A handspring is a gymnastics manoeuvre with two variations - the front handspring and the back handspring. Both variations involve a 360° rotation of the body, using the arms to push off from the ground and complete the move.

Front handspring

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The front variation is performed by planting the hands on the ground, and whipping the legs all the way over the body. To finish the move, the arms are brought back up before the feet touch the ground. Usually you rebound after a front handspring and sometimes you do other skills out of front handsprings.

Back handspring

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This variation is perfomed by bending the legs to a sitting position, before rapidly extending the legs and springing backwards, arching the back. The hands land on the ground, as the arms are used to support the gymnast while his/her legs complete an arc over the body.

Back handsprings are also sometimes known as flip-flops, flic-flacs, or flics.

See also

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• Kip-up

References

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• Animation of a back handspring
• Animation of a front handspring

Gymnastics manoeuvres

Flickflack