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Gymnastics - Balance Beam Cartwheel
Expert: Robert Davis - 10/25/2009
Question
Hi. My daughter is a level 5 gymnast. She competed at level 5 last year, too, but she really struggled. This year she is showing a lot of improvement in all of her skills, except her balance beam cartwheel. She goes so slowly, she has trouble getting all the way around, and she usually can’t hold the landing. When she does land it, she gets deductions anyway because it’s really not pretty. She says she isn’t afraid of falling and tries to go faster but can’t. Does going so slowly make it harder to balance? Can you give her any advice on how to go faster? I suggested she try picturing herself in her mind doing it faster. Do you have any suggestions?
Answer
Hi Kathleen,
It is good to hear that your daughter is showing a lot of improvement this year. For the balance beam cartwheel, I would suggest having her work on her speed on the floor first, maybe even running or leaping into it (almost like a round-off), and doing several in a row in a big circle. This may help her get the feeling of moving faster in the cartwheel and help her gain the confidence to make it look "intentional", and yes, pretty. :)
Progress may come in fits and spurts, but I'm sure she will figure it out. If there is a subconscious fear or mental block involved, you might take a look at my article about that subject at http://www.goodfeelingplace.com/how-to-overcome-a-mental-block/.
Regards,
Robert
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