Calling all south paws!

[BellMcEnd]

Bit of a random one this! If you’re left handed, which hand do you lead with to do a cartwheel? My 7 year old DS loves gymnastics and he’s just started doing lessons at a little local club. He’s great at all the running, jumping, balancing stuff but he just can’t get the hang of doing cartwheels and I think it’s because he’s very left handed.

I last did a cartwheel about 200 years ago and fear my pelvic floor would fall out if I attempted one. Plus I’m right handed.

It’s only a little club and although the coach is lovely she seems a bit confused as to how to help him.

Any suggestions?

Never managed one at all. But I think if I tried I'd still lead with my right hand. I'm very left-handed (I do an awkward cross-body movement to tap my card on train barrier readers because it's too weird to me to have it in my right hand).

Leading with my right means my left stays available for longer so feels stronger.

That probably makes zero sense!

I alwa6s lead with my left hand during cart-wheeling days. I'd fall right on my face leading with my right! But I can't even use a knife and fork properly withput making a mess

My youngest is left handed and I'll get him to do some when he gets back from school.

I think (from memory and it was a while ago) that the coach at the Saturday morning gymnastics club got him to mirror her movements.

Currently he is trying to master Ariel flips and that freaks me out.

I'm right handed but only because school forced me to choose. I was ambidextrous as a child and really, really struggled for a long time to have neat handwriting etc. I lead with my left hand when I cartwheel, I can't imagine ever leading with my right! I also peel vegetables with my left hand for some reason!

On and 2 of my 3 kids are left handed but I think all 3 lead with the left to cartwheel.

I can’t cartwheel. Bit late to try now. I suggest whatever comes naturally.

Being left handed isn’t something I think about on a daily basis apart from when I have to do things with right handed people. We have to build a gazebo as part of a fundraiser twice a year and I can’t undo the toggles if a right handed person does them. I literally can’t work it out. My brain can’t turn it their way.

I'll test DiddyCakes when he gets home & let you know!

I have never done a cartwheel in my life but running it through in my head, would definitely lead with the left.

Not done one for years but used to really into gymnastics as a kid. I'm left handed and would lead with my left hand if that helps.

I am left handed and would lead into a cartwheel with my left hand. However, I do everything else with my right hand, which is how. Was taught I guess.

I led with my right hand. Handstands I’d also put my right down first - I’m very left hand dominant.

Left handed and lead with left.

I lead with my left and I’m right handed. I find it very hard to go the other way. I assumed this was because my left leg is dominant - I would hop or do high jump off my left leg rather than my right (i.e. in high jump my left leg would leave the ground last), if I were on a skateboard my left leg would be in front etc.

Definitely with my right hand. Even though I'm left handed I can't imagine how I'd cartwheel leading with my left hand. It seems impossible

Ah thank you all so much! You’ve been so helpful. I’m going to crack open the Tena lady, put the air ambulance on stand by and see if I can teach DS this weekend. He’s so desperate to be able to do a cartwheel

Daft one but does your DS play football & has he ever been in goal? Reason is goalies tend to feel more natural diving to one side than the other. Whichever way feels easier for your DS is the side to 'lead' in a cartwheel.

I'm a lefty but find diving to the right easier so I'd do cartwheels leading with my right hand and leg - it would feel more natural.

I’m a lefty and could never do cartwheels. My lefty dd 7 years goes to gymnastics and can do good ones with both left and right.

There’s loads of gymnastics drills on YouTube and Instagram, might help? I see there’s some for different leading hands.

Left handed but used to lead naturally with right. There are generally no hard and fast rules for this kind of thing. Especially with left handlers. I kick with my left foot but any two handed sport ( batting in cricket, golf, hockey) I played right handed and that is fairly common. I would get them to try both ways. It might be that one feels more natural to them ( a bit like crossing your arms - you can do it both ways but one feels “right”).

I’m left-handed and would definitely lead with my left for cartwheels. But weirdly, I’ve always been right-handed for tennis.

Left handed and would lead with my right arm for a cartwheel.

Anyone else grinning at the thought of loads of MNetters doing cartwheels around their houses? 😁

FedUp - we should all pose our videos

With my left every time. My right feels too weak in comparison for that moment when only one hand is down.