Do a Rolling Front Flip

Gymnastics combines and builds on a number of basic skills, including the forward roll and the front flip. Practice each separately before attempting the combined rolling front flip. Stretching properly and warming your body up beforehand will also aid your performance.

Steps

Combining the Forward Roll and Front Flip

1. Stand up straight. Raise both arms straight above your head. Rise onto your toes as if you were stretching.
2. Drop your weight straight down. Sink into a squat. Place your hands on the ground, slightly forward of your feet. Move fast to build momentum.
3. Roll forward. Tuck your chin into your chest. Roll from the back of your head and neck to your buttocks until your feet touch the ground again. Roll onto your toes with your heels off the ground.
4. Spring upward. When your feet touch the ground again as you come out of the forward roll, spring up with your toes while you’re still in a squat. Use your calves to push off the ground. As you “punch” off the ground, raise your arms above your head and pull your thighs up to your torso.
5. Tuck your head into your chest. As you lift off the ground, bring your arms down from over your head and grab your upper shins. Tuck your knees into your chest as your hips rise over your head from behind.
6. Straighten out. Once your hips are below your head again, let go of your shins. Open your legs from their tucked position and land on your toes. Bend your knees a little to absorb the shock when you land. Then extend your legs back into a standing position.

Ensuring Safety

1. Choose a soft space. Avoid injury by avoiding hard surfaces. Use a gym mat or similarly soft, stable surface for landing.
2. Have a spotter. Ask a friend to watch in case you injure yourself. Be sure they have easy access to a phone in case of a real emergency.
3. Practice each move separately. Master doing the forward roll and the front flip on their own before combining the two moves. For the front flip, use a running start to build up the speed that you would otherwise gain from the forward roll.
4. Warm up and stretch beforehand. Go for a short jog, do some jumping jacks, or any other light exercise. Get your heart pumping, your blood flowing, and your tendons loose. Then do some stretches to increase strength and flexibility. Pay attention to any areas that feel especially sore or stiff.
5. Keep each stretch short. Break from position after 20 seconds. Avoid “static” stretching to better ensure quicker response times from your muscles while tumbling later on. If a particular area feels like it needs extra attention, repeat stretches, as opposed to holding a single stretch for any longer than 20-30 seconds.

Warming Up and Stretching: Standing Positions

1. Stand up straight. Place your feet together. Stretch your body upward by rising slowly onto your toes. Slowly settle your heels back onto the floor. Repeat five times.
2. Raise one leg in front of you. Keep both legs straight. Hold your raised leg at a 90º angle or higher if possible. With your other foot, rise onto your toes and hold the position for a few seconds before settling back onto your heel and lowering your other leg. Repeat five times for each leg.
3. Raise one leg to the side. Keep both legs straight. Hold your raised leg at a 90º angle or higher if possible. Hold your position for a few seconds before lowering your leg. Repeat five times for each leg.
4. Raise one leg in front of you. Keeping both legs straight, lift your raised leg to a 90º angle or higher if possible. Then stretch it to the side, away from your body. Hold the position for a few seconds, then bring your leg back in front of you. Swing your leg underneath you and then raise it behind you as high as you can while keeping it straight. Repeat five times for each leg.
5. Place your feet together. Raise both arms above your head, keeping them straight. Bend forward from your hips and bring your arms down, keeping them straight as well, until they touch the floor beside your heels. Flatten your palms on the floor if possible. Hold the position for a few seconds before returning to a standing position. Repeat five times.
6. Straddle your legs. Place your feet well apart. Raise both arms above your head, keeping them straight. Bend forward from your hips and lower your arms while keeping them straight as well. Touch the floor between your feet with your palms flat on the floor. Place them as far back between your legs as you can. Return to standing position and repeat five times.
7. Do lunges. Stand up straight. Place one foot forward and lower your hips. Bending your knees, keep your forward knee directly above your ankle and the other knee off of the floor. With your weight on both heels, push your body backward with your forward foot. Repeat three times for each leg.

Warming Up and Stretching: Seated Positions

1. Sit on the floor. Keep your back straight. Straighten your legs and bring them together in front of you. Point and flex your toes five times.
2. Keep your legs together. Flex your toes and hold onto them. Stretch your upper body forward over your straight legs and hold the position for a few seconds. Relax, point your toes, pull your torso back down, and hold this position for a few seconds.
3. Do L-sits. Place your hands on the floor beside your hips. Tuck your knees up to your chest. Push your body off the ground with your hands and extend your legs straight in front of you. Hold the L-position for 10-15 seconds.
4. Do V-sits. Lie down with your legs held together and your arms behind your head. Keeping both your arms and your legs straight, pull your upper body and lower body up and off the floor so it forms a V. Hold this position for 10-15 seconds.

Tips

• If you find that you might mess up when your running up to front flip on a hard surface, move somewhat more safer by using you hand to push off and flip in the air. Keep in mind that this may require practice as well.
• Go as fast as you want, just not too fast or you'll land the wrong way. Don't go too slow or you'll land on your back.
• Build your body strength before attempting gymnastics, which requires speed, balance, and responsiveness from a variety of muscles.

Warnings

• Don't try this skill on any hard surface until you have mastered it on a soft surface.
• Make sure that someone is around to help you, in case something doesn't go as planned.

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Sources and Citations

See also

• Do a Back Walkover
• Do a Forward Roll
• Do a Front Flip
• Do a Standing Back Flip from the Ground
• Do a Back Tuck
• Do a Backward Roll
• Do a Front Handspring
• Do a Running Front Flip
• Do a Somersault
• Do a Double Back Handspring

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What links here

• Do a Front Flip
• Do a Running Front Flip
• Perform a Somersault