Basic Gymnastics Skills 101
**Never attempt to perform these skills without having been taught by a certified gymnastics instructor!
Cartwheel (Beginner/AB1)
A cartwheel is the most well known of all gymnastics skills!
In a cartwheel, your starting position is called a "lunge." One leg is in front, one behind, your arms are straight by your head, and your body should be facing forward (not to the side!). Your front leg is bent and your back leg should be straight. The next step is to put your hands down (side by side) in line with your front leg, and kick your back foot over your head, followed by the front foot. You should land in a lunge, with the leg opposite of which you started in front.
Round-Off (Beginner/AB1)
A round-off is basically the same thing as a cartwheel, but your feet land at the same time together.
Forward Roll (Pre-School/Beginner/AB1)
A forward roll (more commonly known as a "somersault") involves placing your hands in front of your feet, tucking your head and placing the back of it on the ground, and rolling over.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXR9tDe_JKI&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOwSG3IrFf4&feature=channel
Bridge (Beginner/AB1)
In a bridge, you start by laying on your back, and placing your hands next to your head with your fingertips pointing towards your toes. You then bend your legs and place your feet on the floor and push with your arms and legs so that your arms are straight and your head is off the ground.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq07dfDaA7A&feature=channel
Back Bend (AB1/AB2)
From a standing position with your arms straight by your head and looking up at your hands, you bend you back in a "U" shape, putting your hands on the ground so that you are in a bridge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HALhKRaVWUk&feature=channel
Bridge/Back Bend Kick Over (AB2/Intermediate)
From a bridge (or back bend) position, you kick your legs over your head and land on your feet in a lunge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs-1clhFLTI&feature=channel
Bridge/Back Bend Limber (Intermediate)
From a bridge (or back bend) position, you jump with your feet and legs together and pull your legs over your head landing on your feet. Your legs should never come apart in this skill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpBx3JiWPIU&feature=channel
Back Handspring (AB2/Intermediate)
A back handspring is begun standing, normally with the arms stretching our in front. You then swing your arms and jump back onto your hands, pull your legs over and landing on your feet again. This skill is to be done FAST!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WddIxng5nwc&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0vH2gY1TpI&feature=channel
Round-Off Back Handspring (Intermediate/Advanced Intermediate)
A round-off back handspring is a combination of a round-off with a running start and "hurdle" (similar to a quick "skip")--which supplies more power--followed by a back handspring immediately after. There is no pause in between. This skill requires a lot of power and speed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PdO7vlWzqA&feature=channel
Back Tuck (Advanced Intermediate)
A back tuck is a basic, no-handed back flip. Started in a standing position, the arms swing straight up as you jump and rotate backwards, with the knees to the chest, landing again on the feet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU4n8G76leU
Pullover on Single or Low Bar (AB1/AB2)
With your hands hip width apart on the bar, you pull your chest up to the bar and kick your feet over the bar and land in a front support (hands on bar with arms straight beside body and hips resting on the bar).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp846gujEgM&feature=channel
Back Hip Circle on Single or Low Bar (AB2/Intermediate)
A back hip circle is begun in a front support (see above description) and then swinging the legs to the front and then over the head, and again landing in a front support.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnJpAPcP4xc&feature=channel