight arm kip cast handstand, no. At least, not for most kids.

For most people, simply due to the fact that the arms are longer than the upper-torso, the arms have to bend slightly while "loading" the cast. This is true both at the end of a front hip circle and at the end of a kip (and while doing just a cast on its own). I suppose you could avoid this by having a very wide grip, but that would cause more problems than it would solve.

Are there some kids for whom its possible without any bend at all? I wouldn't be surprised. But for most, it's simply not possible.

 

[gymdog]

Straight arm kip, yes.

Straight arm kip cast handstand, no. At least, not for most kids.

For most people, simply due to the fact that the arms are longer than the upper-torso, the arms have to bend slightly while "loading" the cast. This is true both at the end of a front hip circle and at the end of a kip (and while doing just a cast on its own). I suppose you could avoid this by having a very wide grip, but that would cause more problems than it would solve.

Are there some kids for whom its possible without any bend at all? I wouldn't be surprised. But for most, it's simply not possible.

I agree. I can lock my arms and finish a kip, but not in the position I can do a cast handstand from, which is why I specified "kip cast". I'm sure it's possible for some people anatomically but it isn't very likely. Either way, the USAG compulsory text specifies that a slight bend coming around the bar is acceptable, and arms should straighten at completion.

 

[iwannacoach]

I suppose you could get the timing on a kip figured out to "load" the bar with the force of your kip as you extend/pump/kicks a bad term/swing as you're passing below the bar on your way up, and "snap' back as in a "kip to V-support" on rings, and with a "mighty shrug" depress the bar as you swing your feet down to get even more depression. The resulting bounce from the bow of the bar would probable accelerate your c.g. upwards enough to make a "shrugged/straight arm" cast handstand possible. But in my book, if it takes that long to descibe it........

 

[pattymello]

Straight arm kip, yes.

Straight arm kip cast handstand, no. At least, not for most kids.

For most people, simply due to the fact that the arms are longer than the upper-torso, the arms have to bend slightly while "loading" the cast. This is true both at the end of a front hip circle and at the end of a kip (and while doing just a cast on its own). I suppose you could avoid this by having a very wide grip, but that would cause more problems than it would solve.

Are there some kids for whom its possible without any bend at all? I wouldn't be surprised. But for most, it's simply not possible.

We are discussing a front hip circle. Where are you getting the cast to handstand from?

 

[iwannacoach]

Things evolve, sometimes only in my head!

 

[pattymello]

Things evolve, sometimes only in my head!

Haha solid response.