That’s a comment by Geoffrey Taucer of Chalk Bucket:
Or rather, I hate having to teach them.
It’s so counterproductive to teach a cast in a hollow shape to beginners! If you want an easy cast handstand (video), stick your head out and drive your heels, and it will go right up. Granted, this should be a tight arch, not a loose one, but an arch nonetheless. It would make much more sense to me not to require any hollow position on any cast below a handstand.
The way I would prefer to teach it (and the way I DO teach it to my boys) is a tight arch. I don’t even bother trying to get them to hollow until they are either casting away to a tap swing or hitting handstand.
Watching elite gymnast, I have found very very few on either the men’s or women’s side who do their casts in a hollow position. They all drive their heels up in a tight arch and then hollow at the top.
So why do USAG women’s compulsories insist on a hollow position in a cast at level 4?
URGH!
Sorry, this just really annoys me.
I agree. There’s far too much emphasis, too, on “straight arms” for beginners. It happens because of judging deductions.
The FIRST step in teaching cast is a tight arch with bent arms. Hollow position and straight arms come much, much later. In fact, I’m oft to say: “The very last error that should be corrected is straightening the elbows.”
Men’s coaches, I should add, rarely waste time teaching hollow cast at the early stages.
Coach Miahi Stoica using a rail to measure height of cast with beginners
Gymnastics Coaching.com 