introducing cast handstand on bars

by Rick McCharles, editor

A number of readers have requested more posts on … “gymnastics coaching”. (tips, tutorials, drills, etc.)

We’ll try our best to post one of those, minimum, each day.

Here’s the first, an update of one of my old articles. I was reminded of it this past weekend when gymnasts told me this was a favourite.

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Shaping Skills with Drills

Getting to handstand on bars is a physical, technical & psychological challenge for young girls.

I prefer piked straddled casts, especially for beginners.

My favourite drills include:

handstands and pirouettes on a floor bar

bounce to handstand on low bar from a mini-tramp

jump to handstand from piked straddled stand on a low floor bar

cast to piked, straddled stand on boxes. Then jump to handstand (as shown in the photos below).

photos – Christchurch School of Gymnastics, New Zealand.

Kids love these drills. They require no spotting. They inflict no “rips” on the hands. And they work.

Girls soon learn they can easily get to handstand if they put their hips (centre of gravity) over the bar quickly.

Many times I have seen beginners of average ability achieve handstand using only these drills. Especially girls with good flexibility.

The last progression I call “touch and go” — the same drill as shown but without boxes. The feet jump from the bar instead. This ensures the gymnast makes the skill as easy as possible, by shortening the body on the ascending swing.

All competitors should be able to learn straddle up cast handstand. Very few, straight body cast.

Original article – Rick McCharles — Gymnastics — Shaping Skills with Drills — introducing “cast to handstand”