What level do gymnasts learn a Standing Back Handspring?

Gymnasts usually learn a Standing Back Handspring between Levels 5 and 6. That is a typical range, and every gymnast and gym moves at a different pace.

How long does it take to learn a Standing Back Handspring?

About 4 weeks once a Back Handspring is solid, as a rough estimate. Starting from a Handstand, the whole progression adds up to about 18 weeks. These are estimates; real timelines vary a lot from gymnast to gymnast.

What should my gymnast learn before a Standing Back Handspring?

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

What are the most common deductions on a Standing Back Handspring?

The ones to watch for are Body Alignment (usually about 0.1) and Shoulder Angle (usually about 0.1). Judges scale each deduction by how noticeable it is.

Is a Standing Back Handspring scary to learn?

It can be. Stickd rates its fear factor 4 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 Standing Back Handspring

A Standing Back Handspring is a tumbling skill on floor exercise that gymnasts usually learn between Levels 5 and 6, once a Back Handspring is solid.

Also called: standing BHS, standing back hand spring, standing flic.

Quick facts

Apparatus	Floor Exercise
Typical level (estimate)	Levels 5-6
Difficulty (Stickd rating)	6/10
Time to learn after the prerequisite (estimate)	About 4 weeks
Whole progression (estimate)	About 18 weeks from a Handstand
Fear factor (Stickd rating)	4/5

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

What to learn before a Standing Back Handspring

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

Handstand (Levels 1-2)
Cartwheel (Level 2)
Roundoff (Level 3)
Back Handspring (Levels 4-5)

Step-by-step progression

The path to a Standing Back Handspring has 5 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 until it is solid, usually between Levels 4 and 5. About 6 weeks (estimate).
5
Standing Back Handspring
Learn a Standing Back Handspring. Allow about 4 weeks once the step before it is solid (estimate).

Drills that build a Standing Back Handspring

Technique focus areas: Set angle, Snap down.

Common deductions on a Standing Back Handspring

Deduction	What it means	Typically
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 Standing Back Handspring 4 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.

Watch an example

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

Frequently asked questions

What level do gymnasts learn a Standing Back Handspring?: Gymnasts usually learn a Standing Back Handspring between Levels 5 and 6. That is a typical range, and every gymnast and gym moves at a different pace.
How long does it take to learn a Standing Back Handspring?: About 4 weeks once a Back Handspring is solid, as a rough estimate. Starting from a Handstand, the whole progression adds up to about 18 weeks. These are estimates; real timelines vary a lot from gymnast to gymnast.
What should my gymnast learn before a Standing Back Handspring?: Back Handspring comes directly before it. The full progression is Handstand, then Cartwheel, then Roundoff, then Back Handspring, then Standing Back Handspring.
What are the most common deductions on a Standing Back Handspring?: The ones to watch for are Body Alignment (usually about 0.1) and Shoulder Angle (usually about 0.1). Judges scale each deduction by how noticeable it is.
Is a Standing Back Handspring scary to learn?: It can be. Stickd rates its fear factor 4 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.