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8. The Back-Handspring Progression

11 stunts in this progression lead up to the back hand- spring, which is the most important stunt of the series. The back handspring is popularly called the flip-flap by professional tumblers. This name pictures nothing to the novice, and for this reason the more descriptive term was used. The first stunt in this progression is the round off (Fig. 116), which is used to acquire momentum for the back handspring routines.

Because the back handspring depends very much on a limber back, suggestions for limbering exercises are given on the follow­ing page. The performers should begin using these in their warm-up period long before they get to this progression. In the back-to-back pull over (Fig. 118) the top man gets the feel of turning over backward. He is safely assisted as he arches back and snaps down onto his feet. Notice carefully that this is not a tuck as in the back somersault, which will come later; the top man arches his back in the back handspring progression, even in the back-somersault stunts given in this series.

Next, in the assisted back somersault from a shoulder sit (Fig. 119) he is a little higher and does more of the stunt by himself. He can throw his head back into an arch with his arms and snap down to his feet with very little assistance when he learns the stunt well, because he has sufficient height.

The neck-lift back somersault (Fig. 120) is even more like a true back handspring. In the foot-push back handspring (Fig. 121), the performer can practice throwing back into an arch and snapping down from the real back handspring landing position on the hands. The performer should not begin the practice of the back handspring until he has become well impressed with these fundamentals and has developed a limber back.

LIMBER-UPS FOR THE BACK HANDSPRINGS

Before the back handspring progres­sion is begun, the performers should be preparing for it. These exercises should be done for at least two weeks before the series is started, and they should be prac­ticed every day. The objective in each of these is to limber up the back gradually without straining it. Straining the liga­ments of the lumbar region especially may lead to postural difficulties later in life. It is not the middle of the back that needs the most limbering up and stretching; most beginners will have to do much of the stretching at the shoulder and hip joints. In the back bend it is very impor­tant that the head be kept back or raised as far as possible, and that the elbows be kept straight. The performer may start as for a hand balance or forearm stand and kick over into the arch. Walking down a partners legs is shown in Figure 114. This may also be done against a wall. Figure 115 shows how to stretch the shoulders back. The elbows should be straight and the hands shoulder-width apart as you do this exercise.

Fig. 114. Stretching Hip Muscles.

Fig. 115. Stretching Shoulder Muscles.

ROUND OFF

START WITH A SHORT RUN AND END IT WITH A SKIP OR SCUFF ON RIGHT FOOT (a);

AS WEIGHT GOES FORWARD ON LEFT FOOT WHIP ARMS DOWN FAST, CROSSING RIGHT OVER LEFT (b);

BEND AT THE WAIST—NOT AT THE SHOULDERS (b); THE HANDS SHOULD BE ALMOST TOGETHER (b);

THIS IMMEDIATE TWIST OF THE UPPER BODY (b and c) GIVES A FASTER AND CLOSER TURN AND SNAP DOWN;

FEET SHOULD BE TOGETHER IN INVERTED POSITION (d);

KEEP ELBOWS STRAIGHT THROUGHOUT;

GET A GOOD SHOULDER PUSH FOR THE SNAP DOWN (d);

LAND FLAT-FOOTED, FACING THE STARTING POSITION, WITH ARMS UP (f).

Fig. 117. Round-Off Floor Plan.

HINTS TO BEGINNERS: The round off is not a cartwheel with a quarter-turn. It is a kick into a snap down to get up speed for advanced tumbling routines. The round off is a very important stunt because it is used to begin the back handspring tum­bling routines. Right-handed persons should do a left round off (and vice versa for left-handed people), so that they may be able to throw correctly when learning the twisting back somersaults later on. Landing flat-footed and with the arms over the head may seem awkward and useless at first. However, the landing must be made in this manner because it will then be much easier to learn the back handspring. It is helpful to chalk the floor plan, which is illustrated above, on the mat. No dimensions are given, be­cause they will vary with the size of the performers. The important thing is that the hands be placed close to the take-off foot and that the feet snap down to where the hands were.

NOTE: How to "spot" with the safety belt was illustrated in Figures 93 and 94.

GROUP STUNT NO. 27

1. Round off and back roll to squat position at center circle.
   
   
2. Jump to stand.
   
   
3. Left cartwheel toward corner to stand.
   
   
4. Half-pivot left and right cartwheel to stand at corner.

BACK-TO-BACK PULL-OVER SOMERSAULT

Fig. 118

BOTTOM MAN

BACK UP TO TOP MAN AND LOCK ELBOWS OVER HIS (a); SQUAT A LITTLE TO GET UNDER WEIGHT OF PARTNER (a); LIFT TOP MAN OVER—HE SHOULD NOT SPRING (b); EXTEND ARMS TO SIDE BETWEEN "b" AND "c."

TOP MAN

DO NOT SPRING TO GET OVER—LET BOTTOM MAN LIFT YOU (b):

KEEP YOUR FEET IN CLOSE GOING UP (b);

BRING KNEES TO CHEST AND ROLL OFF (c);

BE SURE TO STRAIGHTEN ARMS BETWEEN "b" AND "c."

BACK-TO-BACK PULL-OVER SOMERSAULT

HINTS TO BEGINNERS: This stunt is very easy if the bottom man will bend his knees a little and get under his partner's weight to lift him. The bottom man must be sure to straighten his arms out horizontally to support the top man as he turns over. If this is not done, the top man is in great danger of slipping off and landing on his head. The objective in this stunt is for the top man to learn to lie back and snap his knees over fast into a snap down to the ground.

VARIATIONS

1. 1. Make it continuous by turning and repeating. The other man may lift alternately in a series.
   
   
2. Back-to-back pull over, holding arms out horizontally with hands clasped. Get leverage with elbows. Bottom man's arms must be underneath.
   
   
3. Back-to-back pull over with hands clasped overhead. Keep hold of hands, turn, and repeat, making it continuous.
   
   
4. Make combinations of these three.
   
   
5. Back-to-back pull over, and both roll backward to stand.

GROUP STUNT NO. 28

( =indicates bottom men; O indicates top men.)

1. Take back-to-back pull-over elbow lock.
   
   
2. Back-to-back pull over toward center.
   
   
3. Top men back roll to stand at center circle.
   
   
4. Bottom men dive and roll to lying position on back.
   
   
5. Top men lift bottom men by feet to head-and-hand balance.
   
   
6. Bottom men spread legs sideward.
   
   
7. Top men dive through bottom men's legs and roll to cross- legged stand and half-turn left at corner.
   
   
8. Bottom men lower feet, and backward roll to stand.

ASSISTED BACK SOMERSAULT FROM SHOULDER SIT

BOTTOM MAN

LIFT WITH YOUR LEGS;

NOTE KNEE BEND AND EXTENSION FOR LIFT BETWEEN "c" AND "d";

GIVE A SECONDARY LIFT ON TOP MAN'S HIPS WITH ARMS (c);

LIFT STRAIGHT UP—LET TOP MAN DO HIS OWN SPINNING (d).

TOP MAN

HOLD BOTTOM MAN'S WRISTS AS ILLUSTRATED (b); THROW HEAD BACK INTO AN ARCH TO GET SPIN (c); FLEX AT HIPS FOR SNAP DOWN AND LANDING (d).

ASSISTED BACK SOMERSAULT FROM SHOULDER SIT

HINTS TO BEGINNERS: This is an easy stunt to do if the top man keeps himself from slipping by holding the bottom man's wrists as illustrated. During the learning stages a safety man should support the top man under the shoulder as he turns over.

VARIATIONS

1. Assisted back somersault from shoul­ der sit; top man steps forward and puts head between partner's legs; straddle-lift front somersault.
   
   
2. Sit on bottom man's shoulders, both facing in same direction; hold on to his shoulders instead of his wrists, and do back somersault.
   
   
3. Do hand-balance pull over in reverse (see Fig. 35).
   
   
4. Hand-to-heel mount to shoulder sit; assisted back somersault.
   
   
5. Assisted back somersault from shoul­ der sit without holding on to bottom man.
   
   
6. Assisted back somersault from shoul­der sit; top man jumps to straddle on bottom man's chest; high arm-to-arm balance.

GROUP STUNT NO. 29

( = indicates bottom men; 0 indicates top men.)

1. Hand-to-heel mount to shoulder sit, facing partner.
   
   
2. Assisted back somersault with top men making backward roll halfway along edge of mat to right to stand and half- turn.
   
   
3. Bottom men dive and roll to squat position in front of top men.
   
   
4. Take position for neck-lift front handspring.
   
   
5. Execute neck-lift front handspring with top men rolling back to original corners.
   
   
6. Bottom men dive and roll to stand at next corner with new partners.

NECK-LIFT BACK SOMERSAULT

Fig. 120

BOTTOM MAN

GET LEGS UNDER WEIGHT OF TOP MAN FOR LIFT (a);

LIFT WITH LEGS AS WELL AS BACK;

SUPPORT TOP MAN UNDER SHOULDERS FOR SAFETY (b);

LIFT UNDER TOP MAN'S SHOULDERS AS HE SNAPS DOWN (c).

TOP MAN

LIE BACK OVER BOTTOM MAN (a);

LET BOTTOM MAN FLIP YOU (b);

FLEX AT HIPS TO SNAP DOWN FOR LANDING (c and d).

HINTS TO BEGINNERS: In this stunt the top man has his arms free; therefore he should concentrate on learning how to extend them back as far as possible as for a back handspring. He can also continue to practice his snap down in safety. The top man need never worry about slipping when the bottom man supports him under the shoulders as illustrated.

VARIATIONS

1. Neck-lift back somersault, and back­ ward roll.
   
   
2. Neck-lift back somersault; top man bends over and does hand balance to partner's back; hand-balance pull over.
   
   
3. Neck-lift back somersault; top man bends over and puts head between bottom man's legs; hand-balance pull over in reverse (Fig. 35).
   
   
4. Neck-lift back somersault; bottom man executes dead-man fall back to top man; take grips and double roll forward.
   
   
5. Neck-lift back somersault; top man does hand balance to bottom man's back and drops legs over his shoul­ders ; bottom man pulls him to shoulder sit and walks off.

GROUP STUNT NO. 30

( = indicates bottom men; O indicates top men.)

1. Top men dive and roll to stand.
   
   
2. Bottom men do left cartwheel and quarter-turn left.
   
   
3. Bottom men bend forward and stoop under top men.
   
   
4. Top men lie back for neck-lift back somersault.
   
   
5. Neck-lift back somersault with top men rolling to jump with half-turn left at corner.
   
   
6. Bottom men do back roll to stand at corner.

FOOT-PUSH BACK HANDSPRING

Fig. 121

BOTTOM MAN

PLACE FEET ON PARTNER'S BUTTOCKS (a);

WHEN HE ARCHES HIS BACK, CATCH HIS SHOULDERS (b);

LET HIS WEIGHT ROLL DIRECTLY OVER YOU BEFORE PUSHING WITH FEET (b).

TOP MAN

STAND ASTRIDE BOTTOM MAN'S BUTTOCKS (a);

DROP ARMS AND HEAD BACK INTO ARCH—DO NOT SPRING (a and b);

KEEP ELBOWS STRAIGHT (c);

FLEX AT HIPS AND SNAP DOWN WHEN HANDS TOUCH (c);

LAND FLAT-FOOTED WITH ARMS UP (d).

HINTS TO BEGINNERS: In this stunt the top man does not lift for height but throws back into an arch with his head and arms. It is very important that the bottom man wait until the weight of the top man is well over him before he gives the push. The ob­jective for this stunt should be to learn how to place the hands on the ground, keeping the elbows straight, and to coordinate the snap down with the landing position.

VARIATIONS

1. 1. Foot-to-hand balance (Fig. 74) ; top man sits well forward on bottom man's feet and does back layout (They may hold hands.) ; top man then arches back into back hand­spring.
   
   
2. Foot-push back handspring, and back roll.
   
   
3. Foot-push back handspring; top man steps forward and takes grip; low arm-to-arm balance.
   
   
4. Foot-push back handspring; top man steps forward and takes grip; double roll.
   
   
5. Foot-push back handspring; both backward roll to stand.

GROUP STUNT NO. 31

( =indicates bottom men; O indicates top men.)

1. Top men dive and roll to stand at center circle.
   
   
2. Bottom men do two short rolls to squat position.
   
   
3. Bottom men lie back with feet up.
   
   
4. Top men take position for foot-push back handspring.
   
   
5. Execute back handspring with top men rolling to stand at corner.
   
   
6. Bottom men backward roll to hand balance, chest-roll down, jump through to squat, and back roll to stand at corner.

BACK HANDSPRING

SIT DOWN AS YOU WOULD ON A CHAIR, BACK STRAIGHT, HEELS ON FLOOR (a);

AS YOU FALL OFF BALANCE, EXTEND LEGS AND SWING ARMS VIGOROUSLY UP AND BACKWARD (b);

THROW HIPS TOWARD CEILING—PUSH OFF TOES, DRAGGING KNEES (b);

THROW HEAD BACK HARD WITH ARMS—WATCH FINGERS ALL THE WAY BACK (b);

LAND ON HANDS WITH ELBOWS LOCKED AND STRAIGHT (c and d);

NOW, FLEX HIPS AND SNAP DOWN TO WHERE HANDS WERE (c);

LAND FLAT-FOOTED, KNEES SLIGHTLY BENT, AND ARMS UP (f).

IMPORTANT: The beginner should be started out on this stunt by the instructor only. After he gets the feel of the stunt, only the most dependable safety men should be allowed to help him. The next page describes in detail the method of assisting the performer to learn the back handspring. This stunt should be learned before the back somersaults are tried.

HINTS TO BEGINNERS: Before trying this stunt, it is very important that the per­former has developed a very limber back. The most common fault of the beginner is leaning forward to swing the arms back in the throw. For the beginner the hands should go back no farther than the hips until he learns to throw with his back straight and his head up. When this cor­rect starting position is established as a habit, it is permissible to bring the arms back farther so as to get a more vigorous throw into an arch. If a beginner insists on putting the arms back and bending over, he should start them between the legs where he cannot put them back. After the performer is able to do a good back hand­spring from a round off, he should begin to learn a series. In a series of back hand­springs the arms are overhead throughout, and the performer bends very little at the knees and hips after the first one. It is important that the head and arms throw back into an arch immediately after the snap down so that the momentum attained will not give the performer too much height. The series of back handsprings should be kept close to the ground. They are not back dives.

VARIATIONS

1. Round off, back handspring.
   
   
2. Hand balance, snap down, and back handspring.
   
   
3. Back handspring to hand balance.
   
   
4. Back handspring; chest-roll down.
   

GROUP STUNT NO. 32

( = indicates bottom men; O indicates top men.)

1. Top men dive and roll to stand at center circle.
   
   
2. Bottom men dive and roll to stand at right side of partner.
   
   
3. Bottom men hold hands behind top men.
   
   
4. Top men do back handspring over clasped hands and back roll to stand at corner.
   
   
5. Bottom men do back handspring.
   
   
6. Bottom men back roll to hand balance and snap down at corner.

HOW TO ASSIST THE BEGINNER IN THE BACK HANDSPRING

TWO MEN clasp hands as illustrated in Fig­ure 124 and place them under the per­former's buttocks. The performer prac­tices the starting position and throwing back into an arch over the clasped hands. As he does this, the safety men lift under his buttocks but hold his knees with their free hands until his arms are in the correct position on the mat. Then they help him to snap his legs down with their free hands. When the performer gets the feel of the throw into an arch, the break in the per­formance is eliminated; but his assistants still lift under his hips with clasped hands and help him to snap down with their free hands. After a while only the clasp lift is given. When the performer feels that he can do the stunt by himself, a slap lift is used under the buttocks by both assist­ants, and this is gradually decreased as the performer proves himself consistent.

Fig. 124. The Hand Clasp for the Two-Man Assist.

Another method, which is good when a big man helps a little man, is shown below in Figure 125. The stunt is done over the safety man's knee following the steps dis­cussed in the more practical method shown above.

Fig. 125. One-Man Assist for Back Handspring.

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