10 Exercises You Can Do at Home to Improve your Gymnastics Skills

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10 Exercises You Can Do At Home to Improve Your Gymnastics Skills

10 Exercises You Can Do At Home to Improve Your Gymnastics Skills

 

We’ve put together a list of 10 exercises you can do at home to improve your gymnastics skills. These are all skills you can learn and improve at home.

The list below has gymnastics exercises you can do at home without any home gymnastics equipment.

Maybe you take a gymnastics class once or twice a week and you want to take your gymnastics to the next level without having to pay for more gym time. Or maybe you are already on a gymnastics team and want to keep improving your gymnastics while you aren’t at the gym. There are many ways to improve outside of the gym and here are some exercises that can help you do that.

We’ve made a video, if you prefer to watch:

Beginner gymnastics workbook

 

10 exercises you can do at home spiderman handstand

1. Spider-man against the wall:

Spider-man against the wall (this link has a picture explanation) is a way to work on your handstands. The handstand position is one of the most important positions in gymnastics. Gymnasts do handstands on floor, on beam and on bars. Cartwheels, round-offs, back-handsprings and front-handsprings are all performed by passing through the handstand position. Spider-man against the wall is basically a handstand against the wall, but it’s a way to practice handstands with correct form.

To do spider-man against the wall stand with your back against a wall in your house. Put your hands on the floor in front of you, and one at a time put your feet on the wall. Walk your hands closer to the wall as you walk your feet up the wall, until your stomach is touching the wall and you are in a handstand position. Keep your head neutral but look at your hands with your eyes. Hold this for as long as you can before coming down. While you are in the handstand concentrate on tightening up all your muscles and think about pulling your feet up to the ceiling. This is a great way to practice good form because the wall forces your body to be absolutely straight.

Here are other helpful articles to improve your handstand:
4 Tips to Hold your Handstand Longer

5 Handstand Drills for Beginners

2. Sprints:

Practicing sprints are a great way to improve your Vault skills, and you can practicing running fast anywhere. Great vaults are quick and powerful, so the faster your run–the more power you will have during your vault.

3. Splits:

Working on your splits is a way to improve your flexibility at home. The split shape shows up frequently in gymnastics; the split shape is seen in leaps and jumps. The better you can do splits on the ground, the better you can do them in the air.
Here is more information on improving your splits at home:

How to Improve your Splits

5 Exercises to Improve your Flexibility

4. Pull-Ups:

Another great exercise for improving your gymnastics skills at home is pull-ups. You can practice your pull-ups at home by installing a pull-up bar in one of your doorways. A pull-up bar (here is a great one from Amazon for less than $30) is a great piece of home gymnastics equipment.

10 exercises you can do at home scale

5. Scales:

Practicing your scales at home will help you improve your balance, flexibility and strength which are all crucial for gymnastics. If you aren’t sure what a scale is, stand on one leg and lift the other leg directly in front of you for a front scale or directly behind you for a back scale. Try to stand as long as you can without losing your balance. Learn the 3 types of scales and how to upgrade yours from an “A” to a “B” skill.

10 exercises you can do at home jump

6. Jumps:

Improve your jumps by practicing straight jumps at home. Keep your body as tight as possible and jump as high as you can while maintaining your body position.

Jumps To Practice: Straight, Tuck, Straddle, Pike, Split, Wolf, Half Turn, Full Turn

10 exercises you can do at home leap

7. Leaps:

Gymnasts are required to do leaps on both beam and floor in their routines. Practice makes perfect so practice your leaps at home. Concentrate on keeping your legs straight and coming as high off the ground as you can. Also make sure the angle you make with your legs is even on both sides.

Here are more guides to improve your leaps:
A Split Leap Workout You Can Do At Home

5 Drills to Improve your Split Leap

10 exercises you can do at home turn

8. Turns:

Turns are requirements in both floor and beam routines, just like leaps. You can practice your turns at home on the carpet or on the kitchen floor wearing socks.
Here are more gymnastics turn resources:

3 Drills to Improve Your Gymnastics Turns

Deductions in a Full Turn

9. Conditioning:

Any conditioning exercises that make your muscles stronger will help you improve
your gymnastics. Gymnastics is one of the few sports that uses most of the muscles in your body. Push-ups, Sit-ups, calf-raises are all great exercises to increase your muscles strength. You can track your progress getting stronger.

10. Your Routine:

If you have a gymnastics routine, you can practice it at home without the tumbling skills. This is called a “dance-through”, when you do the routine practicing just the dance elements. The more you practice your routine, the less likely you are to forget it at a meet. So practice, practice, practice at home!

I hope these exercises help you improve your gymnastics at home. You might also be interested in skills you can practice at home on your home gymnastics equipment.

11 exercises you can do at home to improve your gymnastics skills updated thumbnail

 

Should Gymnasts Practice at Home?

Practicing gymnastics at home is one of the best ways to improve your gymnastics skills! Think about it…Beginner gymnasts only have an hour or two in the gym each week to work on their skills. Working on your skills at home will help you fit in more practice time. There are plenty of safe exercises and drills you can do at home to help you improve faster. Check out this list of super beginner gymnastics skills you should start wtih first.

We recommend our SkillTrakker program. With just 15 minutes a day, you can practice drills and exercises to help you improve your gymnastics skills. You don’t need any equipment to do our program.  We feature a different skill each month, but also include strength and flexibility drills so you will be constantly getting better!

Skilltrakker ad

 

 

10 Exercises You Can Do At Home to Improve Your Gymnastics Skills with FREE PDF

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About the Author

Jessica is the founder of GymnasticsHQ, where she’s been sharing training tips and resources since 2011. A former gymnast with 8 years of coaching and 10 years of judging experience, she’s passionate about helping gymnasts reach their goals.

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185 Comments

    • What level are you in? I know a lot of coaches like myself like to make sure their gymnasts perfect the skills rather than just know how to do it. It also depends on the gym you go to. There are some out there that keep their gymnasts in 1 level for way longer then they need to be just so they can do good at competition….

    • Your coach probably doesn’t think you are ready to move. He/she might believe that if you stay in that level, you will score higher. I really wanted to move up when I was in Xcel silver, but my coach made me stay in that level. I scored really well when I stayed. Just trust your coach! 🙂

  1. When i was in gymnastics i had an injurer and my doctor said i couldn’t do it any more so i was wondering when is it ok for some one to come back to gymnastics??

    • Hi Angel, when i trained i was in that same position and I was conditioning but then as i thought i could never train again i decided to stop. but after a year i decided to get back into shape and asked my doctor if i could train again. He said ‘As long as you be careful and dont do too many things that will risk hurting your knee again’ (as i hurt my knee) i joined a gym and started to train again i couldnt do most things to start but i gradually got better.
      Don’t worry if its hard at first but make sure you’re not hurting yourself.
      I hope i helped
      Annie xx

    • What what is your injury? Did your doctor say you had to quit gymnastics forever? Or for just a period of time? It all really depends on what the injury is. If it is a broken arm or leg, those can usually be healed in about a year or two. But, more serious injuries such as neck, Back, spinal, etc. injuries can cause you to have to stop doing gymnastics forever. About two years ago I broke my arm doing gymnastics but I was back on the beam about a year later. Hope this helps! 🙂

  2. I recently took a break from gymnastics because of a knee injury. I am going to a camp in July to help me get back into shape for the next season, I am a level 7 and was wondering what types of conditioning and stretches should I do to help keep me in shape and limber.

    • Hi Destinee,
      I would say definitely keep doing splits, and bridges and stretch every day to stay limber. Here are some conditioning ideas: Use a pull-up bar to do pull-ups, leg lifts and windshield wipers (leg lifts where you move your legs from side to side). Work your abs by doing crunches, sit-ups, v-ups. Also do supermans (where you lay on your stomach and lift your right arm, left leg, then the reverse and then both arms and legs together) to work your back. Work your legs by doing squats, squat jumps, toe-raises and mountain climbers (assuming you can with your knee). I would definitely also do sprints for vault and for a cardio workout. I hope that kinda gets you started. Good luck with camp and I hope your knee is healing!

  3. Hi I was wondering for beginners, How would you start gymnastic exercises?
    also im not exactly a beginner.. I did do gymnastics for 3 years and i was wondering for the stretches and exercises.. Thanks!! Bye!

  4. I love gymnastics its my life and I love this website it really helped me to improve my gymnastics also I just wanted to say good luck to everybody and one day or now people would look up to because of gymnastics !!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you guys : )( :

    !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOOD LUCK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • What makes you feel that your coach is bad? If you really feel that your coach is Bad, maybe you can consider doing a little research on your computer for a new gym that is near your house.

    • Even if you don’t have good coaches at the gym you should use YouTube videos so you can learn from someone else’s perspective. I recently got back into gymnastics(at home) after about 3 years and with the help of YouTube I can do Level 5-6 tricks. But you must stay consistent and practice practice practice. Good Luck!

      • I don’t think turning to YouTube is a very good idea when it comes to gymnastics. If you want to learn basic skills such as cart wheels, handstands, roundoff‘s, or back walk over‘s then YouTube is for you. If you want to become a more advanced gymnast you should find a trained coach to avoid serious injury. Also, If you want to be a more advanced gymnast, finding a train coach is a good idea because then you will have a gym to train at. Gyms are good Because they habe safe equipment and certified coaches. It really depends what you were trying to learn. Hope this helps! Good luck with your gymnastics career!

  5. Hi! I’m 12 years old and I have NO idea of what level I am at. Where I live, my coach says the levels as elements…such as: Starters, Bronze, Silver, Gold, etc. I am a fast learner and partially a self-taught. I am currently in Silver and I hope I’d move onto Gold pretty soon. I can do:
    Front Splits (good and bad leg), cartwheel, backbend, air front splits (forgot proper name), close to ariel, 1/2 of front handspring, handstand, handstand into bridge, bridge, wolf jump on beam, standing up into handstand (stand in stradle, then move torso down and lift your feet up slowly), front roll, back roll (both on bench), and more. I’d also love to know what type of exercises builds up leg muscles and LOTS of arm muscles (aside from push-ups) I mentioned before, I am a quick learner…here are a few examples:
    I stretched 20 minutes every night for two –> three weeks and I got my front splits (both), I practiced my handstands and held it for 20 seconds, cartwheels (perfect on beam), roundoff’s (perfect on floor but needs work on hill/mat) and more.
    I do travel a lot and I hate just sitting in my airplane seat the entire time (12 hours), so I’d love to know how to keep active on the plane without getting into trouble. Another thing: My school is having a trip for a week (love my family) and I have to go. During the trip, my friend and I are in the travel talent show. We need a quick routine to do but we have no clue at all. I’d love some ideas! Well I think I talk (or type) too much! Please reply!
    -Rachel

    • There is a quick routine I know of….it actually depends on what you can do..e.g, cartwheel(1), back handspring as much as u can, some dance moves then split leap, then round off….thatz the simplest I knkw of

    • I am a platnuim gymnast but I dont compete I really want to I dont know how to ask my parents, any tips? My best skill is probably on floor a roundoff backtuck, on bars a fly away on beam a backwalkover and I hate vault. HELP someone!

    • I am a platnuim gymnast but I dont compete I really want to I dont know how to ask my parents, any tips? My best skill is probably on floor a roundoff backtuck, on bars a fly away on beam a backwalkover and I hate vault. I am really small at ten only four foot three, sometimes I cant get a pullover on bars, HELP someone!

  6. Does anyone have any tips for how to get over mental blocks? I have on on my front handspring vault and handstands side twist dismount on beam, thanks

    • Hi Julia! I think that mental blocks is one of the most toughest things to get over in the sport of gymnastics. How I like to get over mental blocks is just counting to three and going for it. If that does not make you feel comfortable, find a trusted coach to spot you while you are doing your skill. Or, add an extra eight incher (Mat) behind the vault table or underneath the beam. Everybody has a different way of getting over mental blocks. Another good way I get over mental blocks is having a specific “ritual” for the skill you are having trouble with. For example, for my full turn on highbeam, I think “sink, relevé, turn, finish.” Or for my back handspring on beam, I think “hands, feet feet.” Good luck with your skills! I hope you get them soon!

    • Hi Kaitlyn! For your pullover, I suggest you do more arm and abs exercises such as push-ups and sit ups. This will make your pullover a lot easier. Also find a coach to spot you and put a mat underneath your feet when you do the skill to give you a little boost. For your back hip circle, I suggest you work on casts and getting them higher. This usually makes the back hip Circle easier. And find a coach to spot you when you are trying The skill. Good luck! I hope you get them soon!

    • Hi Kaitlyn, I would suggest that if you want to get better at something, you picture yourself doing it exactly the way you want to, then go for it. I hope that helps. Good luck!

  7. I agree that you would want to consider a routine that you could practice at home when practicing gymnastics. It would seem that the way to really get better would be through daily practice at home. Our son wants to practice his routine at home, so maybe we should get him some kind of mat that he can practice on as well.

  8. I have been doing gymnastics for 3 years and i quit last year to focus on basketball and im trying to get back into the zone of gymnastics and i cant even do the splits anymore its like going back to square one…ughhh

  9. Hello! I’m an eager gymnast… except I can barely do a backbend. My parents don’t have the time or money to take me to a gym class, and my school does not have any gymnastics clubs. We are only learning gymnastics for one term, once each week. Any advice? I can do a bridge, just not a backbend. A cartwheel, but with bent legs. A forwards flip, but only on a trampoline and if it’s into a foam pit or something. We don’t have time to go to a trampoline park either. The trampoline at my house is always wet, and covered in leaves. Please help me achieve one of my main dreams.

  10. My parents cannot afford to take me to gymnastics and I’m not able to buy gymnastic materials to practice any skills. What should I do?

    • well you can go to play store and download the app, or watch on youtube, and you can use a soft carpet and a pole or iron around your house. that’s what I do because my parents doesn’t have time for gymnastics

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  12. Hi.
    I am 13-going-on-14 and just got into gymnastics. I am very tall, though, at 5 foot 6. I am very strong and can get flexible very easily. My dad doesn’t really approve me doing gymnastics because of those reasons, so I pretty much teach myself in secret at home. Gymnastics isn’t my life passion, but rather something I’d really like to do. What should I do?

    • I have a similar problem as Jessie D. I just turned 14 and i just started gymnastics and i really want to become good at it but my gym only put me into recreational teen gym but I really want to do competitive. The competitive girls have been doing gymnastics like all their life but I just wish that here in Australia we did like a basic competitive level and progress as you move up but you don’t. My coach doesn’t teach us at all – we just do the exact same thing every week and are not learning anything new. I can only do basic things – the best thing I can do on floor is front handspring, the best thing I can do on beam is cartwheel and the best thing I can do on bars is back hip circle. I end up teaching myself things at home in secret because that’s the only way I learn things. Is there anyway I can get better fast and maybe be picked for a beginner competitive?

  13. Hi I used to do gymnastics but I quit because the club was terrible but I am starting again next Wednesday anybody got any advice
    I love gymnastics tho

  14. It’s hard to convince my parents to bring me a gymnast or buy for me gymnastic stuff, so I am practicing gymnastic only on the floor of my house. The question is that what are the things that I can do in gymnastics without the stuff?

  15. I have been doing gymnastics since I was 18 months old and I have loved it from day 1. I have gotten some minor injuries nothing a day of rest can’t fix. But some thing s that you can do at home with no equipment are conditioning handstands front walkovers back walkovers bridges and other stuff like that you may not be able to do that yet but with enough time and effort you will get it in no time!

  16. I started gymnastics when I was 5/6 and I quit when I was 13 because I kept on getting injured and I kept on falling behind and staying at the same level. I want to get back into gymnastics without actually joining anything, just doing it casually but still working out my body and doing it properly. Any tips?

  17. Hi! You should maybe condition at home and try to just do your best. I don’t know what else to say. Just keep trying. And if this isn’t a good sport for you maybe try out new sports. Maybe it’s the coaches? Idk.

  18. I have been trying to perfect my back handspring for 3+ years, and it won’t change. My coach doesn’t give me any good tips, but my bhs keeps going SUPER high instead of going long and stretchy… 🙁

  19. I never did gymnastics ..I’m madly in love with it and i want to learn it badly…the problem is there is no sufficient schools and very hard to find any coach..also..gymnastic in my country is very rare…so I deciced to learn them myself through internet help…and I’m trying the basics and currently I’m practicing the splits.is it possible to learn them by myself?…so I came here to be coached by you…i hope I can get enough help.

  20. I need help i just turned 11 and i have been doing cheer since i was 6 i decided to try gymnasctics now i can do roundoff,Cartwheel, and a backbend with the wall plz give me advice. Plz

  21. hi i am a self taught gymnist and I do hip hop through a dance company.when I was ten I taught myself how to do a backflip and a back handspring on a trampoline.i also can do the splits.i learned how to fall into a bridge and get up from a bridge when i was nine.the other day i did my first back lumber i cant do a walkover i can do i kick over to and a front walk over

  22. Hey Rachel just because you listened and got hurt doesn’t mean she will. Gymnastics is a dangerous sport especially if you’re scared. You can get hurt. That’s life. The important thing is that if you got back up and tried again after you’ve healed.

  23. I am in my invitational squad and this has made me a stronger and more flexible gymnast, hopefully practising all of these skills will allow me to still to my round-off back handspring

  24. How do I get into a handstand if I can’t get up all the way. My nerves get the best of me every time. And, can I do somersaults without a mat or something soft. I don’t want to hurt myself.

  25. Hi my name is Saniyah I am 12 yr old and I am all new to gymnastics never and now I want to but I need help what do I start with

  26. If you need to practice skills for beam try using a plank of wood the width of a beam and stapling a pad to it for turns and jumps and other things like that.

  27. Hi, I am 17 years old and I have never learn gymnastics and I would really like to start and I have no idea what to do and some people says that I can’t start from such age.

    • YOU CAN!! ITS NEVER TOO LATE! I’m 17 and I just joined gymnastics in early November for my school team ! they teach you stuff so you may feel like you’re not good but it’s okay! you’ll learn like I am. Rn I’m learning a handstand and front tuck ! I came in not even knowing how to do a cartwheel.

  28. Hi everyone, I’m 16 years old and I might need help getting better at it. I am very interested in it and its my favorite sport.

  29. Hi, here is tenvda. Good article. Can I just wear a shirt and short instead of leotards for home exercise?

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  31. I am looking for the exercise that help me to improve my skills even when I am not able to hit to the gym. I am looking for a way to quick start my routine but don’t have any idea to begin with. But after to your blog all my worries are blown away. The exercises you mentioned are really helpful for me. Thanks!

  32. None of these free little checklist download links are working for me. I am trying to download some for my 7 year old who is just now wanting to start gymnastics and we are doing some stuff at home. She is blind in one eye and has glasses so I’m trying to help her get some basics here at home.

  33. Hi i’m Karissa bur my friend call me kat.
    Im really good at gymnastics. i won gold medals for 10 years in a row. I love gymnastics it really fun

  34. Don’t give up tag Anna mcnulty she made me so flexible. She is so fun and she can do a wall split.I wish I could be in gymnastics.

  35. Hi my name is Chloe Santiago I have never done gymnastics‍♀️ before and I am ten years old I am on virtual
    school so I’m off on Fridays and I think weekends could be good Friday at 11:30 – 1:00 for Saturday 12:00 – 1:00 and for Sunday 3:30- 4:30
    And also I want to a coach who is not mean and bossy or strict, And during that I want I want a partner‍‍ that will help me and also new.
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    please and thank you
    you can call at
    (704) 458-0798•Mobile

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