Gymnastics · Mobility
Back Walkover
A back walkover takes you backward from standing through a split handstand to a lunge. This gymnastics skill develops balance, body control, and coordinated shoulder and hip mobility.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Advanced
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 1 min 30 sec
How to do it
- Stand with your weight on one leg and your arms overhead.
- Lift your free leg forward to lead the movement.
- Reach backward toward the floor through a controlled backbend.
- Place your palms shoulder-width apart on the floor behind you.
- Push off your supporting foot to pass through a split handstand.
- Lower your leading foot to the floor beyond your hands.
- Press through your hands to lift your torso.
- Set your trailing foot down into a stable lunge with your arms overhead.
Form cues
- Keep your elbows straight.
- Reach tall through your shoulders.
- Keep your hips square.
- Stretch both legs long.
Common mistakes
- Throwing your head backwardKeep your head between your upper arms rather than using a neck throw to start the movement.
- Forcing the lower-back archReturn to supported bridge progressions until your shoulders open enough to distribute the bend comfortably.
- Swinging the lead leg sidewaysGuide your leading foot along a straight path over your body rather than around it.
Safety
Losing arm support or balance while inverted can cause a fall onto your head or neck. Forcing the backbend can strain your lower back, shoulders, or wrists.
- Learn with qualified gymnastics instruction and hands-on spotting; do not attempt your first repetitions alone.
- Use a spring floor with secured gymnastics landing mats and a clear landing area.
- Establish a comfortable bridge, controlled bridge kickover, and supported split handstand before linking the full skill.
- End the set when arm support, backward reach, or landing control becomes uncertain.
If you have wrist, shoulder, neck, or back pain, or cannot support yourself comfortably in a bridge, use prerequisite progressions and seek physiotherapist advice before attempting the skill.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Gymnastics Landing Mat
- Spring Floor
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 1–3 reps
- Rest
- 1 min 30 sec
Treat each repetition as skill practice rather than conditioning.