Common Cartwheel Mistakes

The cartwheel is one of the beginner skills most athletes have a difficult time understanding. Which foot to land with first? Stepping your feet over versus jumping. Keeping your arms straight and not bending them so you fall. There’s a lot of things that go into it that kids have a difficult time thinking about all at the same time.

Here are the most common mistakes athletes make when learning or performing a cartwheel:

1. PROBLEM: Low cartwheel

This is the “safer” mistake of the two but not quite there. The back foot is most likely not giving enough push to kick and power your body over.

SOLUTION: Start further away. Your hands are most likely being placed too close to where your feet are starting. Extending your hands further out will help make it easier to reach and push through your back foot.

2. PROBLEM: Falling to your back.

This is typically due to how your hands are placed on the floor. Placing your hands straight down in a perpendicular motion will help with handstands but not a cartwheel.

SOLUTION: To fix it, placing your hands in a straight vertical line will help with the turn of your body.

Having your hands too far to the side may also be the reason why you’re having a difficult time.

Make sure to reach straight forward in front of your body when you start and your feet will easily follow behind.

Be sure to watch our video by following this link and let us know by commenting below on how you fixed your common cartwheel mistakes. We’d love to hear back!