How to Do a Cartwheel

Why should you do a cartwheel? It seems rather pointless to know how to do one, but honestly, just having the ability to do one is great! Whether your reason is for a party trick or exercise, you’ll be having fun either way.

You don’t actually need anything but a flat surface and a body to do a cartwheel! But there are things that are nice to have when practicing. These include:
- Water
- A mat
- Comfortable clothes to practice in

Before you work on your cartwheel, you should warm up your body by doing a couple stretches of your choice.

Before you get started, choose the leg that you feel more comfortable leading with and put it in front. It doesn’t matter whether you choose your right or left.
Now onto your lunge. Put your leading leg in the front and your other behind. Lean forward a little bit and keep your arms by you ears.

Put all of your weight into your front leg and lower your body. The side that your leading leg is on should be the same side that the arm that touches down first will be on. Make sure you put one hand down at a time.

Now this is the part that is most important to your cartwheel. Actually kicking over! Use the weight in your leading leg and kick with your back leg. Make sure you are kicking over your body and not to the side.

Now when you land, you should almost exactly as you did when you started. In the same exact lunge, with the same leg in front, but facing the other way.

It’s really that easy! And don’t worry if you fall down a couple times before you really get it right. Practice makes perfect!