Quick answer: walkovers and handsprings both move through a handstand-like shape, but a walkover is slow and controlled, landing one foot at a time, while a handspring is fast and explosive, springing off the hands to land on both feet together.
| Walkover | Handspring | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Slow, controlled | Faster, more explosive |
| Landing | One foot at a time | Both feet, often together |
| Typical use | Foundational flexibility and control skill | Power skill, often connected into passes |
The Core Difference
Both skill families exist in forward and backward versions - front and back walkover, front and back handspring - and share a similar handstand-based body shape. The difference is speed and power: a walkover flows through the shape slowly, while a handspring blocks powerfully off the hands.
Why the Progression Matters
Walkovers build the flexibility, handstand control and body awareness that handsprings later rely on, which is why walkovers are typically introduced first, with handsprings following once that foundation is solid.
How They're Used Differently
Walkovers are often used as a slower, controlled connecting element at any level. Handsprings are power skills, commonly connected into tumbling passes - a back handspring in particular is one of the most frequently used connecting skills in competitive cheer.
Related Skills
See Standing Tumbling for how these skills are typically first performed, before being connected into running tumbling passes.