How to Do a Back Walkover

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Know when you're ready to do a back walkover.

   Before you attempt the back walkover, you should have some basic gymnastics skills, strength, and coordination.
   
   You'll know that you're ready if the following things are true:
   If you can easily do a backbend.
   
   You have to be able to stick your backbend every time before you can move on to a tougher skill.
   
   You also have to make sure you are able to do a backbend kickover.
   
   If you can't do this you can't do a back walkover.
   
   If you have the strength.
   
   Your arms and shoulders should be strong enough to support your body while you're in the backbend position.
   
   If you're not strong enough, then you'll feel unsteady and strained when you try to hold a backbend for any amount of time.
2. 2

   Step 2: Stretch.

   You should always stretch before you attempt to do a bridge, backbend, a back walkover, or any athletic feat at all.
   
   Before you attempt the back walkover, you should make sure to warm up by stretching your wrists, ankles, your back, your legs and neck.
   
   Here are some stretches to do:
   Stretch your ankles.
   
   Sit down and hold your ankle with one hand, while rolling your ankle or even spelling out the alphabet with your foot.
   
   Stretch both ankles equally.
   
   Stretch your wrists.
   
   Extend one hand with your palm away from you, and pull your fingers back with the other until you feel a nice stretch.
   
   Then do the same with the other hand.
   
   Next, hold your wrist with one hand while you roll the wrist of the hand you're holding, and repeat.
   
   Stretch your back.
   
   This is the most important stretch of all.
   
   You should stretch your back with some simple yoga poses, such as the camel pose, bow pose, or cobra pose. , Before you attempt a back walkover, you should be able to master the backbend kickover.
   
   This will help you get comfortable with kicking over with one leg, and will make it easier for you to transition into doing it in one fluid motion.
   
   Here's how to stick the backbend kickover:
   First, do a backbend.
   
   Here's how you do it:
   Stand tall with your legs apart at a distance wider than your shoulders.
   
   Raise your arms above your head.
   
   Keep your arms near your ears with your palms facing the ceiling.
   
   Slowly bend backwards until you plant your hands on the ground.
   
   You should be looking between your hands. , This will make it easier to lift your leg and kick over.
   
   If kicking over is hard then practice getting into a bridge and lifting the leg you kick over with up and down.
   
   Push your shoulders over your hands in the bridge position.
   
   This will help get your weight over your hands and make it easier to kick over.
   
   Lift one leg in the air.
   
   Pick your dominant leg.
   
   If you're a rightie, then your right leg is probably your dominant leg.
   
   Then, push away from the floor with the foot that is planted off the ground.
   
   Make sure to keep your elbows locked as you kick over.
   
   You will briefly be standing on your hands with your legs in a split position.
   
   Then you will move all the way over and will be standing upright to complete the backbend kickover. , Always remember to keep your arms straight.
   
   Once you've mastered the backbend kickover, you will be ready to do a back walkover.
   
   You will just be taking the skills you developed during the back kickover and will move them into one fluid motion.
   
   First, you'll have to start with confidence and skill.
   
   Here's what to do:
   Remember that you should always have a spotter when you try a new skill for the first time.
   
   The spotter should put one hand on your back, and one hand under the thigh of your kicking leg.
   
   Stand tall, with your arms in the air.
   
   Pretend your arms are glued to your ears.
   
   Point your lead leg about a foot in front of your other leg. , Once you're positioned correctly, it's time to start bending backwards.
   
   Eventually the back walkover should be one synchronized fluid motion and should only take a few seconds, but you can take it a bit more slowly at first.
   
   Here's how to follow through:
   Begin to bend backwards.
   
   Make sure to arch your back.
   
   Push your hips forward.
   
   Do not put any weight on your lead leg, it will slow you down and it won't be a fluid motion.
   
   Kick your lead leg back.
   
   Move it as if you're doing a split in the air.
   
   By the time your hands hit the ground, your lead leg should be high in the air.
   
   Your fingers should be facing the same direction as your toes.
   
   Your base leg should stay on the floor until your hands are on the floor.
   
   There will be a point when both legs are in the air and you're in the handstand position, so make sure to push down on your hands and keep your elbows locked, because your arms and shoulders will be your only support. , Once you're close to planting your feet on the ground, you should make sure you are set up for a graceful landing.
   
   The landing will be the thing that ties all of your back walkover together, so it's important to finish strong.
   
   Here's what to do:
   Land on your lead leg first.
   
   Plant your base leg just a second later.
   
   This should look like one fluid motion.
   
   Raise your arms in the air.
   
   Make sure your arms are straight.
   
   Point your lead leg to the floor, just as you did in the beginning.
3. 3

   Step 3: Do a backbend kickover.

4. 4

   Step 4: Shift your weight into your hands.

5. 5

   Step 5: Start strong.

6. 6

   Step 6: Follow through.

7. 7

   Step 7: Land gracefully.

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