cartwheel help

[Jeff]

I've been trying to develop my non-dominant side cartwheels by practicing them on a line marked in the floor. While doing this, I've been told that my cartwheels look awful (both sides) because my hips are still slightly closed and my legs are floppy.

So far, the only way I can open my hips and straighten my legs would be to alter my trajectory off the line on the floor. In golf terms, my cartwheel path would resemble a hook.

Any recommendations on how to fix this?

Thanks!

[Blairbob]

Cartwheel from a forward lunge or cartwheel from standing sideways and stepping into or a sideways lunge?

Many problems in the cartwheel with not lunging enough or taking a big enough step. If the step is small, many gymnast reach their hands off to the side of the centerline. Stretch the lunge, stretch the reach. Do not, dive/jump into the cartwheel.

Another issue is that the arms go wide, instead of staying right by your ears. This is problematic for those who cannot maintain an open shoulder angle while reaching to the ceiling or in a handstand. When they go wide, the arm drops down from an open shoulder position.

For a side cartwheel, both hands should be on the line and I prefer the hands turned in slightly.

For the cartwheel from a forward lunge, the second hand will turn so the fingertips point at your starting direction. For beam, I train the second hand on the line. For tumbling or vault, I will allow the hand to go off to the side of the centerline. It's more of a preference and feel per gymnast. Turning the hand towards allows the hips to come over and not be obstructed by the far shoulder.

During the cartwheel from a lunge, make sure whatever forward leg is lunging does not step over the centerline. An example would be a left side cartwheeler steps their left foot on to the right side of a line they are starting. This will cause all sorts of funkiness to occur which often makes the gymnast place their hands off the side of the line. This is very common when hurdling.

[coachnate]

Great suggestion blairbob. A couple things I would add:

- try doing them next to a wall or (if avaialable) a mat you can stand up (hurts less when you kick it). While next to whichever, do your cartwheel such that when you are upside down, your belly is towards the wall. Initially, start a few feet away from the wall, and move closer as you progress, with the end goal being only about a foot or so away.

- (sorry, out of order) a lead up to the previous, do hand stands against the wall (again, belly towards) with your legs in a straddle. Try to get as close as possible, focusing on keep the hips and shoulders open. If you can get completely flat to the wall (wrists included) that would be awesome!

- another drill that will help develop the power and kick for the cartwheel, work it taking off from a knee

If I think of some others, I'll post later - getting late and I need to work in the morning.

[Blairbob]

I don't introduce knee cartwheels and round-offs till they have the basic and some decent leg strength but it's one of faves. It will definitely solve a lot of issues about kicking the back leg and pushing off the front.

Doing cartwheels or round-offs between standing wedges can be useful.

I like doing the straddle handstand on wall where they lean from side to side towards one hand. It's difficult to handspot this at times but useful.