Handstand Turn - Gymnastics

In this lesson you will learn how to do a handstand turn in gymnastics. You should practice the handstand turn before you try any saults with rotations. Start practicing this as soon as you can hold the gymnastic handstand for 5 or more seconds. Find more detailed gymnastics instructions at artistic gymnastics main.

Execution

• Go into a handstand (see handstand Lesson)
  Summary:
  • Keep your right leg, your trunk and arms aligned.
  • Fully extend your arms and your legs.
  • Keep your abdominals tight.
  • Don't hollow your back.
• The turn should be executed in 2 steps. First, put your right hand on the left side of your left hand (turn your right hand 180 degrees - see illustration). This might not feel comfortable at the beginning. That's why a lot of people start off adjusting the left hand. However, I recommended you turn around in 2 steps. Turn your trunk and your legs at the same time. Don't start twisting your trunk before your legs. When the right hand changes its position, the entire body should turn around as one unit. When you adjust your left hand, the turn should already be completed. Keep your legs closed, aligned vertically and fully extended.
• Then reposition your left hand and bring your hands back to shoulder width. Keep your arms straight and don't relax your abdominals.
• Go back down like if you were coming back from a normal handstand. Lower your left leg first and raise your finger tips as high as possible -> see beginning.

Advice

• Don't turn before you reach a perfect/straight handstand position.
• The instruction above is for a 180 degree turn with 2 steps. The 180° handstand turn can also be done with 3 steps (adjusting the left at the beginning).
• Once you can do the 180° handstand turn, you can try the 360° turn. The 360° turn is done with 4 steps.

Suggestions

• Handstand
• How to Initiate Twists in Acrobatic Jumps
• Handstand to Bridge
• Handstand to Front Roll with Straight Legs