Front-to-Back Cartwheel
Start with the proper stance. Get into a lunge, extending your arms straight above your head with your palms facing forward. Whichever foot you put forward will lead the cartwheel, so pick the one you feel more comfortable with.
Picture your imaginary line going straight out in front of you. This will help you guide your hands and feet.
Start your cartwheel with the arm located above your forward-lunging leg. For example, if you’re leading with your right foot, sweep your right arm down until that hand is on the ground a good distance past where your right foot is pointing. While you swing your right arm down, the left leg will start coming up (or vice-versa).
Swing your other hand down just a few inches past the first hand on the imaginary line. (To better prepare yourself for the second half of the move, try to make sure that your first hand lies perpendicular to the imaginary line but the second hand runs parallel, facing inward toward your other hand.) While your second arm swings down, the forward-lunging leg swings upwards.
At the top of the arc, bring your legs together and square your hips.
At the top of the arc, bring your legs together and square your hips. This will help you land facing in the opposite direction as the one you started in. From here on out, it might help to think of the cartwheel dismount as trying to get out of a handstand.
Keep your legs together and use your arms to push off the ground in a popping motion. (This is where having one hand facing inward comes in handy.) As you pop off the ground, swing your straightened legs down from the hips.
While your legs swing down, straighten your body back into a reaching position. You should now have your arms above your head and be facing the direction you originally started in.
Hop backwards slightly on the landing. This will help you keep your balance and give your cartwheel that finishing flourish.
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