Basic skills needed for handsprings and aerials

[ironskeleton]

having problems with handsprings or aerials?
you might have a problem with the basic skills needed for these moves.


the basic skills
front splits (you can go w/o side splits for a while)
bridge
patience
handstand
cartwheel


*front splits are required for awesome kicks, cartwheels and all its kind (roundoffs, aerials...).
*a bridge is required for handsprings and for learning handstands without bruising your back. it isn't just about improving back flexibility either, SHOULDER flexibility is developed in a bridge. and shoulder flexibility is essential to producing an optimal golf swing.
*patience is required for life.
*handstands are required for handsprings.
*cartwheels, they sound so simple yet not being able to do one correctly makes doing aerials more difficult, and makes doing aesthetically pleasing aerials next to impossible.


Front Splits
you need a split of around 130 or so degrees in order to get a powerful (and pretty) cartwheel/aerial. but to be supercool, you need a split of 180 degrees. so go for the 180.

*******square your hips******* the most common mistake people make is not squaring their hips. so important.

wrong way
http://images15.fotki.com/v263/photos/3/33813/3400447/TT02220crop-vi.jpg
see how unhappy not having square hips can make you

correct way
(i forgot to take this picture, i'll make it later)

how you can progress if you're still far from the ground:
if your split currently doesn't allow you to keep a straight back when you support yourself with your hands next to your side, place you hands further in front of you and bend fowards from the hips, making sure you keep your back straight and hips square.
and keep relaxed! tensing up limits your potential so constanly make sure you are staying relaxed.

stop doing this
http://images16.fotki.com/v299/photos/3/33813/3400447/TT02120crop-vi.jpg

and do this
http://images17.fotki.com/v296/photos/3/33813/3400447/TT02320cropcopy-vi.jpg

let your hips be pulled straight down, its the only way to progress and keep your hips square. always keep your center facing straight foward too!

a wonderful stretch for your hamstrings (one of the buttheads in your way from the splits) that also makes it easy for you to learn how it feels to have your hips square is this...

wrong way
http://images16.fotki.com/v289/photos/3/33813/3400447/TT01120crop-vi.jpghttp://images16.fotki.com/v299/photos/3/33813/3400447/TT00720crop-vi.jpg
the hips should be turned to where the white line would be where the red line is.

right way
http://images17.fotki.com/v296/photos/3/33813/3400447/TT01420crop-vi.jpghttp://images16.fotki.com/v287/photos/3/33813/3400447/TT01720crop-vi.jpg
my leg is dropping in that firtst one, i was super exhausted taking these.

place all your weight on one leg. lift the other leg straight back behind you and let your chest be pulled down. keep your supporting leg perpendicular to the ground, and place the opposite hand in the place the other foot is suppose to be.
notice how your hips turn out when you raise your leg and the hip of your lifted leg is higher than your other hip? to fix your hips, relax any tension in them and turn your belly button and thigh straight towards the ground. feel how your hips shifted? that is what is meant by square hips.
and your hamstring should really feel a stretch now. focus on keeping your belly button facing foward, your hips relaxed and your back leg raised as high as possible without comprimising your hip position.



Bridge
can't do a bridge? wonderful! you'll soon be able to.

wrong way
http://images12.fotki.com/v254/photos/3/33813/3400447/TT00120crop-vi.jpg

take off your socks and straighten your legs to push your shoulders over your hands. this is the most important part of a bridge.
PUSH YOUR SHOULDERS OVER YOUR HANDS!
don't worry about how far away your feet are from your hands, shortening that distance comes from increasing back flexibility.
support your weight with the heel of your hand.
keeps your elbows straight but not locked.
don't bend your back at one point, bend it evenly.
look (or try to) at your hands.
keep your feet flat and no wider than shoulder width apart.
STAY RELAXED!

correct way
http://images17.fotki.com/v294/photos/3/33813/3400447/TT01020crop-vi.jpg

always counter back bending with front bending
http://images16.fotki.com/v298/photos/3/33813/3400447/TT00920crop-vi.jpg
hah, i've never seen how silly i look like that.

to do this stretch, lay on your back, kick your legs over your head. relax your back and let the weight of your legs pull them down.


handstand
there is no wrong way to do a handstand. if its wrong you wont be able to do a handstand.

the only way to get a handstand down is to do it a thousand times with heart.

solid shoulder, core and back strength are needed for handstands. if you don't have all three, get them.


cartwheel
learn to do these on both sides. one side is going to be much weaker than the other. don't let it stay like that.

put a piece of tape down and practice on it.
start facing foward. turn a quarter turn as you place your hands down. you'll pass through a straddle handstand positition, and then you turn a quarter turn again as you place your feet down. it helps to stay straight if your keep your eyes on where your feet are going to land, it keeps you oriented.

*****do not reach foward unless you are doing a roundoff*****
a roundoff IS NOT a cartwheel that you land with your feet together.
think of a roundoff as a combination of a cartwheel and a handspring. your starting and hand position is like a cartwheel, but the direction of your momentum and how you push off the ground using your shoulders is like a handspring.

cartwheel- reach down, push up off your leg.
roundoff- reach out, push up and out off your leg.


**back to the cartwheel**
after you are comfortable with the movement, focus on making it quicker and as tight as possible, meaning you travel foward as little as possible. when you have this, add a powerful hop DOWN, this adds a spring to the start of your cartwheel and gives you more air. you should either have, or be close to, a tight aerial now.

[Jujimufu]

Salvaged upon request.

[TartanPajamas]

Nice back flexibility.

[ZoVEGA]

Just wanna say, As a gymnastics coach Its good to see some one on here that embraces the basic but VERY important aspect of gymnastics, (not saying people dont, its just nice to see it addressed) GOOD JOB! if you post anything else do let know. TANKHX {are you tippin cause you could read that. (O_o) }

[AL-X]

I didn't know that stuff about the bridge OO
nice to know =]

[Dragonic MiKe]

My cousin has that bob marley poster!

... Yes, the bridge tips are nice. I'm working on my back flexibility at the moment. :)

[notregan]

EUGH, can this be unsalvaged?

[Solfire]

This was a very good read! Thanks for the tut! :pwing:

[shengoikee]

haha i remember this. dang, iv gotta unlearn aerials and get myself the splits.

[Andy Longcat]

hey Regan, nice monobrow lollllll

[Fanya]

*fap fap fap*



Hahahaha, yeah right!

[Birch]

yes yes yes bridge is goot

[TKD_Andy]

EUGH, can this be unsalvaged?

i concur

[notregan]

haha i remember this. dang, iv gotta unlearn aerials and get myself the splits.

If you don't want to have ugly bent leg tricks anymore, maybe you should.

[TKD_Andy]

If you don't want to have ugly bent leg tricks anymore, maybe you should.

LOL

like dave said, i'd better unlearn aerials, brandys a-switches, roundoffs and cartwheels so i can get my front splits....

[notregan]

Whatever, some people are quality over quanity and some people are just half-assed.

[TKD_Andy]

so you'd still advise everyone who tricks to get splits before they learn cartwheels?

i think the ratio of trickers who can aerial to ones who can do splits is probably about 25:1 if not greater.

and ill have you know my cartwheel is pure quality :wink:

[shengoikee]

hey i love to bend my legs on tricks!

haha this is ridiculous....

ok in all seriousness, i can probly dynamically do oversplits but i cant do the splits. who cares about getting the splits?! not me. dont get me wrong, i do plenty of static stretching, i just dont bother stretching for splits (splits position stretching)

[TKD_Andy]

*front splits are required for awesome kicks, cartwheels and all its kind
(roundoffs, aerials...).

this is just wrong. Front splits are only required for vertical front kicks. Front splits wont mean you can do a high side/roundhouse kick.


*a bridge is required for handsprings and for learning handstands without bruising your back. .

bridges arent required for handsprings, in any way, front or back. Walkovers yes, handsprings no.

and bridges have no connection with handstands, other than your hands are on the floor.



you need a split of around 130 or so degrees in order to get a powerful (and pretty) cartwheel/aerial. but to be supercool, you need a split of 180 degrees. so go for the 180.

i know supremely inflexible people who can do very powerful cartwheels.

I cant do front splits on either leg, but i can still do a powerful (and yes, pweeeettyfull) cartwheels/aerials.

handstand
there is no wrong way to do a handstand. if its wrong you wont be able to do a handstand.

of course theres a wrong way to do a handstand numbskull...

solid shoulder, core and back strength are needed for handstands. if you don't have all three, get them.

no theyre not. If solid core/shoulder/back strength are required, then how can 7 year old girls do them and hold them for 2-3 mins with ease? Or do they have some kinda secret strength they just hide really well.




B]*****[/B]do not reach foward unless you are doing a roundoff*****

Wrong. Just plain wrong. On any cartwheel/roundoff/aerial/brandy/a-switch you HAVE to reach forwards. If you dont reach forwards, where the hell are your hands going?

A roundoff isn't a cartwheel where the legs land together.

finally something right!

think of a roundoff as a combination of a cartwheel and a handspring.

*slaps head* no. i mean no, how in any way is that right? A combination of a cartwheel and a handspring is either a split legged forwards walkover OR an incredibly badly done cartwheel, not a roundoff!

your starting and hand position is like a cartwheel, but the direction of your momentum and how you push off the ground using your shoulders is like a handspring.

Wha? no. The hand positioning in a roundoff to a cartwheel is completely different, unless you're an idiot and dont actually want to get any power from it...

after you are comfortable with the movement, focus on making it quicker and as tight as possible, meaning you travel foward as little as possible. when you have this, add a powerful hop DOWN, this adds a spring to the start of your cartwheel and gives you more air. you should either have, or be close to, a tight aerial now.

yeah sure go DOWN :good: reaching STRAIGHT DOWN HARD will get you a wonderful, simply fantastic aerial! [/sarcasm]

seriously, if you go straight down, you get nowhere except straight on the floor.

You fail to mention the most important parts of an aerial, and most of the other techniques you mention.

im glad you're trying to contribute in a helpful way, but try and be accurate next time :good:

---------------------------------------

this isnt just my opinion, most of the views expressed here are based on what i've been told by gym coaches, people who have trained on an international level for years and by people who can do and teach the techniques.

[Skilzat85X]

Who cares. This guide is good because a lot of people have crap ugly tricks because they aren't flexible.

It's a statistical fact that one who has better static flexibility will be able to extend their legs better, longer, and with less trouble. You don't need to be able to do the splits for some stuff, but let's face it, lot's of aerials nowadays are CRAP! Crap crap crap crap CRAP! Load's of bent legged, unaligned, hucked around CRAPZORZ!
Even if she's overemphasizing the need for splits or whatever, it still will benefit you greatly to get them. Especially when too many people are unable to achieve a good extension during a trick.
no theyre not. If solid core/shoulder/back strength are required, then how can 7 year old girls do them and hold them for 2-3 mins with ease? Or do they have some kinda secret strength they just hide really well.
Because they do have core/shoulder/back strength. Because they practice them, and that develops this strength. Strength is NOT directly proportional to size.
But, you do need under-forearm strength for handstands too, and the best way to get any sort of handstand strength is to practice it.
If you dont reach forwards, where the hell are your hands going?
Up.

You can't argue aerials with this nigg. :juji:

Walkovers yes
WRONG. Handsprings are often easier than walkovers, well for me. Either way, lots of people don't even bother learning walkovers.
i know supremely inflexible people who can do very powerful cartwheels.
Any examples?

[TKD_Andy]

Because they do have core/shoulder/back strength. Because they practice them, and that develops this strength. Strength is NOT directly proportional to size.

dude, i dont know where you went to junior school, but where i was there were always looads of people doing random handstands... im talking about people who have no training whatsoever. i dont know how it would equate but when i was in year 2-6 we used to do stuff like handstand races in our PE class, and do handstands against walls etc.


But, you do need under-forearm strength for handstands too, and the best way to get any sort of handstand strength is to practice it.

i agree, practise makes perfect. Or rather, perfect practise makes perfect.


WRONG. Handsprings are often easier than walkovers, well for me. Either way, lots of people don't even bother learning walkovers.

What do you mean? Handsprings are ALOT easier than walkovers for me aswell, i can do forwards and backwards ones on occasion (i never really do them apart from when i have to at gym) And i agree, people dont bother learning walkovers.

The reason why trickers and guys in general wont be able to do walkovers OR bridges as easily isnt due to the lack of back flex, its because their stomach muscles are just too tight.

i agree with what you're saying, but telling people they need to be able to do splits to do a cartwheel is just plain stupid. Splits = static flex and correct me if im mistaken but cartwheels are a dynamic move.

[Skilzat85X]

Yes.

[Augenatic]

Yes.

Congrats on your post 1000 :tongue:

[JKT]

Lol im not that flexible (yet :tongue: ) but i can aerial and handspring?

[notregan]

Bitching.

Will the kids that can't trick with straight legs stop critiquing flex advice?

And I'm sorry, I should have said "you need ____ to do _____ well", but I can't edit that post.

[TKD_Andy]

lol why do you keep saying i cant trick with straight legs?

look! Zomg! a brandy with straight legs!
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/TKD_andy/TC8.jpg

[notregan]

Straight legs at less than 90 degrees, that isn't impressive

You can't kick with straight legs.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/TKD_andy/720-double.gif

You can do lots of impressive things, but you really aren't in a place to question flex advice.

[TKD_Andy]

why not?

or rather more importantly, why are you?

[notregan]

I'm not questioning advice of people who have achieved what they are advising on.

[TKD_Andy]

what have i not achieved? I can aerial, brandy, a-switch, cartwheel, roundoff...

and everything ive posted is backed up by people who have a great wealth of personal knowledge, experience and scientific training.

i think you're just running out of reasons to be posting.

[notregan]

I already said if I could edit the original post I'd modify it to specify that I mean those things are the basics to do other well. Doing something and doing something well aren't the same thing. I'm happy you can do a lot of sloppy shit, and you're happy you can do a lot of sloppy shit. You've been tricking for years and your limited range of motion isn't something you think you need to work on, that's you, that's not everyone. I work on perfect technique, other people work on perfecting technique. My advice is for perfecting technique, not for having okay moves.
Please stop bitching.

[TKD_Andy]

lol, so in other words, you've got no authority to give advice on anything.

[shengoikee]

hey regan, gimme the most insulting piece of critiscism you can about my tricks. id appreciate it.