Cartwheel (gymnastics)
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In gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...

, a cartwheel is a sideways rotary movement performed by bringing the hands to the ground while the body inverts and the legs travel over the body, coming down to a standing position.

Terminology

The name cartwheel is used because, when a human performs this, their limb
Limb (anatomy)
A limb is a jointed, or prehensile , appendage of the human or other animal body....

s move like the spokes of a turning wheel. In classical Indian dance it is called Talavilasitam karana
Karana dance
Karanas are the 108 key transitions in the classical Indian dance described in Natya Shastra. Karana is a Sanskrit verbal noun, meaning "doing"...

. The martial art of capoeira
Capoeira
Capoeira is a Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, sports, and music. It was created in Brazil mainly by descendants of African slaves with Brazilian native influences, probably beginning in the 16th century...

 has a similar move called the
Au
-Science:*Absorbance Units, a reporting unit in spectroscopy*Astronomical unit, the average distance between the Earth and the Sun *Atomic units, a system of units convenient for atomic physics and other fields...

.

Description

A cartwheel is carried out when one moves sideways (in the motion the wheel of a cart would follow) in a straight line keeping the back straight placing the hand of the same side on the ground followed by the other hand as the legs are passed over the body and then come down as the hands and body come up to standing. The cartwheel can also be performed using one or no hands
Aerial cartwheel
An aerial cartwheel is an acrobatic move in which a cartwheel is executed without touching hands to the floor. During execution of a standard cartwheel, the performer's body is supported by the hands while transitioning through the inverted orientation, whereas an aerial cartwheel performer is...

. A cartwheel using no hands is called an aerial and requires much more momentum and speed.
A classic cartwheel performed with proper gymnastics form always starts with a lunge, lead leg (stronger leg) in the front of the lunge and the weaker leg in the back. During the lunge the gymnast will have their arms high in the air and straight, and hips are square facing the forward direction. The gymnast will then push off of their front leg of the lunge, followed by placing their hands side by side on the ground in front of them. As they do this they will begin to kick their legs up and over their torso and head as the body becomes inverted. During the rotation the legs stay apart in a large, wide straddle(as far apart as the gymnast can get them), legs are straight, and toes and feet always stay pointed. During the rotation legs must reach at least 90 degrees of motion in a competition in order to get points (USA). Finally the gymnast will set their first foot on the ground, followed by the second foot, landing in a lunge with the weaker leg in the front of the lunge and the lead leg will be in back. The gymnast will land facing the opposite direction than they started in. Their hands and arms will be perfectly straight, pointed high in the sky.

Düsseldorf

Cartwheels have a long tradition in the city of Düsseldorf, Germany. According to the legend, upon hearing that their city had won the Battle of Worringen
Battle of Worringen
The Battle of Worringen was fought on June 5, 1288, near the town of Worringen , which is now the northernmost borough of Cologne...

in 1288, the children of Düsseldorf started performing flips in celebration. Sooner or later, they began performing side flips. Then the flips became cartwheels.

Cartwheel progressions

Chasse cartwheel:
the gymnast will perform some side step gallops before entering into the cartwheel.

Cartwheel, 1/2 turn, Cartwheel:
the gymnast will perform a cartwheel, then after landing in the proper lunge position they will turn their body to face the direction that they are headed, while staying in their lunge. Then they will perform another cartwheel

One handed cartwheel (close handed):
The gymnast will perform a cartwheel, but will only place the first hand on the ground. The fallowing arm will be placed by the gymnast's side and behind their back.

One handed cartwheel (far handed):
The gymnast will perform a cartwheel, but only place the second hand on the ground. The first are will be placed by the gymnast's side and behind their back.

Aerial (no handed cartwheel):
The gymnast will start in a lunge with their lead leg in the back. They will then bring their lead leg up into the air with power as if they were doing one skip, this is called a hurdle. The gymnast will then drive the lead leg down as the lead foot pushes off the ground as it lands. During that motion the gymnast will kick their back fallowing leg up, as they continue into a cartwheel motion. Except rather than placing the hands on the ground the gymnast will swing their arms up, and then shoot them down to their sides. The kick and push of the legs combined with the rotation and punch to the sides of the arms will force the gymnasts body up into the air in a side rotation. Then the gymnast will land the aerial the same way as a cartwheel.
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