hello, and thanks in advance to anyone who helps. i have been teaching myself skills in my backyard this summer, in the grass and on the tramp. i should eventually get to a gym for proper/safe instruction, but for now i'm content with what i'm doing. on the ground i can only do front and back handsprings, and back tucks. on the tramp i can also do layouts and aerials, and am working on full twists. my problem is that i can't twist for the life of me, and do not understand the mechanics of the twist enough to get me started. i can get a half twisting layout sometimes, but after i do it i can't remember how i did it, or what felt right about it, or anything. it's just kind of luck i guess when i hit it. i can't stay consistent. i found some vids on youtube and a couple websites, but they are not helping me enough. if anyone could help me, or point me towards a link or vid that could help me, i would greatly appreciate it. thanks!

It's good to have gymnastics instruction from a certified gymnastics instructor!! You can find a gymnastics club near you probably at the gym listings & ratings directory: http://gymchat.com/listings . Here's a twisting technique: http://gymnasticszone.com/ArmWrap.htm Summary: First step is setting for the layout to get high enough, so there's enough air time to complete the twisting - setting = get arms to ears on your set before the flip. The twist part: when you're flipping, drop one arm lower and/or sooner to one side - drop left arm = twist to left, drop right arm = twist to the right. To increase speed, instead of keeping your arm straight to the side when you put them down, tuck it in, like the ice skaters. Also head should move in the direction of the twist - twisting left then look to the left, twisting right then look to the right. To stop the twist, open arms - a good way is to open to a 'stick' position - arms up and out diagonally from the shoulders. You don't want to twist too early: Dovicka's Fulltwist Tutorial Part 1 [youtube]84viVYgbQzI[/youtube] Dovicka's Fulltwist Tutorial Part 2 [youtube]tBrEJiWJMZ0[/youtube] **from a self-taught guy with no gymnastics instruction An interesting technique from a guy on youtube: "Izzi's Standing Full Twist Tutorial-READ DISCLAIMER" [quote]*W A R N I N G* READ BEFORE WATCHING THIS IS A STANDING FULL TUTORIAL. THIS IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. THIS SHOULD ONLY BE USED AS A REFERENCE. DO NOT TRY IF YOU DO NOT HAVE PROPER TRAINING, A GYMNASTICS INSTRUCTOR, AND A PROPER GYMNASTICS GYM. IM NOT HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES WHILE ATTEMPTING THIS.[/quote] [youtube]OhyLKm2ihkw[/youtube]

thank you, these vids help a little bit, still got some work to do on the tramp though. i am still confused exactly what to do with my hands though. also, i don't understand what comes first, the layout (or whip,tuck) or the twist. or both?!?!? i have the best luck starting to twist while still taking off, then concentrating on the layout. but i read somewhere you should start laying out first, then start spinning. but when i do it that way, once i'm in the air, i can't get myself to twist at all.

Ya, you don't want to twist early, I would say first you do your set up, jump for layout, then do the twisting part - you want to make sure you get up high enough - why don't you try twisting late after our flip - that is how they start teaching the twist I believe - so after your flip, right before you are about to land, you twist. Lots of clubs have teens/adult classes that are like once or twice a week, that could help.

ok, bare (bear? haha) with me, still very ameteur!!! by "set up" you mean how i have my arms??? for example, (and i think it's weird) i feel more comfortable twisting towards my right but seem to get more spin when i twist towards my left. sound funny? - ok - another point - i feel as though it's impossible to twist unless you use what you have from take off. see what i'm saying? like, when i do a layout on the tramp, then try to twist, i get nothing. but, if i start to twist, either b4 or at the same time i start to layout, i can get at least a half twist. so here's my deal: (lol) how the heck do you generate twisting momentum while already in the layout (after you leave ground/tramp?) please explain arm mechanics or whatever the heck it is that makes you twist, as i'm going insane trying to figure it out lol. please help!!! thanks

set-up means your arms are up, to your ears - when ur not setting up it means you took off for your flip or your skill with your arms lower than that. ur not supposed to twist too soon. did you try following the twisting technique listed there at http://gymnasticszone.com/ArmWrap.htm ? do you have a video of trying it? i think you can upload it directly here with an attachment. when ur at a gymnastics class, the coach can correct you and make sure you are following the correct steps, it is a good idea to take classes with a certified gymnastics instructor/coach!

i dont have a video yet but will work on getting one. i have tried the technique you mentioned and it does help a little. i am now able to comfortably half twist. one thing i have been trying, but don't know if it's correct technique, is taking off, turning and tucking (to go into a front flip) and twisting that way. kinda like in izzi's tutorial. i know its not a twisting layout because it's tucked, but it helps my mind fight my body by thinking of it this way. any thoughts on this? thanks!

tucked position helps get more rotation.

I DID IT!!! still not consistent, but on average i can hit it 25% of the time! i still feel as though i'm way off form though. i don't know how it looks because i dont have a video camera but i'm sure it looks sloppy. very tucked and early. more proper form would be to have my body straight, right? and twist late? i feel like at the peak of my jump is when i set, then i start to tuck and twist at the same time, then land. am i going to develop bad habits this way, or is this a good start? sorry for being a pain and rambling, but i'm excited i finally did it, but really would like help to improve. thank you all.

You can ask someone to watch and tell you what it looks like - better if they know gymnastics though, so you can trust more what they are saying! If you do the flip with your body straight, that is a layout; with tuck it is a tuck, it's not that one is proper and one is wrong, the layout can be harder though - tuck gives you more rotation speed. It's good that you set up high, to the peak of your jump, that's important. It's hard to tell if you're doing it right, because you didn't put up a video yet.