The back extension roll is a very important drill for back giants on rings, parallel bars, and high bar. It helps the gymnast to maintain a hollow body position, without leading with the hips up to handstand. At the same time, it improves their ability to push back with their arms.The skill begins in a standing position with the arms up. The gymnast should lower the upper body to the ground, the hands should almost be touching the floor. This piking position initiates the back roll. The back should be round. When the arms reach the floor, the gymnast pushes back strongly, and at the same time directs the legs up to vertical. The push back of the arms against the floor should be extremely strong and powerful. If the performance is done well, the gymnast can hand a hand hop at the end of the move during the handstand position. During the entire execution, the arms and the legs should be tight. A very common mistake is kicking up from the hips. The move should be done entirely in a hollow position with the gymnast leading their body into handstand from their toes.
Stand tall with feet together, arms reaching overhead beside your ears, and head in a neutral position. Tuck your chin toward your chest to protect your neck and ensure a smooth roll. Bend your knees slowly into a squat, keeping your feet flat. As you squat, bring your arms in front, bending your elbows so your hands are near your shoulders, palms facing upward, ready to push off the floor once inverted. Tuck your chin tightly into your chest to avoid pressure on your head and neck. Push off gently with your feet to roll backward, first contacting the floor with your back and then your shoulders, maintaining smooth control throughout the movement. As you roll back, place your hands beside your head, palms flat on the floor, with fingers facing each other. Your hands control the roll’s speed and direction and act as a brake to maintain balance. When your upper back and shoulders are on the floor, your body should be in a tucked position. As your hips pass over your head, your body will briefly invert, and you’ll use core strength to maintain control in this position. With your legs over your head, use your hands to push off the floor, creating the momentum needed to land on your feet. Land softly in a squat position with your knees bent and feet together. From the squat, extend your legs to stand tall, arms by your sides or overhead. Ensure your head returns to a neutral position and your posture is straight to complete the move cleanly.
The backward roll pike is a more advanced variation of the backward roll. In this version, the gymnast keeps their legs straight and together throughout the roll, forming a pike position with the body bending only at the hips and the legs extended forward. This "L" shape requires the gymnast to have greater flexibility and core control. Unlike the more straightforward backward roll, maintaining straight legs adds complexity and demands better muscle engagement. The gymnast needs the strength to push through the arms while keeping the body in a tight, controlled position, making the pike roll more challenging.
The backward roll support is a progression of the backward roll pike, focused on developing arm strength, core control, and body alignment for more advanced skills. While both skills share a common starting point and initial phases, the backward roll support offers different ending positions. After rolling backward, rather than simply returning to a pike position, the gymnast pushes forcefully with their arms to open their body into a hollow position. This push is more intense than in the pike roll, as it helps the gymnast lift their body and prepare to transition into a front support position—a straight-body posture similar to the top of a push-up.
The back extension roll with assistance provides the gymnast with guided support, allowing them to focus more on body positioning and form. In this assisted drill, the gymnast still begins with the same starting pike and backward roll, but a coach steps in to physically assist, especially during the critical transition phase. The coach typically holds the gymnast's toes as they push off the floor, guiding their legs and helping them achieve the correct upward motion toward the handstand. This assistance ensures the gymnast stays in a proper hollow body position, keeps their legs straight, and avoids arching the back, all while providing the gymnast feedback on how the skill should feel. The coach can also make real-time corrections, such as adjusting leg placement or body alignment, helping the gymnast build the necessary body awareness for future independent attempts.
The athlete should hold two relatively light dumbbells. They should keep their arms tight and raise the dumbbells slowly above their head. The dumbbells should not be swung. The ending position of the move is at the highest point of their arms behind the body. The gymnast should return to the starting position with control. For the entire duration of this exercise, the arms should remain straight. They should also be approximately shoulder width. It’s essential that the body remains completely extended and doesn’t move during the drill. Only the arms should move. This drill should be repeated several times.
Hook an elastic band on a Swedish wall/stall bar rail. The band should be roughly at the height of the gymnast’s hips/chest. The gymnast should face the wall and hold both ends of the elastic in their hands. Next, they should execute a strong backward motion, pulling the elastic behind their body. The ending position of the move is at the highest point of their arms behind the body. The gymnast should return to the starting position with control. For the entire duration of this exercise, the arms should remain straight. They should also be at the approximate width of the parallel bars. It’s essential that the body remains completely extended and doesn’t move during the drill. Only the arms should move. This drill should be repeated several times.
Integral part of gymnastics coaching process are skill drills. They help gymnasts to learn easier and technically correct. With GYM DRILL PRO you will find variety of ideas for the most the basic gymnastics skills. There are plenty of images with skill drill progressions. It is intended to support explicitly the qualified coaches in their daily coaching business. DO NOT practice without the guidance of proper professionals.