Gymnastics
Clear Hip Circle
The clear hip circle is a backward gymnastics bar circle performed without resting your hips on the rail. It develops shoulder strength, grip, and body control.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Advanced
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 2 min
How to do it
- Start in front support with straight arms, an overhand shoulder-width grip, and the bar against your upper thighs.
- Cast your legs backward to lift your hips away from the bar.
- Lower your shoulders backward as your legs descend from the cast.
- Circle beneath the bar with your hips clear of the rail and your body slightly rounded.
- Open the angle between your arms and torso as you rise on the other side.
- Shift your wrists over the rail as your shoulders rise above it.
- Finish in front support with the bar against your upper thighs.
Form cues
- Keep your legs together.
- Keep your head between your arms.
- Push firmly through the rail.
Common mistakes
- Folding sharply at the hipsMaintain a long body shape rather than pulling your knees toward your chest.
- Throwing the head backwardKeep your neck aligned with your torso instead of using your head to initiate rotation.
- Opening too lateBegin extending through your shoulders on the rising side rather than waiting until you reach bar height.
Safety
A missed grip or stalled rotation can cause a fall onto your head, neck, or back. Poor timing and fatigue can also overload your wrists and shoulders.
- Learn this skill through progressive drills under qualified in-person gymnastics instruction with a trained spotter.
- Check that the bars are secure, landing mats cover the fall area, and the other rail is outside your swing path.
- Practice the support finish before attempting a higher exit or linking another skill.
- End the set when your grip slips or your arms begin to buckle.
If you have wrist, elbow, or shoulder pain, or cannot reliably hold front support, use preparatory drills and seek appropriate professional guidance before attempting the circle.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Gymnastics Landing Mat
- Spotting Platform (optional)
- Uneven Bars
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–4
- Target
- 1–3 reps
- Rest
- 2 min
Use separate attempts with a full reset; prioritize consistent timing over consecutive repetitions.