1. Biomechanics of the Backhand Spring
BIOLOGY 438
April 10th 2012
Jabez Yeo

2. Background Information
An acrobatic move in which someone completes a full rotation of the body by:
Lunging headfirst into a handstand
Springing from the floor with their hands
Leaping back to an upright position
Performed in various activities, including cheerleading, gymnastics and break-dancing
Performer does not see where their hands will land until after the move has begun

3. Steps to a Backhand Spring
Start in resting position
Fully extend arms up straight into the air
Anteriorly adduct shoulders
Start leaning backward while flexing your hips and neck simultaneously
Forcefully jump backward while hyperextending your spine, neck and shoulders until your hands reach the floor.
While your wrists are also now hyperextended, push up off the floor and simultaneously flex your neck, spine and hips forward until you land on your feet.
You should now be back into starting position.
Taken from gymnastics website:
Not exactly what Willis did but it gives a good idea of how back handspring actually work
Adduct – act of moving a bone toward the midline of the body

4. Steps to a Backhand Spring
Start in resting position
Fully extend arms up straight into the air
Anteriorly adduct shoulders
Start leaning backward while flexing your hips and neck simultaneously
Forcefully jump backward while hyperextending your spine, neck and shoulders until your hands reach the floor.
While your wrists are also now hyperextended, push up off the floor and simultaneously flex your neck, spine and hips forward until you land on your feet.
You should now be back into starting position.
Taken from gymnastics website:
Not exactly what Willis did but it gives a good idea of how back handspring actually work
Adduct – act of moving a bone toward the midline of the body

5. Steps to a Backhand Spring
Start in resting position
Fully extend arms up straight into the air
Anteriorly adduct shoulders
Start leaning backward while flexing your hips and neck simultaneously
Forcefully jump backward while hyperextending your spine, neck and shoulders until your hands reach the floor.
While your wrists are also now hyperextended, push up off the floor and simultaneously flex your neck, spine and hips forward until you land on your feet.
You should now be back into starting position.
Taken from gymnastics website:
Not exactly what Willis did but it gives a good idea of how back handspring actually work
Adduct – act of moving a bone toward the midline of the body

6. Steps to a Backhand Spring
Start in resting position
Fully extend arms up straight into the air
Anteriorly adduct shoulders
Start leaning backward while flexing your hips and neck simultaneously
Forcefully jump backward while hyperextending your spine, neck and shoulders until your hands reach the floor.
While your wrists are also now hyperextended, push up off the floor and simultaneously flex your neck, spine and hips forward until you land on your feet.
You should now be back into starting position.
Taken from gymnastics website:
Not exactly what Willis did but it gives a good idea of how back handspring actually work
Adduct – act of moving a bone toward the midline of the body

7. Steps to a Backhand Spring
Start in resting position
Fully extend arms up straight into the air
Anteriorly adduct shoulders
Start leaning backward while flexing your hips and neck simultaneously
Forcefully jump backward while hyper-extending your spine, neck and shoulders until your hands reach the floor.
While your wrists are also now hyperextended, push up off the floor and simultaneously flex your neck, spine and hips forward until you land on your feet.
You should now be back into starting position.
Taken from gymnastics website:
Not exactly what Willis did but it gives a good idea of how back handspring actually work
Adduct – act of moving a bone toward the midline of the body

8. Steps to a Backhand Spring
Start in resting position
Fully extend arms up straight into the air
Anteriorly adduct shoulders
Start leaning backward while flexing your hips and neck simultaneously
Forcefully jump backward while hyperextending your spine, neck and shoulders until your hands reach the floor.
While your wrists are now hyper-extended, push off the floor and flex your neck, spine and hips forward simultanesouly until you land on your feet.
You should now be back into starting position.
Taken from gymnastics website:
Not exactly what Willis did but it gives a good idea of how back handspring actually work
Adduct – act of moving a bone toward the midline of the body

9. Steps to a Backhand Spring
Start in resting position
Fully extend arms up straight into the air
Anteriorly adduct shoulders
Start leaning backward while flexing your hips and neck simultaneously
Forcefully jump backward while hyperextending your spine, neck and shoulders until your hands reach the floor.
While your wrists are also now hyperextended, push up off the floor and simultaneously flex your neck, spine and hips forward until you land on your feet.
You should now be back into starting position.
Taken from gymnastics website:
Not exactly what Willis did but it gives a good idea of how back handspring actually work
Adduct – act of moving a bone toward the midline of the body

10. Video

11. Research Questions

13. Sources
"Back Handspring." Back Handspring. Web. 07 Apr <
blogspot.com/>.
Penitente, Gabriella, Franco Merni, and William A. Sands. "Kinematic Analysis of the Centre of Mass in the Back Handspring: A Case Study." Scribd. Gym Coach, Jan Web. 08 Apr < Mass-in-the-Back-Handspring-A-case-study>.

14. THANK YOU!