Expert: Kimmi - 9/23/2007

Question
OK I'm starting tumbling for cheer and I have two questions! My first one is, I can do a pretty good cartwheel and I'm working on my round off. I can get my hands down and feet together but I cant spring up! Is there anything I can do to work on it? My second on is, my back-bend! I can go down on a trampoline but I cant hold it! And I cant go down on the ground or "walking down the wall". Are there any arm exercises to strengthen them and any stretches to get my back more flexible and strengthen it?

Answer
Hi Chae,

   Congrats on taking the initiative to work on your skills! What you need for your round-off is to strengthen your shoulders. You can lift weights and do push-ups, and even better you can do shoulder pops which works the same motion you need to push off in a round-off. To do shoulder pops, you go into a handstand and as soon as your hands hit the ground, while you are still hitting the handstand, you pop your shoulders, which makes your hands bounce off the ground. Your elbows should never bend. If this is hard to understand, ask around to people you know, or the coaches at a gymnastics gym and someone will be able to show you how. As for your backbend, I have no real advice except to stretch all the time. The more you stretch the more flexible your back will become. You can also ask around for specific back stretches, maybe someone has a more specific stretch you can use. Good Luck! Please let me now how it goes!

Happy Cheering!
Kimmi