What level do gymnasts learn a Back Handspring?

Gymnasts usually learn a Back Handspring between Levels 4 and 5. That is a typical range, and every gymnast and gym moves at a different pace.

How long does it take to learn a Back Handspring?

About 6 weeks once a Roundoff is solid, as a rough estimate. Starting from a Handstand, the whole progression adds up to about 14 weeks. These are estimates; real timelines vary a lot from gymnast to gymnast.

What should my gymnast learn before a Back Handspring?

Roundoff comes directly before it. The full progression is Handstand, then Cartwheel, then Roundoff, then Back Handspring.

What are the most common deductions on a Back Handspring?

The ones to watch for are Bent Arms (usually about 0.1), Bent Knees (usually about 0.1), Pike in Body (up to 0.20) and Step on Landing (usually about 0.1). Judges scale each deduction by how noticeable it is.

Is a Back Handspring scary to learn?

It can be. Stickd rates its fear factor 3 out of 5 because it involves going backward without being able to see where you're headed and being upside down. Techniques like Backward Skill Visualization and Box Breathing help gymnasts build confidence.

How to do a Back Handspring

A Back Handspring is a tumbling skill on floor exercise that gymnasts usually learn between Levels 4 and 5, once a Roundoff is solid.

Also called: BHS, back hand spring, flic flac, flip flop.

Quick facts

Apparatus	Floor Exercise
Typical level (estimate)	Levels 4-5
Difficulty (Stickd rating)	5/10
Time to learn after the prerequisite (estimate)	About 6 weeks
Whole progression (estimate)	About 14 weeks from a Handstand
Fear factor (Stickd rating)	3/5

Levels, ratings and timelines are Stickd estimates for planning, not USAG requirements.

What to learn before a Back Handspring

Work through these skills in order. Each one is a required step toward a Back Handspring.

Handstand (Levels 1-2)
Cartwheel (Level 2)
Roundoff (Level 3)

Step-by-step progression

The path to a Back Handspring has 4 steps. Week counts are typical estimates for regular training.

1
Handstand
Learn a Handstand until it is solid, usually between Levels 1 and 2. About 3 weeks (estimate).
2
Cartwheel
Learn a Cartwheel until it is solid, usually around Level 2. About 2 weeks (estimate).
3
Roundoff
Learn a Roundoff until it is solid, usually around Level 3. About 3 weeks (estimate).
4
Back Handspring
Learn a Back Handspring. Allow about 6 weeks once the step before it is solid (estimate).

Drills that build a Back Handspring

Technique focus areas: Snap down.

What good form looks like

Backward spring with weight transfer to hands then feet.

shoulders: open
elbows: straight
wrists: extended
hips: extended
knees: straight

Common deductions on a Back Handspring

Deduction	What it means	Typically
Bent Arms	Arms not fully extended when they should be straight	0.1
Bent Knees	Legs not fully extended during skills requiring straight legs	0.1
Pike in Body	Hip angle showing pike when straight position required	up to 0.20
Step on Landing	Taking a step after landing a skill	0.1
Body Alignment	Body not in proper line (arch, pike, or lean)	0.1
Shoulder Angle	Shoulders not open to 180 degrees in handstand positions	0.1

Typical values; judges scale each deduction by how noticeable it is, and the judges' score is the official one.

Fear and confidence

Stickd rates a Back Handspring 3 out of 5 for fear. It involves going backward without being able to see where you're headed, being upside down. Feeling nervous about it is normal, and confidence usually builds step by step through the progression above.

Mental techniques that help

Backward Skill Visualization
Close your eyes and mentally rehearse the skill from start to finish, feeling each phase.
Box Breathing
A 4-count breathing pattern to calm your nervous system before attempting a scary skill.
Positive Self-Talk Reframe
Replace negative fear thoughts with accurate, empowering statements.

Skills a Back Handspring unlocks

Back Tuck (Floor Exercise, Levels 5-6)
Standing Back Handspring (Floor Exercise, Levels 5-6)
Whip Back (Floor Exercise, Levels 7-8)

Watch an example

Watch a Back Handspring tutorial on YouTube (opens in a new tab).

Frequently asked questions

What level do gymnasts learn a Back Handspring?: Gymnasts usually learn a Back Handspring between Levels 4 and 5. That is a typical range, and every gymnast and gym moves at a different pace.
How long does it take to learn a Back Handspring?: About 6 weeks once a Roundoff is solid, as a rough estimate. Starting from a Handstand, the whole progression adds up to about 14 weeks. These are estimates; real timelines vary a lot from gymnast to gymnast.
What should my gymnast learn before a Back Handspring?: Roundoff comes directly before it. The full progression is Handstand, then Cartwheel, then Roundoff, then Back Handspring.
What are the most common deductions on a Back Handspring?: The ones to watch for are Bent Arms (usually about 0.1), Bent Knees (usually about 0.1), Pike in Body (up to 0.20) and Step on Landing (usually about 0.1). Judges scale each deduction by how noticeable it is.
Is a Back Handspring scary to learn?: It can be. Stickd rates its fear factor 3 out of 5 because it involves going backward without being able to see where you're headed and being upside down. Techniques like Backward Skill Visualization and Box Breathing help gymnasts build confidence.