SSGB #9 - The dreaded Cartwheel

[mw.rosa]

I'm only a green belt in HDGD but we started cartwheel practice at white belt. As I could already to a cartwheel it was easy for me. Especialy since my glasses keep sliding off during the cartwheel and I now hold my glasses in my sword hand while doing the cartwheels. Making a fist on which you "lean". Most of the time I actually do (almost) a one handed cartwheel with 95% on my non sword hand and 5% on my sword hand.
As for doing the cartwheel with a kagum or jingum, the idea is that the blade never hits the floor. When you hold the sword in your hand and cartwheel on your fist the blade should be of the floor. At least when you do it correctly it should.
As for everything, practice makes perfect, some (private) gymnastics lessons on the subject could help.

 

[Namii]

I'm so glad I don't have to worry about glasses... i used to wear them all the time until I got the eye surgery. So you take off your glasses when you do the cartwheel, or do you put your hand by your face to hold them? Trying to picture what you mean.
I was already able to do cartwheels just doing them with a sword in hand took a little bit to get used to. I see alot of people do it the "fist" way. I do mine one handed and the sword hand doesnt contact the floor-its kinda stationary a few inches above the floor as the rest of my body comes around and then of course comes up for the center cut. Then I dont have to worry about my blade smacking the floor. I cringe every time I see someone's hit the floor and just think "what if that was a jingum?" The alternative is a parry and then a 360 spin into the center cut.

 

[mw.rosa]

So you take off your glasses when you do the cartwheel, or do you put your hand by your face to hold them? Trying to picture what you mean.

I take them off and hold them loosely in my swordhand while I do the cartwheel without sword. When I do cartwheels with mokgum I usually give my glasses to my girlfriend to hold while I do the exercise. We train together.

 

[Josh Oakley]

So, uh.... That cartwheel thing. Don't get me wrong. I like cartwheels. While people disagree with me, I maintain that cartwheels can be useful in a fight.... But with a sword? I don't get it. Why? I don't see the point.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

So, uh.... That cartwheel thing. Don't get me wrong. I like cartwheels. While people disagree with me, I maintain that cartwheels can be useful in a fight.... But with a sword? I don't get it. Why? I don't see the point.

I totally agree. Meaning no disrespect to HDGD, the acrobatics and flashiness is part of what has put me off of looking further into it. I don't think that acrobatics or flashiness are bad in and of themselves, even in a sword art. But it is not what I am personally looking for in a sword art.

Daniel

 

[RONIN923]

Greetings,
I can see I'm late to this thread, but I'd like to add my experience. That particular move in Ku Bon, only utilizes the cart wheel for those who can't perform the actual move, which is a "hands free" walk-over. The ending move of a kneeling over head cut is set up by the momentum of either the cart-wheel or the walk-over. As for the original question, cart-wheels become easier with practice, I've found that by counting as I place my hands, then my feet, makes it flow easier.
I'll explain;turn your body facing to the right, left foot forward, left hand up, sword held in your right hand, point up, perform the cart-wheel by placing your left hand down first, (1) count, right hand follows, keeping it in a fist, rolling across the knuckles, (2) count, keeping your legs straight and your momentum going, your right leg contacts the ground, (3) count, followed by your left foot, (4) count. At the end you should still be facing to the right, left foot forward, shift your body to the left into a front stance, step forward with the right foot, dropping to your left knee, as you finish with over head body cut. Hope this helps, I didn't start Kumdo until I was in my late forties, while I can't perform the walk-over, I do the cart-wheel.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

That sounds interesting. You wouldn't be able to post a link to the walk over technique, would you? Now I'm curious and would like to see it.

 

[Namii]

Do you have a link? I've never seen anyone do the hands free version.

 

[DMcHenry]

I was having trouble doing the cartwheel, so normally when I practice I just spin around trying to cover the same distance. I do want to work on it, but I've gotten way overweight (for me) and am getting old (relitivly) and just find it difficult to do things like that.

I'll try your suggestion and work on it some more. I'll need to film myself, as I can't tell if I'm going over correctly or not (tend to practice by myself). I sure feel I've stressed everything the few times I've worked on it.