What are some tips to doing an aerial?

Question

I'm trying to teach myself how to do an aerial.

I can already do a cartwheel, a round off, a one handed cartwheel and round off, and a dive cartwheel. But I just can't seem to stop my hands reaching for the ground.

I know the aim is for height, not distance, but I just can't seem to get high enough that my legs would whip around before my arms get a chance to touch the ground.

Are there any tips that I could use to work on achieving an aerial?

(I learnt how to do a cartwheel/round off, back flip, front flip and handstand at a gymnastic center (flips on the runway trampoline), however I've moved and the gymnastics here does not do recreational adults gymnastics like the last town I was in, so I can't learn that way)

Answer 1

using what you know about the fact that you want height, make sure you lift your chest into the move, also bend that front leg as you go off of it, straightening it, and using a lot of heel drive to get off the ground.

and most of all, just go for it :)

good luck!!!

Answer 2

Run, swing your hands up, then swing them back when you dive into a cartwheel. You should run onto an incline mat.You know, those mats that look like pieces of cheese. When i was learning mine, my coach said that your last step should be the most powerful. So, run, when you are on your second to last step, swing your hands up,and on your last step swing them back. The higher your shoulders are, the higher your aerial will be.

Answer 3

Try starting an exercise program that includes squats and front squats to strenthen your legs and improve your jumping height. This should give you the air time you need to complete a jump.

Answer 4

The easiest way to learn is on a trampoline. Dive cartwheels and spring cartwheels (taking your hands off the ground before your feet touch) will help give you the feelings of taking off and landing an aerial. What helped me is thinking about where your head is. Don't dive down to the ground, think about keeping your head in the same place above the ground as you whip your legs over. If your legs aren't fast enough you'll never make it over so work on getting a really fast cartwheel.

Also make the jump/hurdle before your aerial long rather than high. For me, it is easier to do from just a step and hop, but for others they need a long run before. Find what works best for you and keep practising.

Best of luck and I hope this helps :)