How to Do the Back Handspring for Beginner Gymnasts
One of the first backwards tumbling stunts a gymnast learns is the back handspring. Before she can try it, however, her shoulder muscles must be strong enough to bear her full body weight. An instructor, strong enough to support the gymnast's weight as she learns the stunt, must spot back handsprings. A few techniques will make teaching the back handspring easier.
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Instructions
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Push down hard on the gymnast's hands as she stands on the ground, reaching both arms straight overhead, fingers turned inwards. You are mimicking the impact she will experience through her shoulders and upper body. She must keep her arms rigid while you do this. If her arms bend during the handspring, she'll land on her head.
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Have the gymnast assume a sitting position without a chair. Ask her to keep her back vertical while doing this. The idea is to simulate the feeling of falling backwards. A back handspring's action is backwards, not upwards. Asking the gymnast to sit in this manner conditions her to move backwards when she pushes off.
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Instruct the gymnast to push off-jumping backwards with her hands straight from the sitting position. Teach her to push off just before she feels she is going to fall backwards in the sit position.
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Spot the gymnast by kneeling behind her, to the side. Place your closest hand on the back of her thigh, just above the knee, grabbing securely. Your other hand rests on the upper-middle portion of her back to support her as she jumps. If the gymnast is heavy, place one of your legs forward, foot on the ground so she must do the handspring over your knee.
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Hold the gymnast at a 15-degree angle, just short of vertical after she pushes off for her back handspring. This is the correct angle for her to make contact with the floor. If she makes contact when she's vertical, she has jumped too high.
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Remind the gymnast to keep her palms and fingers rotated inwards as she performs the back handspring. This arm position allows her elbow to bend outwards to keep her from breaking her arm should she land off-balance.
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Remember to keep the momentum of the back handspring going backwards and not upwards to generate power and strength. Watch a flash animation demonstrating the sit position just before pushing off (see Resources).
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Resources
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Comments
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I am a gymnastics coach and for the 1st years in business we always did the swing your arms going into a bhs. Now, after years of studying the skill, I understand the importance of doing the 1st 300 with arms up, shoulders tight and hershey kiss hands.. fingers pointing inward! This allows the gymnast to keep tight and push with the legs and complete a solid handstand (banana!) Also, allowing the gymnasts not to hurt their lower lumbar (back) Many local gyms still do the stylist swing with the arms. But, we DO NOT allow this until they can hold the "banana" tight and realize that the skill comes mostly from the push of the legs. Then u add arms for momentum.. I have been told u can tell when a girl takes class under me.. BC, her bhs is not froggy and loose!
