The back handspring is the skill most cheer tumbling builds on. It’s the first handspring skill in the all-star levels, and it’s the base for running passes and, later, tucks. This guide breaks a standing back handspring into its parts, lists the drills coaches commonly use, and covers how to learn it safely. Use it to understand what your coach is teaching. Learn the skill itself in a gym, on proper mats, with a qualified coach who can spot you.

Where the Back Handspring Fits

In the USASF 2026-27 all-star rules:

• Level 1 allows only tumbling that stays in contact with the floor, such as rolls, cartwheels, walkovers and handstands.
• Level 2 is where a single standing back handspring and running handspring series first appear.
• Level 3 adds series standing back handsprings and, on the running side, round-off back handspring into a back tuck.

Many school and college tryouts also list back handsprings in their skill requirements, either standing or as part of a running pass. Our tryout fitness self-check includes examples of what programs publish.

Foundations to Build First

There’s no official prerequisite list, and coaches teach in different orders. These are the foundations coaches commonly work on before a back handspring:

• Bridge (backbend): pushing up with straight arms shows the shoulder and back flexibility the skill needs.
• Handstand: a tight, straight handstand builds the shoulder strength and body shape you’ll pass through.
• Back walkover: many coaches teach it first because it goes backward through the hands slowly and with control. Not every program requires it.
• A strong jump and a tight hollow body: the handspring starts with a jump and finishes with a snap-down.

The Parts of a Standing Back Handspring

1. Start Position

• Stand tall with your feet together or slightly apart.
• Arms up by your ears, core tight, eyes forward.

2. Sit and Swing

• Swing your arms down as you sit back, as if into a chair, with your weight in your heels.
• Don’t fall backward from the start. You should feel off balance only at the very end of the sit.

3. Jump and Reach

• Swing your arms up past your ears and jump up and back off both feet.
• Keep your arms straight and by your ears. Bent arms are a common reason handsprings collapse.
• Look for the floor with your eyes as your hands reach back, without throwing your head early.

4. Hands and Block

• Your hands land about shoulder-width apart with straight arms.
• Push through your shoulders (the “block”) as your legs pass over the top.

5. Snap-Down and Land

• Snap your feet down to the floor from an arched shape to a hollow shape.
• Land with your feet together or hip-width, knees slightly bent, chest up and arms up or forward, depending on what comes next.

Drills Coaches Commonly Use

Do anything that goes backward on mats with a coach or trained spotter.

• Sit-and-jump drills: practice the sit, arm swing and jump onto a soft mat behind you, so you learn to jump instead of falling backward.
• Handstand snap-downs: kick to a handstand and snap your feet down to the floor. This builds the finish of the skill.
• Bridge kickovers and back walkovers: build flexibility and comfort going backward through the hands.
• Back handsprings over a barrel or rolling mat: the mat supports your back while you learn the shape.
• Spotted back handsprings: the coach supports your back and legs until you can do it alone.
• Wall handstand holds and hollow holds: safe at home and good for shoulder strength and body tension.

Varsity’s safety advice for squads is to work your fundamentals and progressions first, and to keep everyone on the same counts. For a back handspring, that means everyone sits, touches hands and feet to the ground, and stands on the same counts.

Common Problems and Fixes

• Bent arms: go back to handstands, wall holds and spotted handsprings until straight arms are automatic.
• Throwing your head back early: keep your eyes forward through the sit and jump, then look for your hands.
• Falling back instead of jumping: drill the sit-and-jump onto a mat.
• Landing with your chest down: work on handstand snap-downs and hollow holds.
• Feet apart or legs bent: squeeze your legs together and practice the handstand shape.
• Fear: very common. Varsity suggests visualizing the skill done well and avoiding long pauses before you go. Your coach can step back the spot gradually.

Learn It Safely

• Coach and spotter: USA Cheer’s college rules say skills that haven’t been mastered should be done only in supervised practice, that athletes should be qualified through accepted teaching progressions, and that spotting should be used until performers show mastery. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends coaches trained and certified in safety techniques, especially spotting.
• Surface: learn on a spring floor or proper mats. The AAP says cheer skills should never be done on concrete, asphalt, dirt, vinyl floors, or wet or uneven surfaces.
• No backyard or trampoline learning: a home mat is fine for handstands and conditioning, but not for learning a handspring without a spotter.
• Look after your wrists: the AAP lists ankles, wrists and knees as the most commonly injured joints in cheer, and notes that overuse injuries build up when the same body parts are stressed again and again. Warm up your wrists and shoulders, and don’t push through ongoing pain.
• Get injuries checked: if you hit your head, or pain doesn’t go away, stop and see a qualified medical professional before returning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a back walkover first?

Not always. Many coaches teach it because it builds flexibility and comfort going backward. Your coach may use other drills instead.

Can I learn a back handspring at home?

Not safely without a spotter and proper mats. Use home time for handstands, bridges, hollow holds and conditioning. If you’re choosing a mat for that, see our home cheer mats guide.

What comes after a back handspring?

Usually a round-off back handspring, series handsprings, and then tucks. See our standing back tuck guide and tumbling progression guide.

Before tumbling, use a proper warm-up routine, and build flexibility with our stretching guide.

Sources: US All Star Federation, 2026-27 Cheer Rules; USA Cheer, 2026-27 College Cheer Rules; American Academy of Pediatrics, Cheerleading Safety; Varsity, Dos and Don’ts of Safety and Overcoming Your Fear of Tumbling. Last checked October 1, 2026.