Back Handspring FAQ

Back handsprings (BHS) are one of the signature and most essential skills of gymnastics, and the goal of nearly every beginner cheerleader. While it is considered a basic skill, a BHS takes longer than any other gymnastics skill to learn (kips on bars being a distant second). More research has been done on the optimal back handspring technique than any other skill, and even Olympic gymnasts are continually attempting to refine it. Why? Because a back handspring is the ultimate combination of strength, flexibility, coordination, body awareness, and confidence.

How long will it take my child to learn a back handspring?

First, there is no guarantee that the tumbler ever will; if they are missing even one of the above elements, they will never be able to perform a back handspring correctly and safely. However, assuming the tumbler has sufficient strength, flexibility, coordination, body awareness; does not develop a fear of the skill; and attends classes on a consistent basis, the general guideline is that they will start doing a standing back handspring on trampoline in about 20-30 classes after moving to Beginner II tumbling classes, standing back handspring on floor in about 40 weeks after moving up to Beginner II tumbling. 

Essential skills to learn a back handspring

• Handstands.  This is the most important skill in all tumbling and the body position that should be achieved halfway through a properly performed BHS.  The handstand develops the shoulder, arm, back, and ab muscles that are essential to the BHS and builds confidence that the tumbler can support themselves while upside-down.  The tumbler should emphasize stepping down so that they finish in a lunge with the arms covering the ears at all times.  Later they can work on whipping both feet to the floor and jumping backwards. They should also learn to do handstand forward rolls so that they learn how to tuck their heads and roll to help avoid injury when they get stuck in the middle of a BHS.
• Bridges.  This skill ensures that the abs, hip flexors, and shoulder muscles have sufficient flexibility to do the BHS, while also strengthening the triceps, quads, adductors, and obliques.  After the tumbler is able to hold a bridge for 60 seconds, they can work on kickovers/walkovers and limbers.  This will start building up the tumbler’s coordination and strength, and teaches the tumbler how to shift their weight past their hands while using their core and shoulder muscles to initiate the whipping action of the back handspring.
• Backward rolls and back bends on floor; and back drops and back ballouts on trampolines.  These skills will help calm any fears of going backwards that the tumbler may have.  They also help the tumbler learn how to fall safey when doing a poor back handspring.  If the tumbler does develop a fear of going backwards (very common), make sure they visualize themselves doing a back handspring at least 10 times each day. 
• Squat jumps with arm swings.  This will help the tumbler develop the coordination and timing that is essential to generating the initial power for the BHS.  The knees stay behind the toes and the head must remain neutral so that the tumbler does not develop an undercutting problem.  The arms must swing to or past the ears so that the momentum is going backwards, rather than up.

Doing vs. Mastering

Please remember that there is a difference between doing a back handspring and doing a back handspring correctly. that being able to do a back handspring on the trampoline or spring floor means the tumbler is ready to do it on a cheer floor. If the cheerleader or gymnast wishes to connect additional skills (multiple back handsprings, back tucks, layouts, etc.), perfecting the back handspring is essential and time-consuming. And just because a tumbler is able to do a standing back handspring does not mean that they are ready to start working round-off back handsprings. A proper tumbling coach should make certain that the hurdle and roundoff are performed correctly and consistently before adding a back handspring. If either of these preceding skills is incorrect, the participant risks catastrophic injury.

Special note about round-off back tucks:

It is not recommended to start working round-off back tucks until the tumbler has perfected a round-off to 2 back handsprings. Because the roundoff's mechanics and landing position is different if the tumbler is performing a back handspring or back tuck afterwards, it often confuses the tumbler to continually switch between the two combinations. If he/she begins working on roundoff back tucks prior to mastering multiple back handpsrings, the tumbler often has two options:

• stop roundoff back tucks and spend several months re-learning a roundoff back handspring
• stop working back handsprings and whipbacks.