I have always loved beam, but right now, I'm having a tough time. I just moved up to level 7, and my main pass is a front walkover-front handspring. I'm having a lot of trouble getting everyting to go sraight, and have it count for connection credit. I already arch my back and look for my foot coming onto the beam in the walkover(great tip from my coach). That helps me stay straight now, but not for the handspring or connection. Right now, my dismount is my backup series but I really dislike it(back walkover backtuck) and would just like to have a solid front walkover front handspring. Anyone have any tips or have done similar things?

How about if you do backwalkover backhandspring? Have you tried that? And then for dismount front flip? Do a lot of people at your club do front walkover front handspring on the beam? You could try doing it on floor first, on the line, lots of times, then on panel mats, then on low beam, etc. and then by having more numbers getting it on the high beam without mats. It could also help during your practice to use a small mat over the beam for your landing - the type you put over the beam that are thin and not slippery.

So you land your front walkover, but not your front handspring? It's faster, so that could make it harder and easier, you know what I mean - harder because you have to be right-on, you can't adjust and go slow, check where you're going like the walkovers, easier because you go faster so you can have less arch in the skill and also less time to wobble or go the side.

I have always had very strange standing backhandsprings, perfect out of roundoffs, handstands, a mess standing, so that would probably not be an option. I'm not worried about the dismount, it looks, my coach is just really pushing the backwalkover because of my shoulder flexibility. No one does front walkover-handspring series, my coach just thought it was a good way to use some natural ability while avoiding a backhandspring. Thanks for the response!

I agree standing back handspring is much harder than from a cartwheel or roundoff or backwalkover - it's much easier to get it as an add-on skill to something to have that momentum. You could do it from a backwalkover on beam though if you have that shoulder flexibility. Level 6 flooor routine has the standing backhanspring - but it's on the floor not beam!! Backwalkover backhandspring is pretty much the norm I think for level 7 beam routines. Is front walkover fronthandspring worth more?

Ya, back walkover back handsprings aren't standing back handsprings - it's easier you get that push and speed from the back walkover - it's kind of like doing the back handspring from a handstand with your legs split - you know the last position in backwalkover before you come down, then put your feet close together 1-2 and punch to your back handspring.

Not worth more, but would work better in the long run for me. I have a one-day camp thing today, with very small groups on rotations so I'll see how it goes then. We're on a two-week break from regular practice. Maybe that's what I needed-getting away from it for a little while and coming back better than ever.... Thanks to everyone for their replies.

Everything went sooo well at camp on Thursday. I nailed all the trouble spots in the morning. Then I was so excited that my coach let me skip the break for swimming so I could stay in the gym(2 hours with a gym completely, 100% to myself!!) I actually feel like I'm ready to compete. Although my first meet prob. won't be til Nov/Dec.

Cool, good job! Do you do it on the high beam already, no mats? Optionals start for us in December too. So the gym was completely yours to practice in? Wasn't someone watching you though, for safety and stuff? Probably.

Oh yeah, def. high beam And there were people coming in to check on me every 20 minutes or so. Technically, we start in October(1 meet), 1 in november, 2 in december and then it really starts. but you don't have to go to every meet. I like to do the one in nov, one of them in dec, and I skip one meeet in february for Sadies.