Handspring

To prove Dianne Dietrich’s encouragement at gymnastics, when I was first learning my back handspring, a basic backward move on the floor exercise, I went for it, and something went wrong so I landed on my neck, but Dianne came over to help me by encouraging me to try again. She spotted me, and now I can do a back handspring. Without her, I probably would not have that skill. This illustrates how Dianne sets an amazing example for the next generation, by teaching…

” I would constantly reply with “I can’t” until one day, when the way I thought about my situation changed. I arrived at tumbling class one evening with determination. I prepared myself for my pass, and I went for it. I did a roundoff, back-handspring, and as I rebounded for my back tuck, I took a deep breath and landed perfectly onto the mat. My mind was rushing, but the one thing that I could not get…

at the same time. Making sure everyone on the team could hear him. We were beginning to do back handsprings, the easiest of all the tumbling for me. I would always do them on the freshly cut grass outside of my house. I would pretend I…

trick of the routine, a front handspring. Even though I had done hundreds of front handsprings…

just do it out of anger. Other times, it takes a really long time of drills and help from the coaches for me to get the skill. No matter what the fear is, I always come to find out that I think it was never worth the fear I had. Back to my back handsprings on beam, one day I wouldn’t go for it with spot and on a lowered beam. The next day, I get up onto the high beam and throw it all by myself. To this day, I still don’t know why I was afraid or why I randomly could do it. Magically, the fear…

been dancing since I was three years old all the way up to middle school and taking gymnastics classes here and there. In cheerleading, dancing and gymnastics play a big role. During halftime, sometimes the cheerleaders do a dance and throw back handsprings.…

give anything to have legs and arms so I could tumble around. Now don’t get me wrong I love what I do but sometimes I get a little jealous. Alright back to Molly, she looks back behind her one last time and she goes for it. She had a pretty back handspring, her legs were straightened…

to hit the routine is like no other feeling. The voices of your opponents racing through your head telling you “you aren’t good enough’ and to “quit while your ahead.” This is it all or nothing. Leave it all on the floor. The music starts, back handspring step out round off back layout twist. Nailed it. Quickly dart across the mat to get to left panel for opening stunts. Full up, tick-tock to stretch, two step turn, scorpion to arabesque, double down. The routine proceeds and we finally get to…

fifth grade instead of joining the competitive team. I lived for gymnastics and I still do. Walking into the gym always boosts my mood and gives me a rush of determination. As I began to re-master trick after trick that first year, kips and back handsprings started to feel as easy as walking- I could almost do them in my sleep. Although some days were better than others, I always kept the faith in my mind that I could do anything. Each and every year has held one obstacle for me, seemingly…

Gymnastics was started by Ancient Greeks. Gymnastics was introduced by early Greek civilizations to facilitate bodily development. They did this through a series of exercises that included running, jumping, throwing, wrestling, and weight lifting. After Romans took over Greece, they made gymnastics into more of a formal sport. They used gymnasiums to physically prepare their men for warfare. With the decline of Rome, interest declined in gymnastics with only tumbling left as a form of…