What Are Some Ways to Learn How to Do a Cartwheel?

The cartwheel is a fun and basic acrobatic move where you flip yourself in the air and using your hands for support, land back on your feet. Although the move may look intimidating for those who have never tried it, with some practice, the move can eventually come naturally. There are different ways to learn to cartwheel. Find which one works best for you and remember to always stretch before each attempt and to practice on a soft and even surface.

  1. Learn Standing Up

    • You can learn to cartwheel from a standing position. Identify your dominant side and begin in either a lunge position or by pointing one of your legs out. Put your arms straight over your head and push yourself off head first with your free leg. Remember to let yourself go along with your body. Do not think too much about your body being suspended or you can stumble. Instead, focus on kicking your legs straight up in the air while your hands touch the ground and give you support, letting your body land itself back on your feet.

    Practice Closer to the Ground

    • If you do not want to learn to cartwheel from a full standing position right away, you can begin small and gradually move up to a full cartwheel by practicing closer to the ground first. Begin again in either a lunge or with your leg pointed outward and your arms extended next to your ears and above your head. This time, as you fall headfirst, crouch and aim closer to the ground, swinging both legs around sideways instead of straight up and finishing on your feet again. As you get more comfortable and gain more control of your body, practice kicking yourself farther off the ground until you are completely vertical.

    Use Objects to Guide You

    • You can make use of objects to help you learn to cartwheel. A wall can help provide support and alignment. Stand at close proximity to the wall and push yourself off from a standing position. As you slowly go through all the movements, try to remain as close as possible to the wall. This will ensure you have the right alignment. Another helpful tool can be a marked mat. Mark the mat with foot and hand prints with where your feet should begin and end. Practice landing on each mark.

    Have Someone Spot You

    • Having someone hold you, guide you or simply provide feedback on your movements can be another way to learn to cartwheel. With this extra support, you can feel more at ease and make sure you are doing the cartwheel correctly. Have the person spotting you stand behind you and make sure your starting position is correct. As you go up, you can have the person hold your torso for support and provide you with verbal cues.