1. Drills
  2. Cheer
  3. Tumbling

Back Walkover Progression

Learn the back walkover in steps with your coach spotting.

By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026

Set up

Start with bridges and bridge kick-overs over a barrel.

Core: Your usual skill. Move up only with your coach’s OK.

Ages
14 and up
Time
15 min
Space
Gym or court
Bring
Mats, coach, spotting block or barrel
Level · skill
Advanced · Tumbling

The steps

How it works

  1. Start with bridges and bridge kick-overs over a barrel.
  2. With your coach spotting, reach back with one leg lifted.
  3. Kick over and land one foot at a time.
  4. Do 6 reps only while your coach is spotting.

Coaching point

Reach long, kick over.

Safety: Only in a gym with a qualified coach and proper mats. Never try this at home. Any hit to the head, or dizziness or a headache after a fall: stop, tell your coach, and no more stunting or tumbling until a doctor clears you. Pain in your lower back, worse when you bend back, is never normal: stop and tell a parent or coach. Keep back bends few and gentle.

Make it fun

Play it, don't drill it

Game version

Skill-card game: pick a card with a skill you already know and show it with your coach nearby. The pair collects five clean skills together.

Challenge

Pick a level: Less (a shape or roll), Core (your usual skill), More (a clean skill with a stuck landing). Move up only with your coach’s OK.

Story

You are a circus star performing your favorite act.

My best

Beat your own count

Move up only with your coach’s OK. Only your own number counts: today against last time.

Practice makes progress

Print it now, or save it free

Free for families and teams

Save this drill to your child or team, free

Sign up and the free cheer week for this age opens in your child's planner, kept to healthy limits. A coach can send this drill to the whole team as homework, and parents see every session logged.

14 days free for a family, no card · Running a team is always free

Does your child's coach know about this?

An email from you to the coach, with the words ready. Nothing is tracked and nobody is rewarded.