How to Make Cartwheels

Cartwheels increase your balance, strength and energy.

Cartwheels are a fun and aerobic way to exercise and gain balance. Cartwheels strengthen your core, abdomen, legs and arms, and can be done in combination with any gymnastics or aerobic workout. Beginners and advanced gymnasts and aerobic enthusiasts can make cartwheels part of their everyday routine.

Things You'll Need

• Gymnastics mat (optional)
• Gloves (optional)

Instructions

1. Stand sideways with your legs should-width apart and raise your arms above your head in a "V" shape. If you are right-handed, it is easier to start on your left side. If you are left-handed, start on your right side. Turn your head to the side where you will be starting. Turn your forward foot on that same side to be in line with your direction, and keep your back foot perpendicular, facing the same direction as your chest and hips. Bend the forward side's leg slightly while keeping your back leg straight. This is your prep position. You should be able to shift all your weight onto your forward leg from this position.

2. 

   As you bend, your hands touch the floor one at a time and your airborne leg comes over your body.

   Practice putting all your weight onto your forward-facing leg and bending forward. Keep the rest of your body in a straight line, so that your back leg lifts off the floor and your hands grow closer to the floor. If you bend far enough, both of your hands should touch the floor, while keeping the forward-facing leg bent with foot on the ground. This is essential movement of the cartwheel. Become comfortable with this movement, because when you try it out in the next step you will have to execute a complete cartwheel in one fluid movement.

3. 

   At midpoint in the cartwheel you will be supporting all your weight on your hands.

   Perform the cartwheel by quickly bending and transferring all your weight onto your hands and using the momentum to come back onto your feet in a forward-flowing direction. If you are right-handed and performing a left-facing cartwheel, this means your weight will very rapidly transfer from both legs to left leg to left hand to both hands to right hand to right foot to both feet. You must do this very quickly in one motion or you will lose momentum and fall. Essentially you are hoisting your weight from your feet to your hands and back to your feet on the opposite side. Keep your arms stiff and straight. You will end up facing the opposite direction from which you started.

Tips & Warnings

• A cartwheel can be done on any relatively flat surface, such as wood, tile or grass, but if you are nervous about falling during the cartwheel, put down a padded gymnastics mat. You can also use gymnastics gloves for extra grip during the cartwheel.

References

• Gymnastics Revolution: Gymnastics Interactive Cartwheel