How To Do A Back Walkover: 10 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Do a Back Walkover PDF download Download Article Perfect the form of your back walkover with our full guide Co-authored by Landis Owens

Last Updated: April 19, 2025

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  • Starting Positions
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  • Completing the Walkover
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  • Troubleshooting
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  • Video
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  • Expert Q&A
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  • Tips
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  • Warnings
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This article was co-authored by Landis Owens. Landis Owens is a Personal Trainer and the Owner of Almighty Personal Training Studio in Tempe, Arizona. With over 15 years of experience in the health and fitness industry, Landis specializes in weight loss, nutrition, and core and strength training. Landis received a football scholarship to Mesa Community College where he studied Engineering and Sports and Exercise. He is an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer and also holds certifications in Nutrition, Youth Sports, Injury Stay Free, and CPR. Landis also competes in bodybuilding competitions. This article has been viewed 838,973 times.

The back walkover is a very impressive gymnastics move that takes a lot of talent and control. You should be sure that you master the backbend and the backbend kick over before you try this exercise to be sure that you have all the skills you need for it.[1] Be sure to have a spotter when you first try this exercise, then work up to doing it on your own.

How to the Back Walkover: Quick Steps

  1. Raise your arms and dominant leg.
  2. Lean backward and place your hands flat on the ground.
  3. Lift your dominant leg straight up.
  4. Kick your other leg up to move your body backwards.
  5. Hold your legs straight horizontally in a split position.
  6. Bring your dominant leg down to the ground behind you.
  7. Shift your weight to your legs to stand up and complete your walkover.

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 3:

Going into your One-Legged Backbend

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  1. Step 1 Raise your arms and extend your dominant leg. 1 Raise your arms and extend your dominant leg. Raise your arms straight above your head. Fully extend your dominant leg straight out in front of you, keeping the other leg straight beneath you.. Stand tall and engage your core muscles.
    • If you are starting with a spotter, they should put one hand on your back, and one hand under the thigh of your kicking leg.
  2. Step 2 Start bending backwards. 2 Start bending backwards. Point your palms upwards and push your hips forward. Push your arms and head backwards, making sure that you move them together. Bend your back slowly and carefully, keeping your dominant leg in position.
    • Keep your abdominal muscles tight so that you can keep control of your core as you bend backwards.
    • Make sure to balance your weight firmly on the one leg that is on the ground.
    • Do not bend you knees or elbows just yet.
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  3. Step 3 Land on your hands. 3 Land on your hands. Bend your hands so that your fingertips point towards the ground. Make contact with the mat underneath you and plant your hands onto the ground. Allow your weight to shift onto your hands.[2]
    4. Advertisement
Part 2 Part 2 of 3:

Completing the Walkover

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  1. Step 1 Push your shoulders over your hands. 1 Push your shoulders over your hands. Once you are in a bridge, push your body upwards towards your shoulders. Move your body until your shoulders are over your hands. This will help to shift your weight over your hands and make it easier to do the walkover.[3]
  2. Step 2 Push up into a split position. 2 Push up into a split position. Push away from the floor with the foot that is planted on the ground. Keep both legs straight and bring yourself into a split handstand position. Shift your weight onto your hands.
    • In a split handstand position, your legs should be held in a perfect horizontal line above the rest of your body.
  3. Step 3 Hold your position firmly. 3 Hold your position firmly. Proper execution of a back walkover means maintaining good form throughout the exercise. Once your legs are off the ground, point your toes. Keep your legs straight.
  4. Step 4 Follow through and land. 4 Follow through and land. Keeping your legs straight, push through the walk over. Land on your lead leg first, carefully shifting your weight onto it. Plant your other leg right after in a fluid motion.
    • Bend the knee that lands first, resulting in a lunge position when you finish your back walkover.
    • To keep proper form, finish with your arms straight above you and your fingers pointed upwards.
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Part 3 Part 3 of 3:

Solving Problems

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  1. Step 1 Seek advice on why you might be having trouble. 1 Seek advice on why you might be having trouble. If you are experiencing difficulty completing a back walkover, get advice from your coach or teacher. An experienced gymnast will recognize the difficulty in how you carry out the move, whether it be a lack of flexibility or simple hesitation. If you experience any pain when attempting a back walkover, see a doctor to eliminate the possibility of an injury that might be slowing you down.
  2. Step 2 Do stretches to improve your shoulder and back flexibility. 2 Do stretches to improve your shoulder and back flexibility. Completing a successful back walkover will not be possible without adequate flexibility in your back and shoulders. Do shoulder stretches and back stretches regularly to improve your flexibility.[4] To avoid injury caused by overstretching, have your coach or an experienced teammate supervise your stretching.
    • Doing back walkovers without adequate flexibility can cause injury over time.
  3. Step 3 Combat psychological blocking with practice and positive thinking. 3 Combat psychological blocking with practice and positive thinking. Psychological blocking is a common issue in gymnastics where a gymnast freezes up and is unable to carry out a skill. There is no specific explanation or solution for this, but overcoming negative thinking is important. Avoid overthinking the problem by giving yourself a fixed amount of time to attempt the move, then moving on to other skills and exercises.
    • Try doing a back walkover at the beginning of your workout to avoid the stress of thinking about it during other exercises.
    • Recognize that psychological blocking is not a personal flaw and avoid self-blame.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question How do you practice a back walkover? Tanya Berenson Tanya Berenson Gymnastics Instructor Tanya Berenson is a Gymnastics Instructor and the General Manager of the Los Angeles School of Gymnastics. With over 25 years of professional gymnastics experience, Tanya has also served as a consultant to USA Gymnastics, has served as the USA World Maccabi Games Head Coach, USA Gymnastics Meet Director, and RAS counselor. She holds a B.Ed. in Early Childhood Development from the University of California, Los Angeles. Tanya Berenson Tanya Berenson Gymnastics Instructor Expert Answer The easiest way to practice a back walkover, if you're just beginning, is to get into a backhand in front of a wall with your feet up against it. Then, when you're ready, start to walk your feet up the wall. Once they're high enough and you feel comfortable, you can kick your feet off the wall to complete the walkover. After lots of practice with this method, you'll be able to try other methods so you can do the walkover without the wall. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 36 Helpful 59
  • Question How do I get over the fear of going backwards with my foot out? Community Answer Community Answer The only way to conquer any fear is to face it head on, or backwards in this case. Try practicing falling back onto a bed or a couch while standing on one foot. Once you build that confidence up, grab a trusted friend or coach to spot you while you fall backwards onto the mat. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 57 Helpful 401
  • Question Should I drink lots of water when doing these? Community Answer Community Answer Yes, water is a must. It will increase the strength of your bones, hydrate you and make you healthier. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 70 Helpful 329
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Tips

  • Keep your head as straight as possible while also keeping your neck relaxed. This can avoid traumatic injuries in the case that you fall. Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 1

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
  • Try using a couch to practice. Start with your back on the ground and your butt against the bottom of the couch. Place your feet on the seat of the couch and push backwards to complete the walkover. Try this a few more times before practicing without the couch!
  • Before even trying to do a back walkover, practice doing your bridge and push forward on your shoulders as you do it. If you can do that, it will be much easier to push yourself over for the back walkover.
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

  • Make sure your spotter can support your weight if it becomes necessary. Thanks Helpful 30 Not Helpful 9
  • Choose a spotter who is experienced in gymnastics (e.g. your coach or teacher.) Thanks Helpful 23 Not Helpful 11
  • Always make sure that you always have a spotter when you are first learning to do a back walkover or any other gymnastics skill.[5] If you try it on your own and are unsteady, you can become seriously injured. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
  • If you do not have a spotter, try doing a back walkover with a barrel mat. Bend and move over the mat, using it as a support for your back. If you don't have one available, you can do the walkover against a wall.[6] Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
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References

  1. ↑ Tanya Berenson. Gymnastics Instructor. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ Tanya Berenson. Gymnastics Instructor. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ https://gymnasticshq.com/how-to-do-a-bridge-kickover/
  4. ↑ Landis Owens. Personal Trainer. Expert Interview
  5. ↑ Tanya Berenson. Gymnastics Instructor. Expert Interview
  6. ↑ Tanya Berenson. Gymnastics Instructor. Expert Interview

About This Article

Landis Owens Co-authored by: Landis Owens Personal Trainer This article was co-authored by Landis Owens. Landis Owens is a Personal Trainer and the Owner of Almighty Personal Training Studio in Tempe, Arizona. With over 15 years of experience in the health and fitness industry, Landis specializes in weight loss, nutrition, and core and strength training. Landis received a football scholarship to Mesa Community College where he studied Engineering and Sports and Exercise. He is an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer and also holds certifications in Nutrition, Youth Sports, Injury Stay Free, and CPR. Landis also competes in bodybuilding competitions. This article has been viewed 838,973 times. 58 votes - 71% Co-authors: 240 Updated: April 19, 2025 Views: 838,973 Categories: Tumbling (Gymnastics) Article SummaryX

To do a back walkover, first raise your arms straight above your head and extend your dominant leg in front of you. Start bending backwards while bringing your dominant leg up into the air. Then, plant your hands on the mat and shift your weight to them. From the bridge position, lift your planted foot and push up into a split. Make sure you keep your legs straight and point your toes. Finally, follow through and land on your leading leg first, then your other leg right after. Before you start practicing back walkovers, make sure you’ve mastered the backbend and the backbend kickover. Have someone spot you while practice until you get the hang of it. For tips on troubleshooting your back walkover, read on! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

  • Blakely Strickland

    Blakely Strickland

    Sep 16, 2018

    "Thank you, wikiHow, I have now improved my backbend walkover! My gymnastics teachers were very impressed. I told..." more
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Landis Owens Co-authored by: Landis Owens Personal Trainer 58 votes - 71% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 240 Updated: April 19, 2025 Views: 838,973 Blakely Strickland

Blakely Strickland

Sep 16, 2018

"Thank you, wikiHow, I have now improved my backbend walkover! My gymnastics teachers were very impressed. I told..." more Howler Mickey

Howler Mickey

Nov 6, 2020

"I have been trying to do these amazing acrobatic tricks and I succeeded. So what I am going to say is that these..." more Kaydee Lilywhite

Kaydee Lilywhite

Apr 11, 2017

"I like reading these articles because they don't only show you how to do it, but they also give you tips. They..." more Sydney Cruz

Sydney Cruz

Apr 7, 2019

"I did not know you had to put your leg up going down into a back. I tried, and now I can fully do a back walkover!" Anonymous

Anonymous

May 8, 2023

"It help me with the kick over and how to get the power for it. We need more articles like this." Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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