Aerial cartwheel

An aerial cartwheel is an acrobatic move in which a cartwheel is executed without touching hands to the floor. During execution of a standard cartwheel, the performer's body is supported by the hands while transitioning through the inverted orientation, whereas an aerial cartwheel performer is airborne while inverted. To compensate for lack of support from the hands, leg momentum is employed to keep the performer airborne until the leading foot touches down. Aerial cartwheels can be executed while running or from a stationary, standing position. Aerial cartwheels are also known by various other names, including "side aerials", "no-hands cartwheels", or simply "aerials".

Aerial cartwheels are performed in gymnastics, acro dance, tricking, and in martial arts such as Wushu and Capoeira. In a martial arts context the aerial cartwheel is visually interesting but of little value to combatants. Consequently, it is commonly seen in martial arts exhibitions, performances and movies, but seldom used in sparring matches and fights.

Variations

*Tucked Aerial:The motions are virtually identical to a regular aerial except that the legs are tucked in instead of extended. Because the legs are tucked in it is easier for a practitioner to gain more speed with this variant. The move is sometimes confused with a side flip, but are actually very different when their mechanics are analyzed. For added difficulty, some tricksters execute kick(s) while their body is inverted.
*Axe to Aerial:This is where a leg is brought up, normally shoulder/head height, and then swung down (much like an axe kick, hence the name). Instead of placing the foot back on the ground it continues to swing and becomes the initial leg of an aerial. A variant of this where the practitioner lands in the splits was popularized by Anthony Atkins and was even called by some the Atkins Aerial.
*Aeriola:This move can be described as a step back aerial, and is also called a Reverse Aerial. The practitioner will take a step back with one foot and then begin to swing the other leg backwards. Once the swinging leg pushes off, it will continue to swing and become the initial leg of an aerial. The step back motion is to give the body enough momentum to continue moving backwards while executing the aerial. The practitioner should ideally land further back from the initial point of takeoff. It was popularized by Chris Devera from the West Coast Action Team.
*Brandy:AKA the "Free Round-Off" This take off is similar to a standard aerial but the legs are brought together in mid-air. The landing is on both feet, like a roundoff without the hands touching the floor. This skill can also be started from a punch set-up like a front flip. Note: This is not a front half. A barani rotates as you flip like a roundoff. The front half is a front flip where the twist happens at the end of the flip, after the point of inversion.
*Aerial Sideswipe:This was originally called a sideswipe, in fact some older tricksters that began in the 90's still refer to it as this. It is also called an Aerial Switch. Essentially, after beginning the aerial and the body is inverted, the leg that took off last will swing ahead of the other leg and perform the landing as well.
*Aerial to the splits:Most variants of an aerial can be landed in the splits. This is requires extra rotation along the axis of rotation. If not, it's possible to hyperextend or seriously injure the landing leg.

Aerial Twist

An aerial that incorporates an 180° rotation during the peak of the aerial's height. What adds difficulty to this move is that the same leg is used to take off and land. Gymnasts normally perform the twisting with the legs together to obtain a faster spin and more aesthetically pleasing execution. Tricksters normally perform the twisting with the legs apart; mainly for style. Many martial arts tricksters first learning this move have a tendency to begin more like a butterfly twist than an aerial. In the tricking community, this move can be done from either a running start, a small hop skip, standing, or from another trick in a combo.
*Hyperswipe:This variant of the Aerial Twist is executed the same way as an aerial twist, but normally requires extra height and faster/more rotation. The defining difference is that the other leg is thrown out and is used to land on rather than the leg used to take off. Its name is derived from the fact it is a twisting move that lands on the other leg like a hypertwist and that the ending of it looks almost identical to a sideswipe.
*Aerial 720 Twist:This variant is an aerial twist that rotates an additional 360°. Though in actuality, the practitioner only rotates a total of 540°. It is referred to as an aerial 720 twist because a normal twist that adds an additional 360° is referred to as a 720 twist. An Aerial 720 Twist is considered more difficult because of the added rotation, extra speed and height that are required to successfully land this variant.

ee also

*Front aerial
*List of tricking moves
*Martial arts trickster

External links

* [http://www.trickstutorials.com/images/bye.jpgPicture] of an Aerial Cartwheel, executed by Jujimufu.
* [http://digilander.libero.it/coprex73/aerial.jpgPicture] of a Ball Aerial being executed.
* [http://www.flashmavi.com/wushu_cartwheel_without_hands_how_to_learn_CKF.shtml Flash Mavis Aerial Tutorial ]

Training Guides

*" [http://www.highperformancewushu.com/BookInfo.php Fundamentals of High Performance Wushu: Taolu Jumps and Spins] " by Raymond Wu, ISBN 978-1-4303-1820-0. Excellent step-by-step book that includes how to do both the aerial cartwheel and the more difficult aerial twist. Free downloadable companion training guide.