Enhance Your Gymnastics Skills with These 10 Beginner Exercises

Gymnastics is one of the most rewarding and challenging sports, requiring a combination of strength, flexibility, balance, and discipline. Whether you’re just starting or looking to refine your skills, incorporating foundational exercises into your training can make all the difference. At Epic Gymnastics Academy (EGA), we believe in building strong foundations for our athletes, which is why we encourage beginners to master these essential skills. Here are 10 beginner gymnastics exercises you can practice at home to enhance your skills, strength, and flexibility.

1. Handstand: The Foundation of All Gymnastics

The handstand is one of the most fundamental skills in gymnastics and serves as the basis for more advanced moves like handstand push-ups, presses, and even handstand walks. It’s a skill that appears in nearly every gymnastics event, including floor, beam, and vault.

How to practice: Start by kicking up against a wall with your arms shoulder-width apart. Ensure your body forms a straight line from your wrists to your toes, with a tight core and engaged legs.
Pro Tip: At Epic Gymnastics Academy, we encourage our gymnasts to practice holding handstands daily. The goal is to achieve stability and control by focusing on a tight, straight body position. A solid handstand will translate to better control in other skills.

2. Bridge: Unlock Flexibility and Strength

A bridge helps improve flexibility in your shoulders, back, and hips while also building strength. It’s a foundational exercise that aids in backbends, walkovers, and other advanced moves.

How to practice: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Place your hands on either side of your head, fingers pointing towards your shoulders, and press up into a bridge, pushing through your hands and feet. Focus on getting a deep shoulder stretch.
Pro Tip: At EGA, we remind athletes to push through their shoulders and hips to improve flexibility. It’s essential to keep your feet hip width apart and focus on maintaining a strong line through your shoulders and hips.

3. Cartwheel: The Perfect Transition Skill

The cartwheel is one of the most recognisable and essential gymnastics skills. It helps develop coordination, spatial awareness, and balance. It’s a valuable foundational skill for more advanced tumbling exercises.

How to practice: Start with your dominant leg in front, arms raised overhead. Shift your weight forward and kick your legs over your body one by one, landing in a lunge position. Aim for straight legs and pointed feet throughout the movement.
Advanced Tip: Once you’ve mastered cartwheels on the floor, try practicing them on a low beam or on a taped line. At Epic Gymnastics Academy, we challenge our students to perform cartwheels on different surfaces to improve their precision and confidence.

4. Scale: Building Balance and Core Control

A scale involves balancing on one leg while lifting the opposite leg behind you, forming a straight line from your head to your raised foot. This exercise is excellent for strengthening your core, improving balance, and setting the foundation for more complex skills like back walkovers.

How to practice: For balance, stand on one leg with your arms extended to the sides. Slowly lift the opposite leg behind you, keeping it straight. Engage your core to avoid wobbling.
Pro Tip: At EGA, we emphasise the importance of stretching your body and maintaining control throughout the exercise. A solid back scale translates to better balance and stability in more advanced skills like arabesques and pirouettes.

5. Leaps: Elevate Your Gymnastics Performance

Leaps are a key element in floor and beam routines, requiring a combination of strength, flexibility, and coordination. Practicing leaps helps improve jump height, leg extension, and split flexibility.

How to practice: Start in a standing position. Push off one foot and leap forward, aiming to achieve a full split in the air. Land softly on the opposite foot, then repeat.
Pro Tip: At Epic Gymnastics Academy, we focus on height and precision. It’s important to keep your legs straight and your toes pointed while maintaining a wide split. Practicing different types of leaps, such as split leaps or switch leaps, will help improve your overall performance.

6. Half and Full Turns: Master Balance and Precision

Half and full turns are fundamental skills on both floor and beam, requiring gymnasts to execute precise spins while maintaining balance and control.

How to practice: Start in a standing position on one foot with your arms extended. Push through the ball of your foot to lift onto relevé (the balls of your feet) and complete a half or full turn.
Pro Tip: The secret to a clean turn is spotting (keeping your eyes fixed on a point during the spin) and pushing through the ball of your foot. At EGA, we train athletes to focus on controlled rotations with proper spotting to avoid dizziness or imbalance.

7. Pivot Turn: Crucial for Beam Competitions

A pivot turn is an essential skill on the beam, requiring tight body control and balance. It is frequently used in competitions and compulsory routines.

How to practice: Begin in a lunge with arms extended. Lift onto the relevé and pivot 180 degrees, keeping your body straight and tight.
Pro Tip: At Epic Gymnastics Academy, we focus on teaching gymnasts to keep their bodies squeezed tight and maintain high relevé during pivot turns. This prevents bobbling and ensures clean execution during competitions.

8. Squat Turn: Develop Core and Leg Strength

The squat turn is a common skill in level 4 and 5 beam routines, helping gymnasts develop core strength, leg strength, and body control.

How to practice: Start in a squat position with your arms extended forward. Push through your legs while turning your body 180 degrees, aiming to stay balanced throughout.
Pro Tip: At EGA, we focus on maintaining tightness and control during the squat turn. It’s crucial to avoid wobbles and land cleanly after the turn to prevent deductions in competitions.

9. Straight Jump: Build Explosive Power

The straight jump is a fundamental gymnastics exercise that focusses on height, core engagement, and explosive leg power. It’s a common element in floor routines, beam routines, and vaults.

How to practice: Stand with your feet together, bend your knees slightly, and push off the balls of your feet to jump straight up. Keep your body tight and aligned while in the air, and land softly with bent knees.
Pro Tip: At Epic Gymnastics Academy, we emphasise using the balls of the feet to push off, aiming for height and straight body alignment during jumps. Straight jumps serve as a foundation for more advanced skills like tuck jumps and straddle jumps.

10. Split Jump: Boost Flexibility and Form

The split jump combines flexibility and leg strength. It’s used in both floor and beam routines and helps gymnasts perfect their split and leap technique.

How to practice: Start by jumping off the ground and extending both legs into a split position while in the air. Keep your legs straight and toes pointed.
Pro Tip: At EGA, we encourage gymnasts to practice split jumps daily to improve flexibility and control. The goal is to achieve an even split and maintain tight legs throughout the jump.

Practice consistency and join the Epic Gymnastics Academy.

Consistency is key when it comes to mastering these beginner skills. While practicing at home is a great way to build strength and coordination, joining a structured gymnastics program will accelerate your progress and provide professional guidance. At Epic Gymnastics Academy, our beginner programs are designed to help gymnasts of all ages and skill levels improve their technique, flexibility, and strength.

Why Choose Epic Gymnastics Academy?

Expert Coaching: Our certified coaches provide personalised training and feedback to help gymnasts master foundational skills.
World-Class Facilities: Our gym is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to ensure a safe and effective training environment.
Community Support: At EGA, we foster a positive and supportive community where gymnasts can thrive and reach their full potential.

Take the Next Step in Your Gymnastics Journey

Are you ready to enhance your gymnastics skills and build a solid foundation for future success? Whether you’re a beginner looking to master the basics or an experienced gymnast seeking advanced training, Epic Gymnastics Academy is here to guide you every step of the way.

Join us today and start your journey to becoming the best gymnast you can be. Contact us for a trial class and take the first step towards reaching your gymnastics goals!

Final Thoughts

Gymnastics is a sport that rewards dedication and effort. By practicing these 10 beginner exercises, you’re not only improving your strength and flexibility but also setting the stage for more advanced skills. At Epic Gymnastics Academy, we’re committed to helping gymnasts of all levels achieve their goals through expert coaching, personalised attention, and a supportive environment.

If you’re ready to take your gymnastics skills to the next level, sign up for one of our programs today. Our team of experienced coaches will help you build the foundation you need to succeed in gymnastics and beyond.

Message from Master Gangadhar Acharya

Empowerment, Perseverance, Inspiration and Confidence - Epic Gymnastics Academy is here to support your journey and reach new heights in the world of Gymnastics.