Gymnastics
Handstand Flat-Back Vault
The handstand flat-back vault is a handspring preparation drill that finishes on your back on raised mats. It develops leg drive, shoulder push, and control of a straight body in flight.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Advanced
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 2 min
How to do it
- Run toward the springboard with a controlled, gradually accelerating approach.
- Hurdle onto the springboard with both feet together.
- Rebound from the board toward the vault table.
- Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the table with straight arms.
- Drive your heels overhead toward a straight handstand position.
- Push the table away through your shoulders with your elbows straight.
- Keep your body long as you rotate toward the raised landing mats.
- Land flat across your upper back, torso, and legs on the mat stack.
Form cues
- Squeeze your legs together.
- Keep your ribs tucked.
- Look between your hands during support.
Common mistakes
- Bending your elbows on contactReturn to straight-arm support drills until you can keep your arms firm through the push.
- Folding at the hipsKeep your hips open through flight rather than reaching your feet toward the mats.
- Lingering on the tableMake the shoulder push quick rather than pausing in a handstand.
Safety
A missed board contact, misplaced hand, or collapsed arm can cause a fall onto your head or neck. An unstable or poorly positioned mat stack can leave you short of the landing surface, risking serious injury.
- Have a qualified gymnastics professional set the board spacing, table height, and secured mat stack, and supervise and spot this progression.
- Practice an abort route before starting; abandon the attempt before takeoff if your approach is mistimed.
- Use a raised mat stack designed for flat-back vault landings, not a single floor mat.
- Stop the set when fatigue changes your approach or support position.
Use prerequisite drills if you cannot reliably rebound from the board or support a straight-arm handstand; get medical or physiotherapy advice first for current wrist, shoulder, neck, or back symptoms.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Gymnastics Landing Mat
- Vault Springboard
- Vault Table
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–4
- Target
- 2–3 reps
- Rest
- 2 min
Treat each repetition as a separate attempt with a full setup reset.