Aerial Cartwheel--Strength Issues?

[benzhen]

I know this is considered a "girls" trick but i think it's cool and i've been working on it for a while with some lingering problems.

basically, i have the flexibility and speed in my cartwheel, but when i try to jump i get enough height, but i loose all the speed in my kicking leg.

of course besides just working on these a lot, are there any good drills to do to get that coordination of pushing and kicking. also are there any good exercises, possibly for side abs, that might be good? thanks in advance.

ben

[Edward Smith]

a couple of progressions are:

-one-armed cartwheels (work both arms, just make sure your comfortable doing these first)

-delayed hand cartwheels (there's probably a much better name for them), when performing a cartwheel just put your hands down as late as possible (this ones probably the overall best progression)

- doing/trying them off piled up scatter mats, and gradually lowering them (only thing is the run up?) alternatively you could line up 3 or 4 boxes (like a runway) and have a crash mat at the end.

some technique and strength things/exercises/tips are:

-a very aggressive kick

-swing (probably not the right word to describe it) your torso down

- side levers will work your obliques, look at beastskills (website go to the tutorials)

I'm not that knowledgeable on this skill I just see the equivalent girls class (to my class) practicing them a fair bit (yeah i guess they are a bit of a girls skill, but they do look sweet) oww and as a side note there's a girl in a lower class that can do aerials on floor quite consistently whereas the aforementioned girls class I don't think really any of them can do it (and about half this girls can do round-off, backflip (backhandspring), back salt).

hope this helps in some form or another,

Ed

[Blairbob]

Ed x, " delayed hand cartwheels, " I guess would be called dive cartwheels. The idea being to have the hands and upper body already turned over by the time they contact the floor.

While at times for rec classes, I will let them run and try aerials with a spot or off a mat; I really prefer to teach out of a lunge, 1 step, or step hurdle/power hurdle.

I think the only reason this is considered a " girl's trick " is because it has been in their compulsory routines and doing it on floor is a progression for doing it on beam, where it really matters.

It's because of that reason I think they just aren't done in MAG. Besides doesn't MAG have enough to work on? I have some contention with teaching a really GOOD round off and aerial as they are completely different.

I haven't seen a lot of boys I would bother try teaching aerials as they're cartwheels just haven't been proficient enough. I have done it with a few guys that had really good cartwheel development, especially if they were more into tricks and acrobatics than apparatus.