All-Star Is It Possible To Physically Not Be Able To Do A Backhandspring?

I think it's possible, but not likely. The more likely possibility is a mental block about throwing your head towards the ground.

I saw it a LOT with guys that started tumbling later than most.


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!

You could not be physically capable, but that still doesn't make it impossible. for example maybe your arms need to be strengthened in order to adequately hold your weight in the handstand position. Or you need to work on back flexibility inorder to stretch through the handspring. Neither of those things (back flexibility or arm strength) are as essential in tucks--the focus is more on legs and core.

If you had no arms, then it would be physically impossible to do a back handspring. But essentially if you can do a bridge, a handstand, can snap your arms up to your ears and can jump off the ground then you probably don't have physical issue preventing you from being able to do one.

juscheerthatisall said:

You could not be physically capable, but that still doesn't make it impossible. for example maybe your arms need to be strengthened in order to adequately hold your weight in the handstand position. Or you need to work on back flexibility inorder to stretch through the handspring. Neither of those things (back flexibility or arm strength) are as essential in tucks--the focus is more on legs and core.

Click to expand...

I agree with this..... It is not Impossible, there could just be strength and core issues...... I learned on as a 17 year old, just because I wanted to learn it for no reason, other than it was Cool!! and this was 30 years ago!!! I can still do one...............

Consider shoulder flexibility. I had the same problem when I was younger. I conditioned like crazy because I thought I wasn't strong enough to do the skill. After realizing that I could do standing tucks, I switched to a new coach. This coach had me stretch my shoulders every night. Two weeks later, I had a back handspring.

It might be! Or, like said above, you are lacking more in the skills you need than others, condition just as much as them, when you really need to do it more. I never got my backhandspring , but like you round off tuck. Never really cared to either, since I didn't need it. (I was so motivated, I know)

Honestly my daughter worked on hers for two years and she was so close yet so far away. She would land on her knees no matter what she tried and it didn't seem like any coach she tried helped. She tried a different gym which we ended up switching to and has been tumbling there since may of this year and now has standing and bounding handsprings (normal and step out and walkover handsprings) as well as standing and bounding tucks and punch front passes....just since may. Sometimes it just takes a new prospective on things. Don't give up.


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android || Upgrade Your Account!

I'd suggest conditioning, but everyone else is saying that, so I'm going to have to say working on it with a spot. It's how I began fixing the crazy "ninja kick" in my BHS.

My daughter is the same way. She's got her running tuck and working on her standing tuck, but nearly hits her head on every backhandspring she throws. not sure how to fix it.


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

CGAcheer said:

If you had no arms, then it would be physically impossible to do a back handspring. But essentially if you can do a bridge, a handstand, can snap your arms up to your ears and can jump off the ground then you probably don't have physical issue preventing you from being able to do one.

Click to expand...

well.. the person had arms but I've seen someone do a back headspring.. not recommended though..

sorry so late in the game but saw this thread just now. i'm not psysically able to do a BHS. i have about 60-70 cm metal in my back because of my scoliosis so i cant cheer at all. (wehave the metric system in sweden.)

I had the same issue with backhandpsrings. I would bounce off my head every single time, no matter how many privates I took and how hard I tried there was no fixing it. I actually have a lot of back problems now from throwingback handsprings on my head for so long.

shootingstarsfan said:

I had the same issue with backhandpsrings. I would bounce off my head every single time, no matter how many privates I took and how hard I tried there was no fixing it. I actually have a lot of back problems now from throwingback handsprings on my head for so long.

Click to expand...

Yikes! I'm sorry!


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android

Miialovescheer said:

sorry so late in the game but saw this thread just now. i'm not psysically able to do a BHS. i have about 60-70 cm metal in my back because of my scoliosis so i cant cheer at all. (wehave the metric system in sweden.)

Click to expand...

I have a cheerleader with a metal in her spine, but i'm sure it's not that long - maybe 10-15 cm because she broke her spine. She worked her way back to cheer at our gym, and since last week she is doing her bhs again *proudcoach*.

But she's struggeling with her scorpion. She's getting there, but slowly (she is 16, if that is a helpfull information).


The Fierce Board App! || iPhone || Android