Gymnastics
Front Tuck
The front tuck is a forward somersault with a two-foot takeoff, tucked rotation, and feet-first landing. It trains explosive leg power, aerial control, and landing coordination.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Advanced
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 2 min
How to do it
- Approach the takeoff area with a short, controlled run.
- Hurdle into a two-foot contact with your arms reaching overhead.
- Rebound upward from both feet into forward rotation.
- Draw your knees toward your chest after leaving the floor.
- Grasp your upper shins to maintain a compact tuck.
- Extend out of the tuck as your feet rotate toward the landing mat.
- Land on both feet with your hips and knees bending to absorb impact.
Form cues
- Keep your head neutral.
- Keep your knees tracking over your toes.
- Exhale through the landing.
Common mistakes
- Diving forward off the floorDirect your takeoff upward rather than throwing your chest toward the landing area.
- Tucking before takeoff finishesFinish pushing through your legs before pulling into the tuck.
- Guessing when to openReturn to supervised apparatus progressions until you can consistently recognize your landing position.
Safety
Insufficient height or poorly timed rotation can cause a head or neck landing with serious injury. Uncontrolled landings can also injure your ankles or knees.
- Attempt this skill only under qualified gymnastics supervision with appropriate spotting arrangements.
- Use a spring floor and secured gymnastics landing mats with a clear landing area.
- Stop the set when takeoff height, orientation, or landing control becomes inconsistent.
If you cannot reliably perform controlled tuck jumps and basic forward-rotation drills, choose supervised prerequisite progressions before attempting this skill.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Gymnastics Landing Mat
- Spring Floor
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–5
- Target
- 1–2 reps
- Rest
- 2 min
This is skill practice, not conditioning; reset fully between attempts.