Gymnastics
Mushroom Circle
The mushroom circle is a gymnastics skill that swings both legs around a low pommel trainer while you alternate hand support. It develops shoulder support, trunk control, and coordination.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Advanced
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 2 min
How to do it
- Place your palms shoulder-width apart on the trainer’s top while standing behind it.
- Support your weight through straight arms.
- Push off the floor into a sideways leg sweep with your legs together.
- Lift the hand in your legs’ path, with your weight supported by the opposite arm.
- Replace the lifted hand after your legs pass across the front of the trainer.
- Lift the opposite hand as your legs sweep around that side toward the back.
- Replant that hand as your legs return to their starting position, completing one circle.
- Lower your feet onto the mat to finish.
Form cues
- Push tall through your shoulders.
- Look toward the trainer.
- Sweep wide, not high.
Common mistakes
- Folding at the hipsMaintain a long line from your shoulders through your feet rather than pulling your thighs toward your chest.
- Bending the kneesReach your toes away from you to keep your knees extended throughout the circle.
- Rushing hand transfersEstablish firm pressure through the planted palm before releasing the other hand.
Safety
A missed hand placement or collapsing support can cause a fall onto your head, shoulder, or wrist. Repeated circles under fatigue also place substantial stress on the wrists and shoulders.
- Check that the trainer cannot rock or slide, with landing mats covering the surrounding floor.
- Warm up your wrists and shoulders with gentle supported weight shifts.
- Use qualified gymnastics supervision until you can perform a single circle and exit reliably.
- End the set if your elbows begin bending or your hand placements become inconsistent.
If you have wrist, elbow, or shoulder pain, or cannot comfortably support your bodyweight on straight arms, use supported preparation drills and seek individualized guidance before attempting circles.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Gymnastics Landing Mat
- Pommel Trainer
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–5
- Target
- 1–3 reps
- Rest
- 2 min
Count one complete circle as one rep; begin with singles before linking circles.