Aerial cartwheel facts for kids
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An aerial cartwheel is an exciting acrobatic move. It's like a regular cartwheel, but with a big difference! You do it without touching your hands to the floor. Imagine flipping sideways through the air, completely unsupported. That's an aerial cartwheel!
When you do a normal cartwheel, your hands help you stay balanced as you go upside down. But in an aerial cartwheel, you are airborne the whole time. To stay in the air, you use the power and swing from your legs. This keeps you up until your first foot lands back on the ground. You can start an aerial cartwheel from a run or from a standing position. You lunge forward with one leg and push off strongly with the back leg. This creates the momentum you need. This move is also known by other names, like side flip, side somersault, or simply aerials.
Aerial cartwheels are popular in many activities. You can see them in gymnastics, cheerleading, and acro dance. They are also used in free running, tricking, and martial arts. Some martial arts that feature aerials include wushu and capoeira. In martial arts, the aerial cartwheel looks impressive. However, it's not often used in actual fights. Instead, you'll usually see it in performances, exhibitions, and movies.
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Learning to Do an Aerial Cartwheel Safely
Learning an aerial cartwheel requires careful practice. It's very important to learn the right way to avoid injuries. Taking classes is the best way to learn this skill safely. You can find instructors in gymnastics, dance, aerobic, martial arts, cheer, and tumbling classes.
Getting Ready to Learn
These classes have experienced teachers. They can guide you through each step of the aerial cartwheel. They also have special equipment to help you learn safely. An aerial cartwheel needs a lot of different skills. These include strong coordination, focus, balance, and strength. You also need flexibility, stamina, and power. Doing strength training and stretching helps prepare your body. This makes learning the aerial cartwheel much easier and safer.
Different Kinds of Aerial Cartwheels
There are several cool ways to perform an aerial cartwheel. Each variation adds its own unique twist to the move.
Tucked and Side Somi
- Tucked aerial: In this version, you pull your legs close to your body. This makes you spin faster in the air. It's similar to a Capoeira move called Aú sem Mão.
- Side somi: This is much like a tucked aerial. However, your legs stay tucked, and you also turn 90 degrees in the air.
Axe to Aerial and Aeriola
- Axe to aerial: For this move, you lift one leg high, almost to your shoulder or head. Then, you swing it down powerfully. This leg becomes the first one to lead you into the aerial cartwheel. A famous variation of this move ends with the performer landing in the splits. This was made popular by Willem Stockton and was sometimes called the "Willem Aerial."
- Aeriola: Also known as a reverse aerial. You take a step backward just before starting the aerial. This makes you travel backward as you perform the flip.
Barani and Gardiner
- Barani: Sometimes called a free round-off. In this aerial, you bring your legs together while you are in the air. You then land on both feet at the same time.
- Gardiner: Also known as an aerial switch. Here, the leg that usually trails behind swings forward. It becomes the first leg to land on the ground.
Landing in the Splits
- Aerial to the splits: Many different aerial cartwheel variations can end with you landing in the splits. This adds an extra impressive finish to the move.
See Also
