If you have ever watched an All Star Cheerleading practice or competition, you have probably seen athletes moving across the floor with speed, power, and control.

Two skills that often catch the eye are the roundoff and the cartwheel.

At first glance, they may look almost the same.

Both involve placing the hands on the ground while the legs pass overhead.

However, these two skills serve different purposes and play important roles in cheerleading.

So, what is the difference between a roundoff and a cartwheel?

The biggest difference is how the athlete lands and what happens next.

A cartwheel is a sideways movement in which an athlete places one hand and then the other on the floor while kicking the legs overhead.

The legs pass over the body one at a time, creating a wide, split-leg position.

The athlete finishes facing a different direction from the starting position, usually landing on one foot and then the other.

In All Star Cheerleading, cartwheels help athletes develop balance, coordination, flexibility, and body control.

They also teach important movement patterns that can support learning more advanced tumbling skills.

For beginners, a cartwheel is often one of the first skills that introduces the feeling of moving upside down while supporting the body with the hands.

A roundoff looks similar at the beginning, but its finish is very different.

Instead of landing on one foot and then the other, the athlete brings the legs together during the rotation and lands on both feet at nearly the same time.

The body turns through the movement so the athlete finishes facing the opposite direction from where they started.

That two-foot landing is what makes the roundoff especially important in cheerleading.

It allows the athlete to use the momentum created during the skill to prepare for another tumbling movement.

For example, a roundoff may lead directly into a back handspring, followed by additional skills in a tumbling pass.

Think of a roundoff as a way to turn forward movement into backward tumbling power.

When performed correctly, it helps an athlete create speed and rebound off the floor.

That rebound is the quick upward movement that can help connect one skill to the next.

A cartwheel does not usually create the same type of rebound because the athlete finishes on one foot and then the other.

While cartwheels are valuable for developing basic skills, they are not normally used in the same way as roundoffs when building connected tumbling passes.

Both skills require proper technique.

Athletes must learn correct hand placement, keep their bodies controlled, and develop the strength needed to support themselves while inverted.

Coaches also help athletes understand how to enter and finish each skill safely.

Rushing through the learning process can lead to poor habits and increase the risk of injury.

In All Star Cheerleading, these skills are not just about looking impressive.

They are building blocks that help athletes develop the movement, strength, and confidence needed for more challenging tumbling.

Each athlete progresses at a different pace, so mastering the basics matters.

Ultimately, the difference is simple: a cartwheel finishes one foot at a time, while a roundoff finishes with both feet landing together.

That small difference is important because a roundoff helps athletes build the power and rebound needed for connected tumbling skills.

Both skills are important building blocks in All Star Cheerleading.

Learning them correctly helps athletes develop the technique, control, and confidence needed to progress toward more advanced tumbling skills.