Quick Tip: Developing Strong Back Handsprings (Part 2)

Hi All,

A few weeks ago I did a quick tip with my favorite back handspring drill. Everyone seemed to find it really useful, so today I thought I would share the drill that I use next. The reason I use this drill is because I find that if I automatically let gymnasts start back handspringing to their feet after the first drill they end up with a giant pike because they don’t understand what flat hips are supposed to feel like. This drill shortens the gymnast so she is able to perform the second half of the back handspring with flat hips more easily.

This drill is really pretty simple. I want them to do everything the same as they would normally in their back handspring, with the exception of the fact that they land on their knees. I want their ribs in, their glutes tucked under and their hips flat. I also have one other thing that I prefer in this drill, which is that I want them to end with their hands at shoulder level (arms straight). This is because I’ve found that if gymnasts keep their arms by their ears in this drill they tend to break shape more (especially in the chest and back). Overall once gymnasts have done this drill for a while I’ve found that they have a much better concept of how to turn over their back handspring without piking.

Note: in this drill gymnasts do land on their knees so you have to be careful. Always spot this drill for a long time. Make sure that gymnasts aren’t landing in an arch to minimize impact on their back, make sure their cores are tight etc.

Train hard!