Whether is a horizontal cast, a kip cast connection, or a cast to handstand, the drills in this post should help you out! We spent some time compiling all the best casting drills we could find and put them in one place for you.

Horizontal Casting

Here is a great one that will develop the power and drive needed for a strong cast.

This video breaks down each part of the cast and provides plenty of progressions.

Kip Cast Connection

Sometimes a gymnast can have a beautiful kip and a beautiful cast, but then you put them together and suddenly all their technique vanishes. It can be frustrating, but be patient and work a lot of connection drills, and your gymnast will start to figure it out. Below are a few of my favorite ways to help develop the piked finish after a kip, which is detrimental to a cast connection.

This is one I haven’t tried before but seems like it would work great for rounding those shoulders over the bar in the kip while finishing with feet in front. You can also try this with a block as the “low bar”. Starting with a bar there might be scary during the reach from the first bar to the second. I love how there’s a handful of progressions you can do here, stemme rise to cast, one legged stemme rise with a cast, then adding the reach to the lower bar as the gymnast casts to handstand, etc.

Cast to Handstand

Here are a few ideas for developing the strength needed in a great cast to handstand.

This drill is awesome, if you have some really archy attempts at casting to handstand, set up this drill. It eliminates the bar portion and allows the gymnast to focus on using her hips rather than her toes to lead the cast.

Here is a great one that provides progressive steps.

If you’re looking for a fun one to add into your rotation, I like this drill. It helps get the straddle cast to handstand rhythm down while allowing the gymnast to have a little fun.

This one is great because it starts from their knees. I prefer starting this way because it requires more hip and shoulder activation to reach handstand, and because it eliminates gymnasts cheating by jumping into the handstand (something I see all too often when this drill is done starting from the feet). For some progressions, have the gymnast start from the ground, do it free standing without a wall for support, add pirouetting, etc.