A back walkover is a maneuver used in gymnastics and acrobatics. A person begins the move in a standing position and rotates the body to to end up in a standing position again. A handspring is executed much the same way, except the hands are used to "spring" the body into a standing position, whereas a walkover does not use this extra force of the hands. To perform a back handspring from a back walkover, one would need to combine the two maneuvers.
Step 1
Stand with feet together and both arms held straight in the air. Your weight should be on the balls of the feet, and your arms should be held straight up and close to the sides of the head.
Step 2
Push the hips forward and keep the elbows and knees locked as you lean backward slowly, keeping the head and arms straight, and moving as one unit. Keep your hips pushed out and bend the knees slightly as your hands reach the floor. Plant your hands flat on the ground with fingers pointed toward the feet.
Step 3
Swing your legs upward into the air once your hands are firmly planted on the ground, and swing them backward to follow the direction of the body.
Step 4
Use your hands to push your body off of the floor as your legs near reaching the floor, to propel the upper body in an upright position as the feet hit the ground. Use the weight of the legs and the push of the hands to raise the torso up as the legs are reaching the ground, bringing the lower body to the floor, which will result in an upright position.
Step 5
Keep your arms straight in the air and legs locked as you land on the floor. This should put you in the same position as when you started, except just a few feet behind the starting point.
Tips and Warnings
- Use a spotter for the first few tries to ensure the procedure is done correctly before attempting it solo. Warm up with light exercise — jumping jacks, light jogging — and full-body stretching before attempting to perform the back handspring.
- Move slowly while bending backward to prevent back injury.
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