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Gymnastics

Pommel Horse Flair

The pommel horse flair is a gymnastics skill that circles your body around alternating hand supports with your legs spread wide. It challenges 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

  1. Begin in straight-arm support on the handles with your legs clear of the floor.
  2. Open your legs into a wide straddle.
  3. Sweep your leading leg outward to initiate a circular swing around the horse.
  4. Lift your first hand as the passing leg crosses its path, supported by your opposite arm.
  5. Replace that hand on its handle once the leg clears.
  6. Lift your opposite hand as the other leg crosses its path, supported by the replanted arm.
  7. Replace the second hand once that leg clears.
  8. Carry your hips back to their starting orientation to complete one circle.

Form cues

  • Shift your shoulders over the supporting hand
  • Push tall through your shoulders
  • Keep your knees straight
  • Let your hips follow the circle

Common mistakes

  • Kicking without circlingUse a continuous sweep rather than separate forward and backward kicks.
  • Folding sharply at the hipsKeep your torso long so your hips travel around the support rather than collapsing toward the handles.
  • Reaching too far for the handleKeep the swing compact enough to replace each hand without lunging or twisting toward the horse.

Safety

A missed grip or collapsed supporting arm can cause a fall onto the horse or floor. Poor clearance and fatigue can also lead to leg impacts or excessive strain on the wrists and shoulders.

  • Attempt full flairs only after you have reliable joined-leg circles and controlled straddle support under qualified supervision.
  • Check that the horse and handles are secure, with landing mats covering the surrounding fall area.
  • Practice a controlled entry and dismount before linking repetitions.
  • End the set while hand placement and arm support are still reliable.

If you have wrist, elbow, or shoulder pain or instability, use simpler pain-free support drills and seek guidance from a physiotherapist before attempting flairs.

Muscles worked

Front
Back

Primary muscles

  • Abs
  • Front Delts

Secondary muscles

  • Hip Flexors
  • Serratus Anterior
  • Triceps

Equipment

  • Gymnastics Landing Mat
  • Pommel Horse

Sets and reps

Sets
3–5
Target
1–3 reps
Rest
2 min

Count one complete circle as one rep; this starting range is for gymnasts who already meet the prerequisites.