How to Do a Round Off on a Balance Beam
Start on the floor., Move on to a low beam., Stand on the low beam., Hurdle high, just as you did on the floor line., Lean downwards in your jump., In the same way as doing a back/front handspring, shift all your weight to your hands gracefully...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Start on the floor.
Doing a round off on a low beam (even with mats) can be challenging, so first, perfect it on a line on the floor.
Here are some ways to check if your ready to try it on the low beam:
Make sure that your feet are both touching the line (not at the edge, rather center them somewhere around the middle).
Stick your landing consistently (in a row, and without mistakes).
Check to see if your hurdle is high enough.
To do this, you could also hurdle against the wall, and see how high you jump; you should be able to jump half of your size (in your round off, more like two fifths).I f you don't want to do a hurdle, you definitely don't have to, unless your coach says to do so.
This goes for any height of balance beam.
Make sure that your hands are on the line when you reach out for the round off. -
Step 2: Move on to a low beam.
Once you know that you can handle a low beam, find a low beam at your gym.
Surround it with panel mats, stacked up to the height of the beam.
If you're at home, you can stack pillows., Ensure that there is enough space to put your hand about 2 to 3 inches (5 to
7.5cm) before the edge of the panel mat., However, this time also move forwards on the hurdle.
It's good to have a strong hurdle with "flight" (time in the air with no part of your body touching the beam), so if you're competing on this skill, the judges won't give you a deduction for no or less "flight"., Stretch out your hands, and slightly turn like a cartwheel/dive cartwheel., Make sure you've got straight legs, straight arms, and pointed toes., However, squeeze your thighs as tightly as you possibly can.
Here are some drills that could help:
Handstand hop (multiple hops) Front handspring over vault table, or a block. , Get back onto your feet in under a second., Here are some tips to achieve this effectively:
Avoid wobbling––keep your feet still.
If you think your going to fall, just hop off, and get back on.
Put your hands in front of you to help keep your balance, and to prevent falling.
Try keeping one foot slightly in front of the other, so that you have more space for each foot.
Quickly finish, and move onto your next skill or try again. , If you have perfecting a round off on the beam with mats, now's the time to get rid of those mats.
Remember that you're still doing it on the low beam, so you'll be safe if you have actually mastered the previous part., Bend your knees slightly, but soon extend out of them., Do the hurdle as before, and make it high.,, Now is the tricky part: you have to land your feet on the beam, so keep your eyes on the beam., Then, hop/push out of it.,, Remember to land gracefully.
Don't be afraid to land, it's better to try., The whole world is a little different on a four inch (10cm) wide, high beam.
Think of it as a low beam, but know your safety falls for forwards, backwards, and sideways.
Make sure that you have mastered the steps in the previous part.
The high beam can present a high chance of slipping, so be consistent (doing it over and over without mistakes on the low beam). , If it's your first time, ask a coach to spot you.
Do not attempt this without someone spotting you., Think about where your aim is for the hurdle., Keep your eyes on the beam, and your hands ready., Get ready to place your hands.,,,, Don't forget to smile!, It's worth it, it's also a great idea to just show your family; they'll be proud of you! -
Step 3: Stand on the low beam.
-
Step 4: Hurdle high
-
Step 5: just as you did on the floor line.
-
Step 6: Lean downwards in your jump.
-
Step 7: In the same way as doing a back/front handspring
-
Step 8: shift all your weight to your hands gracefully.
-
Step 9: Hop or push off your hands.
-
Step 10: Make your push-off quick.
-
Step 11: Stick your landing.
-
Step 12: Tackle this when you're ready.
-
Step 13: Start in a lunge.
-
Step 14: Lean forward.
-
Step 15: Turn in the air
-
Step 16: but stay tight so that this step will go faster.
-
Step 17: Shift all of your weight to your hands.
-
Step 18: Extend to a handstand.
-
Step 19: Quickly get back on your feet.
-
Step 20: Stick your landing.
-
Step 21: Make sure that you're ready for a high beam.
-
Step 22: Get a spot.
-
Step 23: Start in a lunge.
-
Step 24: Hurdle high.
-
Step 25: Turn a little bit like a cartwheel.
-
Step 26: Keep your feet and legs together
-
Step 27: but also place your hands on the beam.
-
Step 28: Extend your body towards a handstand
-
Step 29: but quickly hop/push off.
-
Step 30: Get right back onto your feet as quickly as you can.
-
Step 31: Stick your landing gracefully.
-
Step 32: Perform the skill
-
Step 33: whether it's for your close friends
-
Step 34: at a talent show
-
Step 35: or at a gymnastics meet.
Detailed Guide
Doing a round off on a low beam (even with mats) can be challenging, so first, perfect it on a line on the floor.
Here are some ways to check if your ready to try it on the low beam:
Make sure that your feet are both touching the line (not at the edge, rather center them somewhere around the middle).
Stick your landing consistently (in a row, and without mistakes).
Check to see if your hurdle is high enough.
To do this, you could also hurdle against the wall, and see how high you jump; you should be able to jump half of your size (in your round off, more like two fifths).I f you don't want to do a hurdle, you definitely don't have to, unless your coach says to do so.
This goes for any height of balance beam.
Make sure that your hands are on the line when you reach out for the round off.
Once you know that you can handle a low beam, find a low beam at your gym.
Surround it with panel mats, stacked up to the height of the beam.
If you're at home, you can stack pillows., Ensure that there is enough space to put your hand about 2 to 3 inches (5 to
7.5cm) before the edge of the panel mat., However, this time also move forwards on the hurdle.
It's good to have a strong hurdle with "flight" (time in the air with no part of your body touching the beam), so if you're competing on this skill, the judges won't give you a deduction for no or less "flight"., Stretch out your hands, and slightly turn like a cartwheel/dive cartwheel., Make sure you've got straight legs, straight arms, and pointed toes., However, squeeze your thighs as tightly as you possibly can.
Here are some drills that could help:
Handstand hop (multiple hops) Front handspring over vault table, or a block. , Get back onto your feet in under a second., Here are some tips to achieve this effectively:
Avoid wobbling––keep your feet still.
If you think your going to fall, just hop off, and get back on.
Put your hands in front of you to help keep your balance, and to prevent falling.
Try keeping one foot slightly in front of the other, so that you have more space for each foot.
Quickly finish, and move onto your next skill or try again. , If you have perfecting a round off on the beam with mats, now's the time to get rid of those mats.
Remember that you're still doing it on the low beam, so you'll be safe if you have actually mastered the previous part., Bend your knees slightly, but soon extend out of them., Do the hurdle as before, and make it high.,, Now is the tricky part: you have to land your feet on the beam, so keep your eyes on the beam., Then, hop/push out of it.,, Remember to land gracefully.
Don't be afraid to land, it's better to try., The whole world is a little different on a four inch (10cm) wide, high beam.
Think of it as a low beam, but know your safety falls for forwards, backwards, and sideways.
Make sure that you have mastered the steps in the previous part.
The high beam can present a high chance of slipping, so be consistent (doing it over and over without mistakes on the low beam). , If it's your first time, ask a coach to spot you.
Do not attempt this without someone spotting you., Think about where your aim is for the hurdle., Keep your eyes on the beam, and your hands ready., Get ready to place your hands.,,,, Don't forget to smile!, It's worth it, it's also a great idea to just show your family; they'll be proud of you!
About the Author
Theresa Fisher
Experienced content creator specializing in pet care guides and tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: