Back Limber

It's a basic movement where the gymnast bends backward from standing, passes through a bridge position, and then pushes back up to standing. It serves as a foundational drill for spinal mobility and back flexibility.

In a back limber, the legs and feet move together: both feet land and leave the floor simultaneously as the gymnast passes through the bridge. In a back walkover, the legs pass over the top one at a time, landing in a lunge.

A solid bridge with straight arms and shoulders stacked over the hands is the key prerequisite, along with the arm and shoulder strength to press out of it. Drills like bridge hold rocks and wall walks are the usual preparation.

It builds the backward-bending mobility and shoulder flexibility that skills like the back walkover and back handspring depend on. Coaches use it as a controlled drill precisely because the two-foot pattern is simpler than the sequential leg action of the walkover.