Handspring (gymnastics)

The direction of body rotation in a handspring may be either forward or backward, and either kind may be performed from a stationary standing position or while in motion.

In artistic gymnastics, handsprings are commonly performed in the floor exercise, vault, and balance beam events.

Back handsprings on the floor are typically preceded by a roundoff, and the two skills together provide the gymnast acceleration and power to perform backward somersaults.

In the last phase, the gymnast swings both arms up by the ears, uses the back muscles to propel the upper body, and jumps into the air.

Finally, the feet land on the floor, behind the body's center of gravity, and the remaining angular momentum is depleted as it carries the gymnast to a stationary standing position.

[4] This variation is often used at the beginning of combinations with other elements and involves less force on the gymnast's arms after making hand contact with the beam.

[4] In another variation of a front handspring, called a flyspring, the gymnast's feet are held together from beginning to end.