Gymnastic Classes

In every case, the rolling action must be smooth and continuous and should be performed with elegance and style. This is particularly important consideration for the roll on the floor, for in starting it off the gymnast must bend the knees in order to get low, almost brushing the fingers along the floor, as in a normal ten pin bowling action. This not only ensures a smooth rolling action on the floor, but also looks more elegant than having your bottom stuck up in the air. One the ball is set in motion any body movement may be performed before the ball is collected again. The gymnast could perform a dance step, leaps alongside or over the ball, or add a turn or a body wave as well. Try collecting the ball in a variety of different ways. Here are a few suggestions: 1. Overtake the ball and with a half turn to face it, collect it in one hand, palm upwards. 2. Move alongside the ball and, still facing the same way, collect it with the hand facing backwards, palm upwards. 3. Overtake the …

This also applies to other actions like the turnover, and getting through the hoop, and having already suggested that the rhythmic gymnastics apparatus is fun to play with; these are two characteristics movements which are just that. Try some of the following: 1. Stand the hoop vertically in the floor, spin it with the thumb and fingers and run round it or perform a body wave before collecting it. Watch its spinning action carefully, and turn the wrist and fingers in the same direction as the hoop is spinning in order to regrasp it. 2. Holding the hoop with both hands apart and underneath the outside edge, lower the arms and then swing them upwards into a throw, releasing the hoop so that it turns over on itself when in the air. 3. With one or both hands holding the hoop, using either under grasp or over grasp, skip forwards or backwards through it. Perform some skips on the spot, and then begin to travel. 4. From a kneeling position on the floor with the hoop held horizontally overhe …

The hoop also lends itself particularly well to swings in the table plane, initially using two hands, but then progressing to one handed swings. A strong grip is needed to hold the hoop in a horizontal position during the basic side to side swings, but once you begin to develop the swing and go into a turn or change of hands, either in front or behind, the hoop becomes easier to manage. For this type of swing where the hoop is horizontal, a very different throwing action is required, and by using both one or both hands and a slight tilt of the hoop on to a diagonal plane, the discus throw can be achieved. When you have tried this throw a few times, and are becoming quite accurate, perhaps you can begin to try some different ways of catching, for example: 1. Reach up with one hand and catch on the outer edge, then step immediately into a turn 2. Catch with both hands, bring the hoop down around the waist, and send it into a hula hoop rotation. 3. Reach forwards and catch with one or bo …