Starting Tumbling From Zero

[Eric Heiden]

I've been working on the basic FSPs and have been shuffling back and forth from WODs to Killroy templates on and off for a while now - but I'm positive I can't even do a cartwheel, let alone any moderately advanced moving elements. Where should I start to make progress in this arena? I feel like a cartwheel would be very useful for bailing sideways on handstands (which I currently can't do due to hamstring inflexibility). Flips would be cool too, but I don't have a gymnastics facility to train at - is it possible to learn this stuff by yourself in your backyard or something?

Thanks!

[Joshua Naterman]

1) pike stretches.

2) tuck forward rolls

3) Cartwheels, when you can. Be sure to learn these perfectly before starting with a round off.

4) tuck backward rolls

You can work on all that at the same time, and you really shouldn't be thinking about anything else until you have then down really, really perfectly.

There are a lot of people with more experience in tumbling than me, and if they give other advice (especially Coach, AlexX, Blairbob, or someone else here who either coaches for a living or has pretty solid tumbling from a gymnastic perspective) then I would go with what they say over what I say in this area

[AlexX]

As a coach I would highly encourage you to find a facility/coach to train with. You will improve significantly faster with less injuries and, with a good coach, avoid building bad habits. This is very important if you plan on learning advanced tumbling elements. Fixing a poor round-off and improper back handspring is very hard after you've built bad habits.

If you are below 18 you can join most tumbling classes in most cheer/gymnastics gyms (you don't need to be a cheerleader or a gymnast). If you are above 18 it'll be tougher for sure but not impossible. Call up gyms and ask if they would be willing to start an adult class (you'll need to round up a few friends), or ask if a coach would be willing to do private lesson. Most coaches I coach with (myself included) do coach older people on our own time. Gyms generally don't offer classes like that due to insurance reasons but people do get together on a regular bases.

Is it possible to learn this stuff on your own? Sure it is, just not optimal. It is a harder road with more injuries and usually quite a few bad habits but it's not impossible. Having a solid kick to handstand is also very good (this is a key element in roundoffs, aerials, and front gainers). You really want to have a solid kick up to handstand before learning anything like a cartwheel or roundoff. Working on teeing into your handstand will help to do a very good cartwheel and later round off. This means keeping yours arm ups by your ears the entire time and making a straight line from your hands to the kicking leg's foot. There are a ton of drills online for virtually any tumbling move you can think of.

Besides the rolls and carthwheel that Joshua mentions I would add in kick to handstand, handstand forward roll, and having a good bridge where you lean your shoulders over your wrists couldn't hurt either.

[Eric Heiden]

Thanks for the feedback, both of you.

[Joshua Naterman]

Great points about the handstand! It really pays off to take the time to develop a perfect handstand.

 

I highly recommend AlexX as a tumbling coach, he is very good at teaching and has a good eye for detail.

[Blairbob]

http://drillsandskills.com/articles/

 

Roger should have articles on basic rolls, HS, presses, and cartwheel there. Some of those articles also have free/for pay videos on the CrossFitJournal if you look way back.

Can't do HS? fooey. Cartwheels? Well, straddle flexibility is important but I've gotten kids and adults to do some passable ones who could barely do a 90 degree pancake with poor shoulder flexion. It won't be pretty but technically it will be a cartwheel.

 

And yes, CW does allow one to come out of a HS another way instead of just rolling out or falling flat on your back. Pirouette is another but generally you need to be able to do a CW before you even have a chance of doing a 1/4 turn step down.

If there is no gym club around that will take you, look for a NAIGC club. They might allow you to practice or be willing to teach you one. Private lessons being another option. Maybe even a CrossFit gym as sometimes their ex coaches or members have been gymnasts.

[acrobatlegend]

A gymnastics facility is absolutely vital if you want to learn anything where you go upside down and don't want to risk injury. Like AlexX said, it's possible, but not optimal. If you wanna get to the next level, you have to find a gym.

 

That being said... I don't believe people when they say "I have nowhere to train." I think they give up too easily. Here are some solutions:

 

1) Look in other towns. I commute to another city where I coach/train by car b/c there is no gym near me. But the commute does not bother me at all because I love going there so much. If you really want "flips" you will have to take similar measures. 

 

2) Link up with other people on facebook or through friends/clubs. If you ever see someone doing something remotely flippish, talk to them. Connect with them. The more you connect with the people in your town or school who have the same interests, the more you can work something out. Someone may know something you don't. I have had a lot of people contact me and refer me to their friends because of my various connections with gyms. Not sure how they found me but they wanted it bad enough and somehow it linked to me. One way or another, connecting with like minded people may result in something good! Rent an apartment together in a city that has a gym? Carpool? The possibilities are there!

[AlexX]

A gymnastics facility is absolutely vital if you want to learn anything where you go upside down and don't want to risk injury. Like AlexX said, it's possible, but not optimal. If you wanna get to the next level, you have to find a gym.

 

That being said... I don't believe people when they say "I have nowhere to train." I think they give up too easily. Here are some solutions:

 

1) Look in other towns. I commute to another city where I coach/train by car b/c there is no gym near me. But the commute does not bother me at all because I love going there so much. If you really want "flips" you will have to take similar measures. 

 

2) Link up with other people on facebook or through friends/clubs. If you ever see someone doing something remotely flippish, talk to them. Connect with them. The more you connect with the people in your town or school who have the same interests, the more you can work something out. Someone may know something you don't. I have had a lot of people contact me and refer me to their friends because of my various connections with gyms. Not sure how they found me but they wanted it bad enough and somehow it linked to me. One way or another, connecting with like minded people may result in something good! Rent an apartment together in a city that has a gym? Carpool? The possibilities are there!

Don't get me wrong I've seen my share of self taught people who had great technique and were able to do some very advanced elements with ease and I've also seen people who had coaching but had atrocious technique. But generally speaking you are usually much better off in a facility with a coach to guide you. 

I really like acrobat's advice on being proactive about finding a place to train, I feel like most people just don't search hard enough. Heck I am always up for helping people out with tumbling if they can make it to my gym and I know lots of coaches would help out if asked as well. 

[Sailor Venus]

1) pike stretches.

2) tuck forward rolls

3) Cartwheels, when you can. Be sure to learn these perfectly before starting with a round off.

4) tuck backward rolls

You can work on all that at the same time, and you really shouldn't be thinking about anything else until you have then down really, really perfectly.

There are a lot of people with more experience in tumbling than me, and if they give other advice (especially Coach, AlexX, Blairbob, or someone else here who either coaches for a living or has pretty solid tumbling from a gymnastic perspective) then I would go with what they say over what I say in this area

5) Back walkover

 

6) Front walkover

 

Add some conditioning too. Develop some explosive power in the legs and shoulders.

 

 

 

 

[Sailor Venus]

If you are below 18 you can join most tumbling classes in most cheer/gymnastics gyms (you don't need to be a cheerleader or a gymnast). If you are above 18 it'll be tougher for sure but not impossible. Call up gyms and ask if they would be willing to start an adult class (you'll need to round up a few friends), or ask if a coach would be willing to do private lesson. Most coaches I coach with (myself included) do coach older people on our own time. Gyms generally don't offer classes like that due to insurance reasons but people do get together on a regular bases.

 

Also try tricking and parkour schools too. Finding a gymnastic school that teaches adults isn't easy, that pisses me off. I searched really, really hard to find a school that teaches adults. And eventually I did. I had to go another city a few times a week to train. Don't many adults want to do gymnastics?

[AlexX]

5) Back walkover

 

6) Front walkover

 

Add some conditioning too. Develop some explosive power in the legs and shoulders.

I would actually recommend against learning a back and front walkover for someone who is learning tumbling when they are older/not a gymnast. It tends to lead to the head being thrown back in back handsprings and undercutting. Very hard habit to break. The front walkover also leads to bad habits in the front handspring. 

You have to remember that teaching tumbling to someone who is not a gymnast (competitive gymnast) is not the same as teaching a gymnast new tumbling skills. 

[AlexX]

Also try tricking and parkour schools too. Finding a gymnastic school that teaches adults isn't easy, that pisses me off. I searched really, really hard to find a school that teaches adults. And eventually I did. I had to go another city a few times a week to train. Don't many adults want to do gymnastics?

The problem isn't exactly how many adults want to do gymnastics, it's how many adults want to do gymnastics vs how much more the insurance will cost the place of business to be able to offer a class for adults. One or two adult classes will not cover the insurance cost needed to be able to offer such classes, never mind making a profit. 

[Sailor Venus]

The problem isn't exactly how many adults want to do gymnastics, it's how many adults want to do gymnastics vs how much more the insurance will cost the place of business to be able to offer a class for adults. One or two adult classes will not cover the insurance cost needed to be able to offer such classes, never mind making a profit. 

Is that why most gymnastic schools everywhere don't have adult classes, not even an adult only competition squad? Can't schools raise their class prices up if adults are willing to pay that much? I want to be on a competition squad, thats my dream! Unfortunately gymnastics didn't come into my life until my mid-twenties.

[AlexX]

Is that why most gymnastic schools everywhere don't have adult classes, not even an adult only competition squad? Can't schools raise their class prices up if adults are willing to pay that much? I want to be on a competition squad, thats my dream! Unfortunately gymnastics didn't come into my life until my mid-twenties.

I don't know how things work in Britain so this advice is only for the U.S. but you can compete in Open Competitions here when you are older. You don't need to be on an official team or anything. Since you already have a gym to practice your skills, the only thing you would need is a routine. Putting a routine together isn't that hard, read over the requirements for the level you would compete and fill in the skills that you can do for the requirements. This will take a bit of research but isn't very hard, the code of points book is a very good place to start.  

The actual hardest part will be choreography. What skills to do to fulfill requirements you can figure out on your own, choreography on the other hand is a bit trickier. I would ask either a former competitive gymnast or a current one, usually they can do pretty decent choreography. Just make sure you ask one of the older gymnasts. 

I don't foresee gyms jumping on a chance to make an adult competition squad but I a couple gyms I know do have coaches and some older people that practice after hours and do compete in open competition. They coach and spot each other. If you get together a group of friends or just try to find people interested in doing gymnastics who are older I am sure a gym will let you practice as a group during non-hours for a small fee. You guys could compete together as well.