Twisting twisting twisting...

Hi everyone!

I'm facing a big problem... TWISTING! Well, I always twisted to my left side and did my round off with right hand touching the floor first. I didn't started back twisting yet but I'm front twisting for about 3/4 years (just can do a 1 and a half twists though...) and now, a coach and a friend told me that I should change my twisting direction! Next year I'm starting artistic gymnastics so I'm always searching about this because starting all over again it's not that funny...

I searched and searched and I saw lot of contradictory opinions so I'm really really confused so I was hoping someone here, some expert gymnast or anyone to tell me if I really need to change or not.

I saw on youtube some gymnasts that do the same as me but when vaulting, they do the round of to the other side (of course it's not that perfect but they can live with that... and they don't seem to have any problems on fx exercises so...

Can someone help me please?

Thank you,

Nuno

I personally dislike the act of twisting opposite of your round-off twist. It doesn't make sense and tends to look ugly.

It sort of depends on how far you intend to take your tumbling.

It starts really matter when you start connecting twists together. i.e. something like roundoff back 1.5 to front full, etc or when it gets to vaulting or release moves on high bar.

I see... but maybe I'll try to change my twisting, I don't know. I just did 1 and half twist on mini tramp and with some bad habits so... maybe it's better to start again fresh without bad habits...

More opinions are welcome though

Thank you,

Nuno

We have already had a discussion fairly similar to this.

Check out this page: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6517

In essence I think that we decided that if you naturally twist to the left then it is probably better to change the direction of your round off. This is the general consensus of most coaches I've talked to as well.

Good luck mate,

Reveridian

Blairbob said:

I personally dislike the act of twisting opposite of your round-off twist. It doesn't make sense and tends to look ugly.

It sort of depends on how far you intend to take your tumbling.

It starts really matter when you start connecting twists together. i.e. something like roundoff back 1.5 to front full, etc or when it gets to vaulting or release moves on high bar.

I am a bit confused, if his right arm is coming down first in the round off then he is twisting the same way as a left twist. Is this what you meant? Also curious how is this an issue on bars?

For the OP I twist my roundoff the same way I twist my tumbling and it has never really been a problem although I've run in to coaches trying to change my twist direction as well, at the time I seriously thought they were just crazy. Now that I coach yes I can see how it can be a problem on certain events, especially vault.

Changing direction of round-off? Really? I'll pass on that when it comes to coaching gymnasts. Much easier imo to reteach the twist

Well to each his own but imo, especially from a safety point of view, it is better to re-teach the round off rather then the twist. Is there any particular reason you think changing the direction someone twists is better?

Cheers,

Rev

Reveridian said:

Well to each his own but imo, especially from a safety point of view, it is better to re-teach the round off rather then the twist. Is there any particular reason you think changing the direction someone twists is better?

Cheers,

Rev

I would assume because of repetitions. Think about how many repetitions of those roundoffs a gymanst has done, the amount of twists the gymnast has done will pale in comaprison.

When the coach told me to try to change the twist , I gave it a shot and after some attempts I could land a tuck barani but it was really really weird... He also told me that I could change the round off and I also tried and ok, it wasn't a pretty straight round off but I think it wasn't that bad...

When I start artistic gymnastics I'll ask about it to my coaches

Nuno

I don't necessarily see it as too massive of a problem. I've seen a few people do good triple fulls from the opposite side round off. I haven't seen a quad yet, but I'm sure I know one guy who'll be landing it either this year or next >

It is helpful, but by no means essential to have the roundoff and back flip twist in the same direction. The only type of skill twisting these two skills in opposite directions will negatively impact in a technical manner is a roundoff arabian front or 3/2 twist etc into an immediate roundoff.

It is however important that both the front and back twist occur in the same direction as this will impact the ability to perform twisting multiple flipping elements correctly.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer