Gymnastic Front Pike Roll

In this lesson you will learn how to do a front pike roll in artistic gymnastics. The front pike roll is a front roll where you keep your legs straight (knees fully extended). The pike position is basically a double leg stretch. That's why you should stretch this position before you practice the gymnastic front pike roll. Once you can do the front pike roll, do a handstand followed by pike roll. Find more gymnastics skills at artistic gymnastics main.

Execution

• Extend your arms overhead and look straight forward like if you were going to do a gymnastic handstand. Raise your finger tips as high as you can and fully extend your knees. Keep your abdominals tight - Don't hollow your back. The shoulders are next to the ears and the legs are closed.
• Lean forward and move your upper body, your arms and your head as one unit. Don't bend your elbows or your shoulders. At this point you only bend your hips and your knees a little. Keep your arms and your trunk aligned at least until you reach horizontal level.
• Then extend your legs and your ankles and plant your hands about one body length from where you stand. Keep your abdominals tight and extend your elbows. For a short moment your legs parallel to the floor.
• Round your back, contract your abdominals and bring your legs closer to your trunk. Your knees and your ankles have to remain fully extended and your body is flexed at the hips. => Pike Position. Now bend your elbows and roll over your back. Don't forget to bring your chin to your chest as you roll. Don't let yourself fall.
• Keep rolling and extend your arms forward, so that your wrists are next to your knees.
  This part of the roll is pretty fast.
• From now on, you use your abdominal strength to keep your legs close to your upper body. Roll forward and plant your hands before you heels touch the floor. You can do this with the arms fully extended or with bent arms. Both variations are ok. However, when you plant your hands, your wrists should be next to your knees or even further forward. The extended-arm-variation is harder and looks better, but I recommend you try this with bent arms first.
• Push your hands down and plant your feet (knees and ankles fully extended). Don't open up yet. The further you lean forward, the easier will be to stand up.
• Use the momentum from the roll to stand up and throw your arms forward to bring your center of gravity in front of your body. Knees and elbows remain fully extended.
• Stand up and extend your arms overhead. The beginning and the end of the gymnastic front pike roll are exactly the same. Raise your finger tips as high as possible and extend elbows & knees. Look straight forward. Align your legs, your upper body and your arms.

Advice

• Before you learn the gymnastic front pike roll, you should lean the how to do a normal front roll and stretch your pike position sitting on the floor. Also practice the pike planche -> push your hands down and lift your legs with the strength of your abdominals.
• Try the gymnastic front pike roll on mats first.
• It is very important that you shift your center of gravity forward when you stand up. Keep your head close to your shins and move your arms forward.
• If it's still very hard to get back up, try to roll downhill.

Suggestions

• Gymnastic Front Roll
• Gymnastic Dive Roll
• Handstand to Pike Roll
• Gymnastic Back Roll
• Back Roll to Handstand
• Gymnastic Handstand

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