Walkovers For Complete Beginners

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Sep 22, 2016
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Hi all!

Any tips on walkovers would be massively appreciated. I'm trying to learn back walkovers, starting at the moment with kickovers from bridge. I can get an average enough bridge with shoulders roughly over hands but am really struggling to get the 'oomph' to kick over even with my feet raised up a little. I'm struggling to time lifting one leg and pushing off with the other if that makes sense. Any tips for front walkovers would be great too as I would love to get both this season!

I know this is probably so basic for you all! I'm on a university team and hadn't done more than a janky cartwheel before. My motivation level is a 10 but my skill is closer to a 2 ;)
 
When you are in your bridge, you need to focus on not just kicking your legs back, but shifting your hips back as well. When you kick over, you need to make sure you split your legs apart as far as possible. These tips are what helped me get a backbend kickover!
 
When you are in your bridge, you need to focus on not just kicking your legs back, but shifting your hips back as well. When you kick over, you need to make sure you split your legs apart as far as possible. These tips are what helped me get a backbend kickover!

AH That might be the secret! I haven't been moving my hips but that seems so obvious now. Will practice tonight! Thank you x
 
Before u try kicking u have to shift your weight. Your shoulders shouldn't be over your hand but more towards the direction you are kicking...


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S
Before u try kicking u have to shift your weight. Your shoulders shouldn't be over your hand but more towards the direction you are kicking...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ooh, so in my bridge I need to push back even more until my shoulders are like 3 inches further away from my feet than my hands are?
 
S


Ooh, so in my bridge I need to push back even more until my shoulders are like 3 inches further away from my feet than my hands are?

That's the only way to get the weight shift you need to happen.


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For your front walkovers, try learning kneebends. The reason those can be helpful, is they teach you how to push through your pelvis. The temptation is to sink your butt down, but you really need to push your hips forward to get yourself up. Also, make sure you leave your head back until the end. Again, you'll see lots of girls lift their heads up, but it changes the line of your spine and makes it much harder. (I'm not a cheerleader, but I was a gymnast and a gymnastics coach. I'm a cheer mom now)
 
For your front walkovers, try learning kneebends. The reason those can be helpful, is they teach you how to push through your pelvis. The temptation is to sink your butt down, but you really need to push your hips forward to get yourself up. Also, make sure you leave your head back until the end. Again, you'll see lots of girls lift their heads up, but it changes the line of your spine and makes it much harder. (I'm not a cheerleader, but I was a gymnast and a gymnastics coach. I'm a cheer mom now)

Call me stupid but what's a knee bend hehe?
 
Call me stupid but what's a knee bend hehe?

Start on your knees, arms up. arch back and try to touch the ground (just like a backbend, but on your knees). It's completely impossible to do if you aren't pushing your pelvis forward. It's a great way to help train kids to lead with their pelvises in standing up from backbends/bridges or front limbers/FWO
 
Start on your knees, arms up. arch back and try to touch the ground (just like a backbend, but on your knees). It's completely impossible to do if you aren't pushing your pelvis forward. It's a great way to help train kids to lead with their pelvises in standing up from backbends/bridges or front limbers/FWO

Sounds good! I'll give this a go tonight.
 
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