The word ‘cartwheel’ might sound like a funny name for a cheer skill, but it actually has an interesting story behind it.

To understand why it’s called a ‘cartwheel’, it helps to look at both the movement itself and where the word originally came from.

Long before cars, trucks, or buses existed, people traveled and carried things in wagons and carts pulled by horses.

These carts had large, round wooden wheels made with spokes.

When they rolled down dirt roads, the wheels spun in smooth, steady circles.

The word ‘cartwheel’ literally meant “the wheel of a cart.” It had nothing to do with tumbling or cheerleading back then – it was just a normal part of everyday transportation.

Now imagine what it looks like when a cheerleader performs a cartwheel.

Their body moves sideways through the air, while their arms and legs extend in wide, circular motions.

When you watch from the front, their hands and feet look like the spokes of a wheel turning around a center point – their body acting like the axle. The resemblance to a spinning cart wheel is what inspired the name.

The comparison stuck, and over time, the word ‘cartwheel’ began being used to describe this tumbling skill.

By the mid-1800s, it was the official name for the sideways hand-to-foot rotation that looked like a turning wheel.

Before this, acrobats and gymnasts in many cultures were already performing similar movements, even if they didn’t call them cartwheels. The English term simply described what the motion looked like.

In modern All Star Cheer, the cartwheel is one of the very first tumbling skills that athletes learn.

Even though it seems basic, it’s an important foundation for more advanced moves.

Mastering a clean, controlled cartwheel teaches body awareness, balance, flexibility, and coordination – all of which are essential for skills like round-offs, back handsprings, aerials, and layouts.

Coaches often emphasize the details: keeping a straight line from hands to feet, pointing the toes, keeping the core tight, and maintaining momentum throughout the motion.

Learning to land with control and proper form helps prevent injuries and builds confidence for higher-level tumbling passes.

A good cartwheel also teaches athletes how to use their shoulders and hips to drive power, which becomes crucial in skills where rotation and speed are needed.

In cheer routines, cartwheels sometimes appear in creative choreography or as connecting elements between harder skills.

Cartwheels can also add visual appeal when used in synchronized tumbling sections, especially when multiple athletes perform them in perfect unison across the mat.

When executed with sharp technique and energy, even a simple cartwheel contributes to a team’s overall performance quality.

Beyond the technical side, the cartwheel also has symbolic meaning in cheerleading – it represents progression and growth.

Many cheerleaders remember the first time they landed a cartwheel successfully. It’s often the gateway skill that sparks an athlete’s love for tumbling.

What starts as a small, basic move eventually grows into complex passes that combine power, artistry, and precision – all built on that same circular motion.

When you perform a cartwheel, you’re doing more than flipping sideways.

You are carrying on a movement that connects generations of athletes, from early acrobats to today’s elite All Star cheerleaders.

The name ‘cartwheel’ perfectly captures both the shape and spirit of the motion: a smooth, spinning circle of strength and grace.