Make sure the area around your line is free and clear. Avoid practicing cartwheels near walls or pieces of furniture that you might run into. Injuries occur when you bump into something hard.
A common mistake is to start a cartwheel while facing sideways. Make sure you’re facing forwards as you prepare and start for your cartwheel. That is the correct way. Either leg can be your lead leg. Sometimes, however, it’s more comfortable to use one leg instead of the other—you can try to figure out which one by doing a series of handstands, some starting with your right leg in front, others with your left. Whichever leading leg feels more natural is the one you should use for your cartwheel. You can determine your leading by watching which leg in splits feels more comfortable. [3] X Research source
This step requires balance. You may need to drop your leg several times before you find a balanced position you can hold. Don’t worry if you’re having trouble balancing. Once you get the hang of the cartwheel, you won’t have to hold this position for very long since it will all become one continuous and natural movement.
For example, if you lunged with your right leg, place your right hand down first, then your left hand. Keep the fingers of each hand pointing away from your head. [6] X Research source
Use your shoulders and core for support. You won’t hold this position for long. Cartwheels should be performed in one fluid motion. Make sure to keep your legs straight the whole time. If you are a beginner, then you may want to practice more.
Your weight should start to shift onto your legs. Keep your head and torso roughly parallel to the mat.
At this point, both your head and torso should be right side up, centered over your legs. A common mistake while cartwheeling is leaving your hands on the ground for too long. Make sure that your arms stay straight and by your ears as your chest and head come up at the end of the cartwheel.
Position your torso in the same direction your feet are pointing.
One direction may be easier than the other for you—most people have a dominant leg. But practice both to get comfortable cartwheeling on either side. Pick one side you would like to do first. If you start to get dizzy or lightheaded at any point, take a break and wait for the feeling to pass before resuming cartwheeling. Stay confident while doing cartwheels since it can be really easy to psych yourself out. [11] X Expert Source Tanya BerensonGymnastics Instructor Expert Interview. 22 May 2020.
Workout or gym clothes, including leggings and fitted tanks, are a great option. If you’re practicing on a mat, do not wear socks, which can be slippery and cause you to fall.
If you’re practicing outside, make sure the area you’ve chosen is flat and level. It will be hard to cartwheel over bumpy ground. Also make sure to check for rocks or gravel that might be hiding in the grass—these will hurt your hands during a cartwheel.
Spend at least 3 minutes stretching before you start practicing your cartwheel. If you’re feeling particularly stiff, extend your stretching session up to 10-15 minutes so you can fully limber up. [15] X Research source Wear a brace if you feel weakness in your wrists. [16] X Expert Source Tanya BerensonGymnastics Instructor Expert Interview. 22 May 2020.
Do bicep curls using free weights to build up your bicep muscles. Start with smaller weights and move up as you get stronger. Learn to do a dumbbell kickback, which will help build and strengthen your tricep muscles. Make sure to do the exercise with both arms.
Get comfortable with safely exiting a handstand by pivoting on one arm and landing with your feet to the side. This movement will help you safely exit a cartwheel even if you’ve lost your balance. You don’t need to know how to do a handstand for a cartwheel, but knowing how to do one is better than not knowing.
