Gymnastics
Front Handspring
The front handspring is a forward tumbling skill that passes through brief hand support before landing on both feet. It develops explosive leg drive, shoulder push, and whole-body coordination.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Advanced
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 2 min
How to do it
- Hurdle forward into a long lunge with your arms overhead.
- Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor ahead of your lead foot.
- Kick your rear leg overhead from the lunge.
- Bring your legs together as your hips pass over your shoulders.
- Push explosively through your shoulders with straight elbows to leave the floor.
- Maintain a long body position as your feet rotate toward the landing.
- Land on both feet with your chest rising toward upright.
- Bend your hips and knees to absorb the landing.
Form cues
- Keep your middle tight.
- Look between your hands during support.
- Reach long, not down.
Common mistakes
- Collapsing through the armsReturn to supported handstand pushing drills until you can support your weight without your elbows buckling.
- Throwing the head backKeep your head aligned with your arms rather than using it to initiate rotation.
- Folding at the hips in flightKeep your hips open until your feet approach the floor instead of pulling them underneath you early.
Safety
Failed hand support or insufficient rotation can cause a head or neck impact. Poor hand placement and uncontrolled landings can also injure the wrists, shoulders, knees, or ankles.
- Practice only under direct supervision from a qualified gymnastics instructor; written instructions alone are not enough for this skill.
- Use a spring floor with secured gymnastics landing mats and a clear landing area.
- Establish a controlled handstand, hurdle, and supervised handspring progressions before attempting the full skill.
- Stop when fatigue changes your hand support, rotation, or landing control.
If you have wrist, shoulder, back, or neck pain, or a recent lower-body injury, get guidance from a physiotherapist or doctor before attempting this skill.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Gymnastics Landing Mat
- Spring Floor
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–4
- Target
- 2–3 reps
- Rest
- 2 min
Treat each repetition as a separate attempt with a full reset, not as continuous tumbling.