How to Do a Round Off in Gymnastics

Co-authored by Rosalind Lutsky

Last Updated: August 23, 2024 Approved

The round off is a common skill in gymnastics for most tumbling passes. It can help if you’ve already learned How to Do a Cartwheel or how to Do a Handstand . The whole move only takes a few seconds, and prepares you for more advanced sequences that you can learn by taking gymnastics lessons.

Things You Should Know

A round off is similar to a cartwheel, except you get a running start and you land on both feet facing the direction you started from.
Begin by running and plant your dominant foot in the ground; use a quarter-turn to rotate your body sideways as you pull your upper body downward.
Put your hands firmly on the ground as you spin and use the momentum of your lower body to carry you through a full rotation.
Rotate your hips as you’re about to land and hop in the air to land on both feet at the same time.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Going into the Round Off

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1
Find your dominant side. You’ll step off from, and land on your dominant leg. It’s helpful to know which side of your body is your dominant side. Generally, it’s the hand you write with or kick a soccer ball with.
- This is the side you’ll want to use when you step off for your round off.
2
Practice the quarter-turn action. The quarter-turn action is the beginning step of a round off before your last foot even leaves the floor. It helps to make sure you have the hip movement and hand placement right before moving into the rest of the round off.
- Your hands will form a diamond shape in the space between your forefingers and thumbs. This is for stability and safety. ^{[1]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  PubMed Central
  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  Go to source} It’s a good idea to practice hand placement before tackling the whole move.
- Since your hips will be rotating, it's a good idea to practice the rotation motion.
- To practice the quarter-turn:
  - Face forward with your legs together, arms by your sides.
  - Bend your dominant leg and lean forward with your weight on that leg.
  - Reach your other leg behind you. Your torso should be parallel to the ground.
  - Reach your arms out straight above your head.
  - Place your dominant hand down onto the ground and rotate your hips, lifting the opposite leg high into the air.
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3
Get a running start. With your dominant leg, start running into your round off. The momentum of starting with speed helps to get your legs into the air easier.
- Just before you start the round off, make sure you have a hurdle run. That means you’ll make a short skip with both legs bent before leaping into the round off.
- Keep your head tucked in, rather than up or out. This avoids an unnecessary arch in your back.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Doing the Round Off

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1
Step into the round off. After you’ve taken a step with your dominant leg (the skip from your running start), put your arms straight up in the air and step down onto the ground with that dominant foot. ^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Keep your leg bent while you step down.
- As you’re stepping down with your dominant leg, the other leg should be coming up behind you.
- Your hands should be out in front of you, palms open, waiting to catch your controlled fall.
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2
Control your form. For this part of the move, it’s important to keep your form controlled so you don’t injure yourself or wobble. This will speed up your learning and reduce practice time.
- Rotate your hips about 90 degrees.
- Make sure your back is straight as you step into the round off.
- Keep your eyes forward and down.
- As you reach your hands out in front of you, mold them into the T position so they’re ready for landing.
- Think quickly, you only have a few seconds to complete the entire move.
3
Bring your legs up. As your body rolls forward, bring your back leg up over your head while reaching your non-dominant hand closer to the ground. Lift the dominant leg that’s touching the ground, straightening it.
- This all happens in one swift motion.
- Aim your non-dominant hand to land right next to your dominant hand. You want your forefingers and thumbs to be touching.
- As you bring your back leg up, keep your leg straight and strong.
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4
Place your hands on the ground. Set your non-dominant hand down on the ground next to your dominant hand, with the diamond shape between them.
- Make sure your back and hips are straight, feet pointed.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Landing the Round Off

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1
Pull your legs together. Now that both hands are on the floor supporting your weight, pull your legs together so that they’re touching.
- Pull your legs together just before they’re vertical in the air. ^{[3]
  X
  Research source}
- Keep your legs high in the air as you pull them together. Don’t lower or tuck them just yet.
2
Rotate your hips. With your legs pulled together in the air, rotate your hips about 90 degrees. As you do this, your hands will start to come up off the ground. Your feet begin to make their way toward the ground behind you.
- You’re positioning yourself to land with both feet on the ground.
- Stop rotating when your body is aligned and you’re facing the direction you started from.
- You’re doing this as you’re in the air landing, so make your rotation as smooth as possible.
EXPERT TIP

"Lift your chest up as you land, and push off the ground through your toes to get a big rebound."

Rosalind Lutsky
Former Gymnastics Coach
Rosalind Lutsky worked as a gymnastics coach at SB Gymnastics at Stanford University, coaching children from ages 5-12 years old during her time as a Stanford student. She was a competitive gymnast growing up, and competed for her local gymnastics team in Minnesota.

Rosalind Lutsky
Former Gymnastics Coach
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3
Land on your feet. Push off with your hands, curving your back a little bit. Land on the ground with both feet at the same time. Bring your arms up over your head, next to your ears.
- Push through your shoulders, not your elbows.
- When you land, bend your knees a little bit to absorb some of the shock of the landing.

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Question

How can I improve my round off?

Rosalind Lutsky
Former Gymnastics Coach
Rosalind Lutsky worked as a gymnastics coach at SB Gymnastics at Stanford University, coaching children from ages 5-12 years old during her time as a Stanford student. She was a competitive gymnast growing up, and competed for her local gymnastics team in Minnesota.

Rosalind Lutsky

Former Gymnastics Coach

Expert Answer

Block with your hands — or, press off of the ground as you come out of your roundoff — to maintain your momentum.

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Question

My legs bend when I touch down -- what am I doing wrong?

Community Answer

Push your legs up halfway and keep them in control. Keep practicing, as it takes a while to improve a round off.

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When I land my round off, my feet hurt really badly. What am I doing wrong?

Community Answer

It sounds like you're landing flat-footed. Try landing more on your the balls of your feet. If that does not help, then use a gymnastics mat to soften the landing and protect your feet.

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Tips

It’s easier if you get a running start (versus doing it from a standing position). ^{[4]
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Flexibility training should be done for range-of-movement. Warm up and cool down stretches will keep the body limber. ^{[5]
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Try to land on both feet instead of just one, this will reduce the amount of weight you're putting on one foot, by spreading it equally between both feet.

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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.

Get a running start going into the roundoff to build momentum that will help lift your legs up and flip your body over. Right before starting, do a small hop or skip with both feet to give yourself an extra boost.
Firmly place both hands on the ground in a diamond shape with your thumbs and pointer fingers touching during the roundoff. This stable base will prevent your hands from rolling and keep you balanced.
Keep your eyes looking forward and your head tucked in tight as you go into the flip. Don't look up or arch your back too much. This prevents injury and helps you maintain form.
Figure out your dominant leg, which you'll use to step off and stick the landing. Having that stable base leg will help you maintain control and balance throughout the maneuver.
When you're at the height of the flip, quickly pull your separated legs together so they're touching. This sets you up for a solid, steady, two-footed landing.
Hit the ground with both feet at the exact same time when you land. Bend your knees slightly to absorb the impact rather than locking them straight.

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Warnings

Make sure you bend your knees to take the impact of the landing.

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Hard surfaces increases the risk of injury. Always perform on a soft surface if you are just starting out, like a lawn.

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Injuries can happen. Make sure you have a first aid kit or trained professional nearby.

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If you are not a professional or only a beginner, have a spotter nearby for safety reasons.

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How to Do a Round Off in Gymnastics

Things You Should Know

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Going into the Round Off

Doing the Round Off

Landing the Round Off

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