Gymnastics
Pommel Horse Circle
The pommel horse circle is a gymnastics skill that moves your joined legs around the horse in continuous straight-arm support. It trains shoulder support, trunk control, and coordinated weight shifts.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Advanced
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 2 min
How to do it
- Mount into straight-arm support with one hand on each pommel, your chest facing the horse, and your legs together behind you.
- Sweep your legs toward your left side, supported primarily by your right arm.
- Release your left hand as your legs circle in front of your torso.
- Replace your left hand on its pommel once your legs clear it.
- Sweep your legs toward your right side, supported primarily by your left arm.
- Release your right hand as your legs circle behind you.
- Replace your right hand on its pommel to complete one circle in the starting support position.
- Exit onto the landing mat using a previously practiced dismount.
Form cues
- Push tall through your shoulders
- Keep your hips open
- Reach long through pointed toes
- Keep the rhythm even
Common mistakes
- Folding at the hipsMaintain a long line from your shoulders through your feet rather than pulling your knees toward your chest.
- Lifting a hand before transferring weightMove your shoulders over the supporting hand before freeing the other hand.
- Splitting the legsKeep your inner thighs together so both legs travel as one unit.
Safety
A missed hand placement or loss of shoulder support can cause a fall onto the horse or floor. Fatigue and poorly timed weight shifts can overload your wrists, elbows, or shoulders.
- Secure the horse and cover the surrounding landing area with fitted mats.
- Learn the skill with qualified gymnastics supervision and appropriate spotting.
- Establish controlled circles on a low mushroom trainer before attempting the full-height horse.
- End the set when hand placement becomes rushed or your supporting arm starts to buckle.
If you have wrist, elbow, or shoulder pain, or cannot hold stable straight-arm support, use a supported regression and seek qualified guidance before attempting circles.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Gymnastics Landing Mat
- Pommel Horse
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–5
- Target
- 1–3 reps
- Rest
- 2 min
Count each complete rotation as one rep; this prescription assumes you have already learned the skill.