Back walkovers are a classic milestone—and a little scary at first since you’re moving backward. This guide shows you the exact steps, the strength and flexibility you’ll need, and safe progressions from floor to beam.
Start here: most gymnasts learn a back walkover after a solid bridge kickover and consistent handstands.
Safety first: Warm up thoroughly, use proper matting, and learn with a qualified coach/spotter—especially before trying beam variations.
Are You Ready? Quick Readiness Checklist
- Strong, straight-body handstand with control.
- Comfortable pushing up to a bridge with straight arms.
- Can bridge kickover from the floor (or from a small elevation).
- Sufficient shoulder & hip flexibility.
How to Do a Back Walkover (Step by Step)
- Start in a Strait Stand & Lift your Dominant Leg : The first thing you want to do when you’re preparing to do a back walkover is to lift your dominant leg up off of the ground with your feet pointed and arms by your ears.
- Reach & Arch to Hands: Lift your lead leg as you reach back, keeping arms glued to ears. Place hands shoulder-width on the floor as the lead leg reaches vertical.
- Stack Shoulders: In the inverted split, push tall through shoulders (don’t sink). Keep both knees straight and toes pointed.
- Kick Over: Drive the back leg up and over while the lead leg drops. Keep hips square; press the floor away.
- Finish in Lunge: Land on your lead foot, then step to lunge with arms by ears—no extra steps.
Progressions (Floor → Beam)
- Handstand – The first skill you should learn before attempting a back walkover, is a handstand. You need to be able to support your body weight on your hands.
- Bridge– You also need to be able to do a bridge before attempting a back walkover.
- Bridge Kickover on the Floor – Before learning a back walkover on floor, you should know how to do a bridge kickover. The idea of the skill is very similar, but the mechanics are different. Lay on your back and push up into a bridge, or reach back from a stand into a bridge (back baend). Then try to move your shoulders over your hand and kick your legs over your head.
- Back Walkover on Floor – Once you have learned a back walkover on the floor, you can move on to a back walkover on the beam.
- Back Walkover on a Line– Before you ever take a back walkover to a low beam or a high beam, you should learn it on a line first.
- Back Walkover on Low Beam – If you can do a back walkover straight and confidently on a line, then you can move on to doing one on a low beam.
- Back Walkover on High Beam – After you have mastered a back walkover on a low beam, you can move to the high beam. But make sure you have a coach there to spot you!!
Strength & Flexibility for Back Walkovers
Do this 2–3×/week on non-consecutive days:
- Hollow Body Hold – 3×20–30s (ribs down, lower back pressed).
- Plank (wrists or elbows) – 3×30–45s (shoulders stacked, body straight).
- Handstand Holds (wall) – 5×15–30s (push tall through shoulders). Try Spiderman handstands.
- Shoulder Opener on floor or blocks – 3×30s (arms by ears, ribs in).
- Hip Flexor + Quad Stretch – 2×30s/side (tuck pelvis under).
- Hamstring Stretch – 2×30s/side (long spine, flexed foot).
- V-Ups – 3×10–12 reps (controlled; no back arch).
Drills You Can Do at Home
- Wall Walk-Down to Bridge: Stand 1–2 ft from a wall, walk hands down to a bridge, then walk back up if safe.
- Bridge Rocks: From a strong bridge, gently shift shoulders past hands to open them.
- Elevated Bridge Kickover: Feet on a low panel mat → kick over, then lower height over time.
- Back Walkover on a Line: Hands and feet land on the line to train accuracy for beam.
Common Mistakes & Quick Fixes
- Dropping head early → Keep arms glued to ears; spot hands late to protect shoulders.
- Sinking shoulders → “Push the floor away” and elevate through the shoulder blades.
- Bent knees/toes unpointed → Squeeze quads, lock knees, think “long legs, sharp toes.”
- Twisting hips → Square hips; squeeze glutes to keep the split aligned.
- No finish → Stick the lunge for a full second, arms by ears.
Tools for Learning a Back Walkover |
Description |
Price |
| Low Beam
|
A low beam is important for learning how to do a back walkover on the high beam. It’s an important skill progression. | Check Current Price Here |
| Handstand Homework Mat
|
A handstand homework mat is helpful for practicing handstands at home without having to do them against a hard wall. Since the middle of the back walkover is basically a handstand in a split position, it’s important to practice and have mastered handstands. | Check Current Price Here |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a back walkover?
A: A gymnastics skill where you arch backward to your hands, pass through an inverted split, then kick over to land in a controlled lunge.
Q: How do I get over the fear of going backward?
A: Build from spotted reps → wall walk-downs → elevated kickovers → floor walkovers. Use thick matting, consistent cues, and a coach/spotter.
Q: How often should I practice?
A: 2–3 focused sessions per week (quality > quantity), plus short daily mobility for shoulders/hips/hamstrings.
Q: When should I try beam?
A: After consistent floor success and line drills. Start on low beam with a coach and proper mats before attempting high beam.
If you strengthen the muscles you need for a back walkover, and practice the drills listed above, we have confidence that you will soon learn how to do a back walkover. Once you have mastered a back walkover on floor, it just takes a couple of tweaks and lots more practice before you can learn a back walkover on beam.
62 Comments
O.o IM a quick learner but….whats the difference between a kickover and a walkover?
The difference between a kick over and a walkover is a kick over you are in a bridge and kick over. One leg at a time . In the walk over you are in a standing position go into bridge with one leg going up and over in motion at same time you go into bridge and complete in a lunge position( both feet are now over ) Also known as movement hand hand foot foot = Back walk over. Kick over = hands foot foot
I can’t do itt
i have trouble when i bend back i fall on my head
does anone have any tips
If you keep your arms straight and strong it will stop them from collapsing, and you falling.
I can’t really tell the difference.
I am a gymnast myself and I can say that a kickover is when you take a moment to pause before kicking over. A walkover is when it is all done in one motion. Hope this helps!
When you do a back kickover, you have to stop then kick over. In a back walkover, you don’t stop at all until the skill is done.
I can do my back walkovers on the beam perfectly when a coach is there “spotting” me. But, when they leave, I cannot do them. How do I get over the fear of doing them by myself on the high beam.
I can do a back walkover with one of my legs in front of the other and kickover without stopping,but then when I put my leg up and do it the normal way I fall down.So how do I do a backbend with my leg up?
hello i can do a walkover thouhg
Practice!!! If you can do it with your coach spotting you, you can do it!!! I started just like you! The advice my coach gave me was to go on the beginner beam, the one that doesn’t have any bars on it that the little kids use (lol) It might be weird, but I had the coach gradually spot me less until she wasn’t even touching me. Then, I would do it and slowly work my way up to the regular high-ish beam. I hope it helped!!!!!!!
Stay calm imagine your coach is right there spotting you take a deep breath and then go. You are an amazing gymnast you can do it.
I can do it but the problem is I can’t do a bridge with one leg
For school I have to do a how to project so I went on line I looke up equipment for back walk over I found gymnastics Matt and a beam and it work and I got a hundred on my project.
Hi
Our daughter is 9 years old and started gymnastics about 6 months ago.. She really loves the sport and wants to compete, we have her in group lessons twice a week…..But I was wondering should we have her in one group lesson and maybe add a private lesson?
thanks for this I think it can help me
That’s great to hear Raegen!
I have been learning a backwalkover on beam, and I can do it fine when my coach spots me and I have done it by myself before, does anyone have some tips for getting over my fear.
Anna, practice doing the skill in your mind. See yourself doing your back walkover by yourself on beam over and over. The more you can believe it, the easier it will be to get on your own. Plus, practice makes perfect!
what if you do not have a balance beam what do you do then?
Then, make a diy beam by placing duct tape on your basement floor. Or if your parents allow you to draw a diy beam with marker on you mat, do that. Or, use chalk or marker to draw a beam on the sidewalk but be prepared for very serious injuries.
I have tried doing a back walk over but I am hitting the ground too hard and it hurts my hands and arms, also it is hard to keep my legs straight when going backwards any tips?
so you probably are going to fast or you don’t have enough flexibility in your back. Practice going slower it might help
what i do is i fall to bridge with my leg up onto a higher surface so i have less of a fall and go lower and lower until i feel comfortable to do it on the ground
Hello I’ve been trying to learn my backhand spring and back walkover but I can’t seem to get it so you have any tips
I keep falling when I do my back walkover now but I was doing it perfectly before
I have a fear of going backwards with one leg. Help!
I’m having a hard time doing this and cheerleading tryouts are next week please get back to me soon.
I’m trying to get my back handspring and this is the prefect building block to help me
I practiced bending my hands back onto blankets. That way I would have a soft landing, be able to do it, and not have to go down as far. It worked really well. STRETCH YOUR WRISTS THO!!!!! I can not explain how important this step is. If you go down without stretching your wrists, It WILL hurt. Trust me <3
I can’t stand of once I fall into a bridge. What is the cause?
I struggle when ever I do a back walk over I can’t rise my leg
I can do a bridge kickover but not a backwalkover does anyone have any tips cause I can also fall into a bridegroom but I’m just scared to do it
I have trouble with my backwalk over
So simple, yet so impactful. Well written!
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