GYMNASTICS

CONTENTS

COMMON
GYMNASTICS
STRETCHING COLLAGE PIC
SKILLS
EXERCISE


5 - GYMNASTICS
SKILLS

 HANDSTAND

The handstand is arguably the single most important skill and position in the sport of
gymnastics. It’s the building block for essential skills on each of the four events. Being able to
do a perfect handstand is one skill you should learn to master. The handstand is used in most
tumbling skills — walkovers and handsprings. The handstand is important on bars — cast to
handstands and giants are in the handstand position. Handsprings on vault pass through the
handstand position. One of the keys to nailing the back extension roll in the level 6 floor
routine is to hit a perfect handstand in the middle of the roll.
Casting is the most basic bar element, and
learning how to cast well early on will help
CAST
you learn so many other skills. Body
position in the cast is a hollow body shape.
The hollow body shape is similar to the
shape you have in a perfect handstand
other than the fact that your back is
slightly rounded with your stomach pulled
towards your spine. You will eventually be
casting to handstand, so the higher you
can cast with a nice tight body position the
better. You want your legs to be together
and straight, your stomach pulled in, your
back rounded and your eyes looking at the
bar.
 SPLITS
d le s p l it s will
id e a nd mi d
y o u r s hat
Mastering h e r skills t h a t u s e t
e c u te o t asy
help you ex A n d your s p li t s a re e
as w e ll . ” is
same shape e . The s p li t “ s h a p e
e a t h o m s,
to practic n a stics — s p li t le a p
e in g y m
everywher e m id d l e o f back
h le a p s, in th
jumps, sw it c
yo u c a n d o your
tc . T h e b etter
walkovers,
e
t t e r y o u w ill be
g ro u n d , the be
splits on th
e
o f a s k ill . You
m in t h e m iddle
b le to do the y o u r le f t leg,
a o a sp lit on
ble t o d your
should be a a middle s p l it w it h
l e g a n d und.
your right th e way t o th e g r o
t a n d a ll
legs straigh
 ROUND-OFF

A roundoff is just
as important as a
on floor. The roun back handspring to
doff gives power ju master for tumblin
st like the back ha g
ndspring does to th
tumbling pass. e
 TURN ONE FOOT
AThe turn on 1 foot is a skill that doesn’t go aw
ay. It is required in every
floor and beam routine gymnastics levels 4-10
. So you might as well master
this basic gymnastics skill right away.


COMMON
STRETCHING
EXERCISE

 COMMON STRETCHING EXERCISE THAT IMPROVE YOUR

GYMNASTICS

SPLITS
SPRINTS

Working on your splits is a way to

improve your flexibility at home. The

Practicing sprints are a great way to
split shape shows up frequently in
improve your Vault skills, and you can
gymnastics; the split shape is seen in
practicing running fast anywhere. Great
leaps and jumps. The better you can do
vaults are quick and powerful, so the
splits on the ground, the better you can
faster your run–the more power you will
do them in the air.
have during your vault.
 COMMON STRETCHING EXERCISE THAT IMPROVE YOUR
GYMNASTICS

SCALES
PULL-UPS:

Practicing your scales
at home will help
you improve your balance, flexibility and

strength which are all crucial for

Another great exercise for improving
gymnastics. If you aren’t sure what a
your gymnastics skills at home is pull-
scale is, stand on one leg and lift the
ups. You can practice your pull-ups at
other leg directly in front of you for a
home by installing a pull-up bar in one
front scale or directly behind you for a
of your doorways.
back scale. .
 COMMON STRETCHING EXERCISE THAT IMPROVE YOUR
GYMNASTICS

LEAPS:
JUMPS

Gymnasts are required to do leaps on

both beam and floor

in their routines.
Practice makes perfect so practice your
Improve your jumps by practicing
leaps at home. Concentrate on keeping
straight jumps at home. Keep your body
your legs straight and coming as high off
as tight as possible and jump as high as
the ground as you can. Also make sure
you can while maintaining your body
the angle you make with your legs is
position.
even on both sides.