The gymnastic flyspring is similar to a front handspring, but you jump off both legs simultaneously (unlike a back handspring). You jump forward from both legs, land on your hands, pass through a handstand position, and whip your legs over. You should learn the flyspring before attempting the front flip layout. Prior to learning the gymnastic flyspring, practice the dive roll and front handsprings.
Find more gymnastics instructions in the Artistic Gymnastics section.
Run forward and make a flat, fast hop. Jump from the balls of your feet. The flyspring can also follow a front handspring or another flyspring. The most difficult variation is a flyspring performed after a front flip.
Keep your elbows fully extended throughout the entire technique. Your upper arms should stay aligned with your ears at all times—your arms and head move as one unit.
When you jump, your hips should not be behind the spot where your feet take off. Jump far forward with your arms straight. Avoid bending your knees too much. The take-off should be dynamic, meaning fast and with only slight knee flexion.
Engage your abdominals and round your back slightly (but not excessively). You may also keep your back straight as long as your abs remain tight. Avoid hollowing your back.
Don’t reach for the ground too early or too close to your take-off point. Your arms should stay aligned with your upper body. Imagine someone throwing a stick forward—it rotates 180°, lands, then rotates another 180° to stand upright again.
Land on your hands (shoulder-width apart), then kick your legs up without bending your knees. Look down at your hands, fully extend your body, and pass through a perfectly straight handstand position.
Push your hands back and down, and hollow your back slightly. Keep your gaze on the floor as long as possible. Make sure your elbows, knees, and ankles are fully extended. It should feel like you’re kicking your legs forward and up at a 45° angle, not just forward.
Fly forward with your arms aligned with your upper body. Do not open your arms sideways during the flyspring. Keep your eyes on your hands.
Land on the balls of your feet and look 45° upward. Your hands should point straight up, and both your arms and legs should be extended.
I can’t stress this enough: keep your body extended, and don’t reach for the floor too close to your take-off spot. A flyspring is like a dive roll—except you don’t roll after your hands touch the ground. Instead, you extend your body even more and whip your legs over with power.
Try doing two flysprings in a row.
Avoid buckling down during take-off.
Record your flysprings on video. Review your form—check how straight and far your flysprings are.
