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Cartwheel Technique Drills (Floor Exercise)

Cartwheel Technique Drills is a beginner-level floor exercise drill that works on body alignment, bent knees and leg separation. Build a straight-line, straight-leg cartwheel through progressive drills emphasizing hand placement and body alignment.

Quick facts

Event
Floor Exercise
Difficulty
beginner
Equipment
tape line, panel mat, mat
Time per round
about 3 minutes
Muscles
Shoulders, Core, Quadriceps, Hip Flexors, Hamstrings, Calves

How to do Cartwheel Technique Drills

  1. Hand-Hand-Foot-Foot on Line

    Place tape on the floor. Practice placing hand, hand, foot, foot all on the line in sequence.

    Cues: All on the line · Straight legs · T-position arms

  2. Cartwheel Over Panel Mat

    Perform a cartwheel over a low panel mat. The obstacle encourages proper height and straight-leg technique.

    Cues: Kick over the mat · Straight legs throughout · Land in lunge

  3. Cartwheel Through Handstand

    Slow cartwheel pausing in handstand at the top. This builds the strength and alignment for a perfect cartwheel.

    Cues: Pause in handstand · Legs together at top · Controlled speed

  4. Full Speed Cartwheels Both Sides

    Perform consecutive cartwheels at full speed on both sides. 10 reps each direction on a line.

    Cues: Stay on the line · Both sides · 10 reps each

Practice this drill under a qualified coach, especially for inversions and flight.

Fixes these deductions

Builds these skills

Video

Watch a demonstration “How to Learn a Cartwheel (Step-by-Step for Beginners)” by GymnasticsHQ, on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Common questions

What does Cartwheel Technique Drills help with?
Cartwheel Technique Drills targets body alignment, bent knees and leg separation. Build a straight-line, straight-leg cartwheel through progressive drills emphasizing hand placement and body alignment.
What level is Cartwheel Technique Drills for?
Stickd rates Cartwheel Technique Drills as a beginner drill. It is part of the progression for Cartwheel (typically Level 2), Roundoff (typically Level 3), Aerial (typically Level 6-7) and Beam Cartwheel (typically Level 3-4).

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