Looking for some new drills & ideas for teaching back rolls? We’ve got you.
The back roll is one of those skills that’s more technical that we tend to realize or give credit, so let’s break it down into a couple key parts:
- Smooth rock backwards!
Tuck in that chin and keep a rounded back with knees tucked in as you lean back! - Correct hand placement!
As you rock back, lay your flat “pancake” hands on the ground beside your ears with fingers “tucked under your shoulders” (this part requires some practice — lots of coordination required!) - The big push!
To get over your head to your feet, it requires a pretty big arm push against the floor! No squishy arms allowed. This push is what helps protect the neck, so be sure to spend extra time on this step. Note — if your gymnast is flopping to the side, it’s likely they aren’t pushing through both arms equally (or they aren’t pushing at all/enough). - Land on your feet!
The temptation to land on your knees will be strong — but don’t let it win! Be sure to tuck those toes under to land on your feet… or push back to a front support/push up position!
Back Roll Drills & Progressions
This one is great! The first part focuses more on the Big Push and Landing on Your Feet — but the second part add in the Smooth Roll Backwards!
This is a brilliant progression for teaching the Correct Hand Placement and introducing the Big Push. The gap in the inclines for the head keeps the kid’s neck safe, and the added height also allows them some extra time & support to figure out the push to their feet!
Here is another variation of the previous drill — but this one swaps the incline mats for panel mats — so the gymnast has to work a little harder to get the smooth rotation happening!
In this one – the kids start with their hands in the Correct Placement (yay!) and then get a little assist from gravity for the Smooth Roll. Note: these two gymnasts were pretty experienced already — I wouldn’t recommend starting with two-at-a-time until they can do it safely alone!
You can use this one as is… or even put the half donut on the ground or a lower block. But this is a helpful drill for figuring out the rotation of the skill and landing on your feet — since you have lots of time to see the ground!
Teaching a Parent & Tot class? The toddlers in your class aren’t developmentally ready to back rolls yet (their heads are still too big compared to their body) — but you can start introducing them to the sensation of a back roll with this adult-assisted flip.
Okay – this next one is technically a bar station — but hear me out:
The concept of flipping your “toes over your nose” to back roll can be confusing. This drill teaches exactly that…. plus working that nice rounded back shape with chin tucked in.
Do you have gymnasts who are ready for the next step? This one is for you — we’re taking The Big Push to the next level by rolling over straight/strong arms. And this drill adds props to make it even more effective!
And of course — everything is always a little more fun with friends 😉
What’s your fav back roll drill? Post on on social media and tag us (@recgympros)!
