Learning How to Do a Back Bend

Video Transcript

"Hi, my name is Caroline, and this is Katie, and we're here at Encore Gymnastics, and we're going to do, learning how to do a backbend. So, before you start this, you want to make sure you're stretched. Katie's going to show you how to stretch you wrists and your ankles. Very good, excellent. And ankles. Very good, and the other one, excellent. Katie's going to lay down on her back and show you a bridge. This is very important to be able to do if you're going to do a backbend. In the bridge, you want to make sure your shoulders are over your hands, your feet are together, your legs are straight, and you have a nice arch through here. The very important part is that your arms are straight. If your arms are bent, you could hit your head on the ground, and you don't want that to happen. So come on down. After you do a bridge, you want to rock back and forth to rock your back out. Very good. And she's going to stand up and face this way. When you're a beginner, you want to start with your feet apart. Go ahead Katie, put your feet as far apart as you can get them, not in the splits, but pretty far. You're going to reach up, look at your fingers, push your hips forward, and watch your hands touch the ground. Very good. From that position, you can walk your feet together, and hold that nice bridge. Come on down, rock your back out. Katie's going to do it one more time on her own. You're going to be able to see how she reaches forward, pushes her hips out, and puts those hands down on the ground nice and gently. Very good, come on down. That is how to do a backbend."