Freestyle Gymnastics

Freestyle gymnastics is a creative style of tumbling that's all about flips, twists and acrobatic tricks. Instead of set routines on beams and bars, you string moves together in your own way. It borrows from artistic gymnastics, parkour and tricking, and it's usually done on sprung floors, air tracks and crash mats that make every landing softer.

It's fast, playful and very expressive, and there's no single right way to do it.

It starts with the foundations: forward and backward rolls, handstands and cartwheels. Next comes the round-off, a cartwheel that lands with both feet together, and the handspring, where you push through your hands to spring back onto your feet.

Then there are the flips. A front tuck and back tuck are somersaults with your knees pulled into your chest. In a pike you keep your legs straight and fold at the hips, and in a layout your whole body stays long. Add a twist or try an aerial, a cartwheel with no hands, and you're into proper show-off territory.

Every session starts with a good warm-up and some stretching, because wrists, shoulders and necks all like to be asked nicely first. Your Activity Leader then takes you through rolls, handstands and cartwheels on the mat and shows you how to land safely.

Once you're comfortable, you'll start building towards bigger moves with plenty of help. Spotting is when your Activity Leader supports your body through a move until you've got the feel of it. Air tracks and sprung floors add extra bounce, so it's a lot more forgiving than your average lawn.

Yes, if you're up for a physical challenge. You don't need to have done gymnastics before, as everything is broken down into small steps and you only move on when you're ready. Expect a few wobbly landings, a lot of laughing and at least one moment where you surprise yourself. Your inner eight-year-old will be thrilled.

Loose, stretchy clothes you can move freely in, like joggers, leggings or shorts and a fitted T-shirt. You'll often be barefoot or in socks on the mats. Take off jewellery and watches, empty your pockets and tie back long hair.

You might also like Acro Yoga, Capoeira and Flying Trapeze.

See all Camp Wildfire activities