In gymnastics, the forward somersault is a movement that involves a jump, the collection of the knees towards the chest and a front rotation. Complete the technique by straightening your legs and landing on your feet. If you are a beginner, remember that it is best to start by learning the basic flips.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Learning the Movements
Step 1. Begin by doing a stretch
For all gymnastic movements it is necessary to start with stretching. At a minimum, you should stretch your ankles, calves, neck and wrists.
- To stretch your ankles, sit on the ground. Place one ankle on the knee of the opposite leg and rotate it in a circle a couple of times. Do the same with the other.
- Stretch your calves by pulling one leg behind you while standing. Try to squeeze your glutes during the movement. Switch to the other leg.
- Rotate your wrists and neck to stretch them.
Step 2. Practice jumping
Run forward for a couple of steps. Before the deadlift, bring your feet together and hit the ground, pushing to rise into the air.
- You should land on the soles of your feet.
- As you leap into the air, raise your hands up to your ears to keep your core contracted.
- For now, don't try to rotate forward. Just practice jumping.
- When you land, bend your knees slightly.
Step 3. Practice lifting your knees
Once you've perfected the jump, add the leg movement. When in the air, pull your knees up.
- On the way down, straighten your legs.
- Bend your knees upon landing.
Step 4. Try practicing with a trampoline
The surest way to try these steps is to use a trampoline in your backyard. You can train in all phases of the movement, to better prepare yourself.
- When you start using the trampoline, make sure you stay contracted. Keep your head still and your body erect. Do not swing your limbs, as you risk injury.
- Start by bouncing, with a slight jump forward. When you've perfected the jump, try adding leg movement.
Step 5. Decide when you are ready to perform a somersault
Before attempting the jump, make sure you get as high as possible. Hit the trampoline with all your strength when you jump. If you have never tried this technique before, ask someone for help. Ask for advice at a gym or parkour gym. In those structures you will have the possibility to use elastic platforms, to simplify the training.
- Keep in mind that if you try gymnastic movements as an adult, your body could suffer more serious consequences than those of a child. In fact, children weigh only 20-25 kilos when they start exercising and are much more flexible than adults. The latter weigh a lot more and have more difficulty in folding. For these reasons, injuries are more common for adult gymnasts.
- You shouldn't try a somersault if you have back or knee problems, at least without first consulting a doctor.
Part 2 of 2: Perform a somersault on the run
Step 1. Run forward
You only need a few running steps to get the right push. Four or five steps should be enough, but you can take more to gain more height and drive once you have mastered the basics of movement. If possible, work out in a gym with trampolines and helpers.
Step 2. Leap forward before jumping
In the final run-up step, leap forward, bringing your feet together, before jumping. Also, you need to lean your chest back slightly, so as to transfer the inertia of the movement up and not forward.
- While jumping, raise your arms. Bring them close to your ears to keep your core muscles contracted.
- By transferring the inertia of the upward movement, you will jump more. As a result, you will have more time to complete the forward rotation.
- Push your glutes outward as you take off the ground. This movement can help you get the rotation started.
Step 3. Keep your head still
You should turn your face forward until you bring it closer to your chest. The easiest way to maintain this position is to find a spot on the wall to fix as you prepare for the somersault. Keep your gaze fixed until you bring your head close to your chest.
Step 4. Use your arms to generate thrust
Your upper limbs can help you initiate the rotation. As you swing your arms into the air, bring them back slightly. As you begin to pull your knees up, push your arms forward. This will help you rotate on yourself.
Step 5. Bring your knees and head closer to your chest
To complete the rotation, pick up the body. Grab your shins just below your knees, take the shape of a ball and keep rotating.
- Make sure you grip your legs in the small hollow just below your knees. This will pull your legs in without pushing your knees forward.
- Throw your upper body towards the ground.
- Push your head down as well. Bring your chin in contact with your chest, to assume the most collected position possible.
Step 6. Don't keep your legs close to your chest for too long
After assuming the crouched position, you may be tempted to hold your shins for too long. If you did, however, you would be doing too much rotation. You may get lucky and complete a double somersault, but you may also fall treacherously to the ground.
Step 7. Straighten your limbs
To end the somersault, straighten your body at the end of the movement. Just pull your knees away from your chest and raise your head and arms after the rotation. Try to push your legs down towards the ground, instead of kicking them outward, to avoid landing on your glutes.
- Bend your knees upon landing.
- In gymnastics, the somersault is finished with the arms high.
Step 8. Decide how to end the movement
You can make a perfect landing, without moving. You can also take a few steps forward to manage the inertia of the jump. Finally, you can use the thrust to perform another stunt.
- To switch to another movement, reach forward with one leg after finishing the jump.
- Basically, you almost have to keep running. Do not take steps, but use the inertia of the movement to move on to the next technique.
- Make sure you bring your arms close to your ears to be ready for the next movement.
Step 9. Practice on a treadmill
You can try the somersault while running on a springboard. Almost all gymnastics gyms have this type of equipment.
- To use a trampoline, just run along it. Perform a two-foot stop at the end of the run, then jump onto the mats.
- If you don't have the option to use a treadmill, you can still try the somersault on your home trampoline. Simply start jumping, then treat one of the jumps as a stopping with your feet together, before rolling forward. Lie down at the end of the movement and keep jumping.
