How to do a Gymnastic Front Roll

Gymnastic Front Roll

In this lesson you will learn how to do a front roll in gymnastics. The front roll is one of the most basic techniques of artistic gymnastics. However, doing this skill perfectly is not as easy as it looks. The front roll is an essential skill for many sub-sequent instructions such as the tucked front flip or the gymnastic front handspring. Find more gymnastics lessons at gymnastics main.

Execution

  • Stand upright with your legs closed and your knees extended. Extend your elbows and have your hands over your head. The trunk, the arms and the head move as one unit until the hands touch the floor. Your feet and your hands have to be as far as possible apart. Feet, hips and hands form a vertical line.
  • Move your arms forward down without bending your knees too much. Trunk and head move as one unit. Also try to keep your trunk and your legs pretty much lined up. The only way to to this, is to reach for the floor very far from where you stand. The further you go forward, the better. But don't jump. Jumped front rolls are called dive rolls.
  • Put your hands on the floor with your fingers pointing straight forward and slightly in. Trunk, shoulders, elbows and hands are still lined up.
  • The hips move forward first and the extended legs follow in a horizontal line. Don't whip your legs over. Bring your chin to your chest to protect your neck and bend your elbows slowly, so that the back moves towards the floor slowly.
  • Roll over your back and grasp your shins or your knees. Instead of touching your legs, you can also extend your arms horizontally with your palms facing the floor.
  • When your feet touch the floor again, extend your arms and lift them to vertical level (over head). The slower you roll, the closer you have to pull your feet to your buttom.

Advice

  • If you are having trouble with the gymnastic front roll, practice egg rolls at the beginning. Sit down and grab your knees, then lean forward and put you hands on the floor. Roll forward and grab your knees in the middle of the motion. Now, after your heels touch the floor, don't stand up or lift your arms. Simply put your hands down again and do another roll. Try to do 3 or 5 egg-rolls in a row. Additional exercise: Do them as fast as you can.
  • Try your first front rolls on mats.
  • Make sure your hands touch the ground earlier than your neck.
  • Try the front roll in slow motion.
  • Learn how to go from the gymnastic handstand into a front roll.
  • Once you can do the front roll, you can try the dive roll.