Learning Basic Techniques
1. Master the handstand. The handstand is one of the most essential gymnastics skills. It forms the basis of many other gymnastics techniques, such as walkovers and handsprings. To learn to do a handstand, start by practicing against a wall. Stand with your back against a wall, then bend down and put your hands on the floor. Walk your feet up the wall behind you one at a time, then use your hands to walk yourself up to the wall until your stomach is flat against the wall. Hold this position for as long as you can.
The tops of your feet should be flat against the wall, with your toes pointed at the ceiling.
As you get comfortable doing the handstand against the wall, try kicking up to a handstand from a lunge and doing it unsupported. If you are uncomfortable, have a spotter help you.
A lot of people who practice handstands tend to raise their head. Instead, try to tuck your neck and head in and tighten your center core.
2. Learn how to cast. A cast is a basic skill on the bars. Once you learn how to do a cast, you can move on to more advanced techniques, such as a cast handstand. To do a cast, push yourself up on the bar with your arms straight and your legs and feet together. Keep your legs straight and your toes pointed, and tighten your core. Bring your hips up to the level of the bar. Practice swinging your body forward and your legs back a few times, then push up with your arms so that your whole body is briefly parallel to the floor.
You may need to swing your legs forward and back several times before you can enter a full cast. Swing your legs at the hips, keeping your legs, arms, and torso straight and your hips resting against the bar.
When you’ve completed the cast, let your hips fall back against the bar and swing your legs forward again.
3. Work on doing side and middle splits. Splits are a key component of many gymnastics moves, including jumps and back walkovers. Side splits involve lowering yourself completely to the floor with one leg in front of you and the other one behind, while middle splits involve getting down on the floor with your legs out on either side of you.
To work up to doing splits, do stretches that focus on building flexibility in your hamstrings and hips.
Once you’ve mastered the splits, try doing split leaps, in which you enter a split position while jumping as high as you can off the ground.
Splits are unique in a way where you can do them anywhere, whether you're at home, at a park, or in the gym.
Tip: There are a variety of yoga poses that can help you prepare for the splits. For example, try doing a wide-legged forward bend as you work up to middle splits. Poses like the low lunge can help you get ready for side splits.
4. Try doing roundoffs. A roundoff is a move similar to a cartwheel and is a staple of many gymnastics routines. To do a roundoff, start in a lunge position with 1 knee forward and your arms lifted straight above your head with your palms forward. Lean forward with your torso and kick up with the leg in back, landing on your palms with your hands rotated inward (toward each other). Bring your legs together at the top of the roundoff, then push through so that you land facing toward the direction you started from.
It’s a good idea to perfect a basic cartwheel before you attempt a roundoff.
5. Practice the turn on 1 foot. You may associate this simple move with dancing more than gymnastics, but the turn is a staple of many beam and floor routines. To start a full (360°) turn, put the foot you’ll be turning on in a relevé position (on the ball of your foot with the top of your foot parallel to your shin). Pull your other foot up to your ankle or knee, keeping your hips level and straight. Keeping your core tight and your shoulders straight, drive with your heel to swivel yourself around in a full turn.
See you in the next 3 parts. 😉
Artemus Vazhui