Recently we had a parent bring their athlete in for a Private lesson to have their athlete ‘get their back handspring’.
While we were certainly happy to set the athlete on the path to accomplish this goal, the parent became frustrated that we were taking the athlete through a system of important progressions working toward the back handspring, which includes learning to do a handstand before the actual back handspring itself.
The parent became frustrated that we didn’t simply ‘IMMEDIATELY’ teach the athlete the back handspring.
Though we did appreciate the parent’s input, having an athlete jump into a skill – regardless of whether they are able to “quickly” learn that specific skill – without the proper foundational skills necessary to perform that skill correctly, long-term would (in our view) be doing that athlete a tremendous disservice.
Learning a handstand before attempting a back handspring is very important for safety, body control, and building confidence.
Both skills are part of tumbling, but they require different levels of strength, balance, and awareness.
A handstand teaches the basics that make a back handspring possible and much safer.
A handstand helps you develop upper body strength.
When doing a handstand, your arms, shoulders, and core muscles support your entire body weight.
This strength is critical for a back handspring because during the skill, your arms and shoulders must push you off the ground while your core keeps your body tight and controlled.
Without enough strength, attempting a back handspring can lead to poor form, falls, or injuries.
A handstand improves balance and body awareness.
In a handstand, you learn to control your body while upside down. You feel how to shift your weight, keep your legs straight, and maintain a strong core.
This awareness is essential for a back handspring, where your body must move backward quickly and land safely.
Athletes who struggle with handstands often have trouble keeping their body tight and balanced during the back handspring, which increases the risk of falling or twisting incorrectly.
Handstands also build confidence in being upside down.
Many beginners fear flipping backward, but practicing handstands allows you to get comfortable with being inverted in a controlled way.
This comfort reduces fear when attempting a back handspring.
The more confident you feel upside down, the more relaxed your body will be, and relaxed muscles perform better and safer in tumbling skills.
Handstands teach proper alignment and technique.
You learn to keep your shoulders over your hands, legs straight, and toes pointed.
These habits carry directly into a back handspring, helping you maintain a tight, streamlined body position throughout the skill.
Proper technique reduces strain on your wrists, shoulders, and back, making the move safer and easier to perform consistently.
Mastering a handstand first ensures that you have the strength, balance, confidence, and technique needed for a back handspring.
Skipping handstands can make learning the back handspring harder, more dangerous, and less successful over the long-term.
The reason why Tumble Coaches emphasize handstands is because they are the foundation for many tumbling skills and set up young athletes for long-term success not just a quick fix of a proud parent being able to boast “My athlete has their back handspring!”
While simply throwing a back handspring may seem like a tremendous act of athleticism in the moment, to truly have the skill be as correct as possible from a technique standpoint (not to mention be at a point where it is truly “competable”) and one that can be built upon and developed into other skills over time, needs the correct foundation built and leading up to it, or else this feeling of momentary pride potentially may be very short-lived.
