well i lerned my backhandspring in my best friends basement on mats and all i did to get it down was keep on trying to just make it better even though i was terrified like you are i just got over the hump and did it and it was soooo good and my mom was impressed

place a pile of small pillows on the floor behind you. That way if you fall it won't hurt so bad and it forces you to leap into the air or you'll trip. That way you won't get dependent on hands in mid air. Good luck hun! I know YOU CAN DO IT! Now you just have to believe you can!

Well, everybody gets these, and the only way you can do it is to do just that do it.
Just pretend that somebodies spotting you, or have somebody fake-spot you.

use a mushroom and practice getting the feel of doing it. i learned by back handspring at 5 yrs old .

Hi Melissa,

The problem I see most often with back handsprings in individuals trying to learn them is that they allow their hips to move forward as the athlete is trying to reach and move backward. This is counterproductive and sets up improper weight transfer by driving the arms and head into the matt. The back handspring becomes short, gainered, and heavy looking in appearance. In addition to increasing the risk for injury. Here are the steps to a good back handspring:

1. Athlets starts in standing position.
2. Sit back as if you are sitting in a chair. Head should be neutral and facing forward while the hips and knees get to almost 90 degrees with the back straight. (It is almost as if you are sitting down in a chair, but without the chair.)
3. After reaching the point described in #2 you will swing your arms back leaving your head in a neutral position (do not throw the head back). Your hips should move from their close to 90 degree position backwards and at a slight angle up and back as the knees straighten out.
4. Your hands should contact the ground with your feet pointed up and short of vertical (not past verticle, sure sign you are not completing full extension from hips and knees). Body position is fairly stretched with a slight bow in it short of the handstand position (which you will move through fairly quickly if done right). Best to use flexibility in hips and shoulders without a big back arch.
5. Weight transfer should be light on your hands with a strong push off using your arms and shoulders. Arms should not really bend much, if at all, and you should not feel your weight coming down heavy on your arms. You tumble across the ground not up and down through it.
5. That arm push off and snap down with mid and lower body is done simultaneously.

The back handspring should be as long as your body is, from feet to fingertips, if you were to lay down on the matt outstretched with arms over head. Shorter standing backhandsprings mean your hips are moving forward and not backward as they are supposed to.

Here is a good link and visual that also demonstrates some mistakes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAEibfWiNV8

Here is an even better example including lead up drills: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAOeZBDCDwA

Spotters, matts, pitts, etc. should all be used until confidence is gained. A skilled spotter will know how to slowly decrease spotting without you really knowing this is occurring. In short order the spotter will just be there for assisstance and you can gain the confidence you need to perform this on your own. Hope this helps.

Kirk Mango
http://becomingatruechampion.com/
http://becomingatruechampion.blogspot.com/

act lyk ur sitting in a chair bend ur legs about 90%,hands outinfront of you and twist ur arms whenever u go back levely!

i had the same prblm. i just went 2 open gym at my local gymnastics place and had the coaches help me untill i finally got it. i hurt myself all the time trying. doing it in the water helps 2

heyy ino what you mean i still have yet to get mine down perfect i just got over not doing it with out a spoter but just beleive in yourself and you can do it.

Alright, I see this all the time at my gym.. Tell the spotter to not tell you if he's gonna spot or not, or just get him to stand there and not touch you, But tumbling blocks can take a long time. my friends she was in one for 2 years.

When performing a back handspring, start with the arms up, place the knees over the feet and push through with the toes. Fall back in a backwards motion and execute a back handspring with tips from...

I always did them at the gym on a trampoline w/ no spot. Being in the gym made me more comfertable. I noticed when i got scared i wouldnt push off my legs enough and that i would just throw my arms and head back! But that ended up with me getting hurt so just remember to push off your legs!

Try to have someone you can trust. like a coach or parent or mayb even a friend!!Like for me it's my cuz.

Dont even think about it, just do it. After i was released to go back to sports from my 2 knee surgeries, i was terrified to do it again but with the help from my mom i finally got it back and i didnt even think about it when i did it cuz if u think to much you'll lose consentration and mess up. Just stay calm and remember what you've learned. And practice as much as you can the more ya practice the better it will look!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good Luck!!!

I have a friend who is an All Star Cheerleader. She hadn't tumbled in YEARS. She's now 25 and had to get a refresher course on her tumbling skills. It took her a full year before she trusted her spotter and herself to complete a standing backhandspring without a spotter! Her coach never told her if he would take his arms away. He was always right there, but everytime she threw her bh, he wouldn't help her (by guiding/touching). She did it on her own until one day she told him to back off the mat and did it on her own. It's a matter of personal comfort. If you're not ready, then take it slow. Bettter to be safe than sorry. Good luck and I hope your blockage is over sooner rather than later. Oh, and just remember, a good coach won't let you throw your tumbling skills unless you are 100% ready!

i know exactly what you mean(im in a slump now!) i always have my backhandspring, then all of a sudden im terrified to throw it by myself, though i know i have it...im always afraid of doing it, then throwing it wrong....good luck

um keeps legs together and strecth your back hand spring

Make sure no one is behind nor in front of you so you wont kick them,
Your legs are tight & close
Put your hands together lik your about to clap ( & on your tippy toes as well) swing your arms back front
THEN when your hands are coming back to the front(bend your knees your hands go out in a lower v way *with your hands in blades*) thats when you jump backwards with your legs THIGHTLY closed your hand should be flexed an your arms should be tight and when you jump back make sure your hands are close to both sides on your ears so you wont make that mistake and fall because your hands werent close enough......

why dont you go to tumbling classes.

i was the same way.have somebody do a full spot with both hands first until you get used to it.then a single hand spot untill your comfortable then have them have their hand there but not touching you until you get comfortable with that.then have them just stand by you where you can see that they are there.then have them stand by you but where you cant see them then eventually you will get it on your own again. (:

this is a mental thing, push on your lower back and it feels like you have a spot:)

you'll find out just keep practiceing and you'll get straight on perfect!!!

if you watch some videos on youtube about it they will show you:)
BUTTTTT you have to make up your mind that your gonna do it before you actually do.

well i dont really think about my tumbling. i have a full on spring
and waht i do is think about everything sepratley b4 i do it. then after i KNOW what i have to do. i clear my mind. see if that hepls
and dont be afraid to get hurt. also try having your spoter be there
but not actualy spoting you. but dont look over ur sholder when your going b-cuz u will go crooked.. kk let me know how that goes!

id say that you should just trust yourself and God. cuz whatever happens, you will live, i promise. that is EXACTLY how i learned mine. and, if you have a cheese mat, try it by yourself on that first then just go straight to the mat, try it there until you master it then go to the gym floor and do it. i promse that it is gonna b ok. lol. so good luck!

thanks for all the help! ill keep it in mind and try everything out

i havent gotten it either and i know the feeling that your afraid just go for it and dont bail out in the middle or at all and u will get it and i know it hasnt worked for me yet but thats just what my coaches keep telling me and i keep getting closer and closer to getting my backhandspring

make sure there is something bellow you (like a mat) so if you fall it wont hurt and even ask a person who knows how 2 spot a backhandspring and they can help you

try doing back walk overs and get faster and faster then when you go to try your back hand spring again it will be much easier because of all the practice

welll iam in gymnastics my spot person always if u dont jump u dont get no where u need to jump higher keep legs 2gether ,n dont throw ur hold head before u jump

OK i know this might sound weird but it helped me not only for backhandspring but for back tucks take a hoodie and wrap around your waist and have two friends or family members take the arms so you wont fall plus it will help with your tecnique and to finally get it

just practice a back walk over and do it faster and faster

To do a roundoff backhandspring make sure you get a good running start (because you start off with none)then run as fast as you can (the faster you go the better the backhand spring)and do a round-off.
Pushing off Make sure before you jump you are in a standing position with your feet together, your knees together, and your arms by your ears. Put your chin down. Swing your arms down then forward and then go into a chair postion as you begin to lean backwards.And DON'T stop!!!!
Pushing back Swing your arms above your head as you extend off the floor with a strong push from your legs and feet.
Arching backLet your legs drive you upward and backward. Point your toes and extend through your ankles. Make sure you keep your head back between your arms while you start to reach for the floor. Start to look for a landing spot on the mat.
Reaching the floor Keep your body arched as your hands touch the floor or the mat, with your legs and lower body still following. Keep your hands either straight forward or turned in slightly. Spread your fingers a little, keep your feet together, and don't let your knees bend!
Coming down Swing your legs and feet over and snap them down firmly toward the floor. Keep your upper body straight. Do not lock your knees at this point or you will damage them.
Finishing position Land with your legs slightly bent and swing your arms out straight in front of you.
Now you are finished doing the backhandspring.
Something that will help you is to act like you are a feather and to go back! Going back should help you make your backhandspring! If you don't know how long a back handspring should be you should lay flat and have someone put a foam block at your feet and one at your fingers!
TIP - Don't freak out when you are going backwards, because if you go backwards and don't flip, you could fall on your neck and/or head and this could cause serious pain and damage to your body.

just got mine and lock ur arms and legs but dont lock ur arms ull brake ur arm like me

hi :]

Its really simple to get through a tumbling block...trust me i am a power tumbler and i get a tumbling block everytime i hav to try a new tumbling pass...the easiest thing to do without getting hurt is to get a matress on the ground and since its reall soft u cant hurt urself.do everything that u hav been taught and make sure that no1 is in the rom while u r doing it cuz most tumbling blocks happen when u r under alot of preassure from eyes watching u.just keep practicing on the mattress and u should hav it by the next day..just b suer to lok ur arms and jump hi and arch ur bak

use the cheese it helps u get the feel of it

just keep your arms locked no matter what, as long as you do that i promise you wont fall on your head!

work on ur back flexibility and arm and leg strength that will help alot just keep practicing and be safe if you dont have it down good keep working with spotters till 100 % confident