Q&A for How to Do a Free Hip Circle in Gymnastics

Just go for it. Gymnastics can be scary and safety is always paramount but you can't achieve anything in bubble wrap and a helmet. Have a good spotter and listen to your coach who will tell you when you're ready for the next stage.

Squeeze your body. It will prevent you from falling off the bar. To help you from falling off the bar, try to rotate fast.

Break up the pieces and steps each time and do lots of drills. Then when you feel more confident, you can have a coach spot you less and less.

That can lead to injury. It's important for a coach or a parent to watch you.

Not sure what you are trying to do, or on what apparatus, but, you need to learn (from an instructor) how to get up there.

Don't overthink things and just go for it. You can also get someone to spot you until you are comfortable.

Make sure you work on your casts, ideally getting very high and able to control your way back to the bar. Abdominal strength will help; so will shoulder strength. Begin the free hip with that cast, making sure you hold your abs as if you’re in a plank position. Start to lower yourself, keeping your shoulders right above the bar until your cast is at a 45 degree angle, then begin to move them backward. Shoulders should be pressed down so that your thighs brush the bar, not your hips. In fact, your thighs don’t even have to brush at all! Just make sure you get into a nice hollowed position. As you rotate around the bar, shift your grip back and push open your shoulders like a back extension roll.

Just practise a lot, often. A cast can make it a bit more easier to master a hip circle. Make sure a instructor or parent helps you with doing the move. And also be aware that not all people can do it. Just practise and you'll get better!

My number one tip: Go for it. However, do not go for it if it is still a fairly new move for you. You can also practice with a coach ghosting you, which is when they put their hand under your back and legs for an extra precaution. This is how I got my back handspring. It also helps to practice going on your own on a trampoline or air track. If you do go for it, only try it under a coach's supervision.