Cartwheel Drills - California Sports Center

November 2007Our skill of the month this month is the cartwheel. A cartwheel can be a challenging skillto teach, but still a very important one. It’s important for a preschool coach to focus onlead up drills and not so much completing the actual cartwheel on the floor.Here are some ideas that work:One that we probably all use with any beginner, rec or preschool is kicking over a panelmat. Start by asking the preschooler to place their hands on any raised surface (you canuse anything low, but a panel mat works best) and challenge the kids to kick their legsover the mat to the other side, repeat in both directions (back and forth). PlaceA felt shape or foot marker on each side to aim for with their feet.Put a mail box in front of a squishy mat and have them put their hands in front of the mailbox and kick their legs over the mailbox/ “mountain” and try not to knock it over.The cartwheel mat with hands and feet placement is a commonly used tool and can behelpful. But try to develop the cartwheeling action better by doing lead up drills over the

panel mat. Instead Use the line of the cartwheel mat to do Dinosaur kicks or broken legwalks to develop the kicking action and pressure on the hands.From a starting position (like a lunge) or a straddle stand with the arms in side lateral,have the gymnast slightly bend one leg and shift the weight to the other side. Weighttransfers are important with teaching cartwheels to little ones and the more Dinosaurkicks, tick tocks, even bear walks you do the more they kids understand the concept.Hula hoops spaced apart for hand and feet placement, lines on the floor, felt shapes andany other visual can work to help the preschooler understand a cartwheel. Another visualI like to use is a multicolor panel mat and have the kids put their hands and feet on thedifferent colors.Don’t forget the handstandThe most important part of learning a cartwheel is a strong handstand. Don’t forget toincorporate spider walks and handstands against the wall to build the preschoolersstrength in their handstand shape. Once they have a strong handstand the cartwheel willbe much easier to learn.Side Note: Should a preschool gymnastics teacher require students to learncartwheels and handstands on both sides?The KAT workbook says “At this age, movement is movement! Our goal is to have thestudents experience a wide range of movement possibilities. Therefore, the preschoolgymnastics teachers should provide many opportunities for the students to experimentand be challenged, on both sides…Of course, one side will feel more “natural” andcomfortable, but in learning movement, the challenge is in experiencing and masteringthe total body control, especially at this young age.What’s your opinion??Erin ThomasPreschool Coordinator/ Team coach