When searching for tumbling drills, it’s easy to get drawn in by flashy setups. I’m sure you’ve all seen drills that look super useful, but require multiple mats or feature a rare piece of equipment you likely don’t have access to. While these drills do serve a purpose and can be fun to use, often times a simpler drill using the humble panel mat can help achieve similar results! It truly is a versatile tool with endless possibilities.

It works equally well for beginners and advanced athletes, making it a true one-size-fits-all apparatus. While panel lengths may vary, most panel mats I’ve encountered have at least four to five folds, providing more than enough height variations to accommodate a wide range of drills and skills.

The beauty of a mat like this lies in its adaptability, so don’t overlook it just because it seems basic. Today, we’re going to look at some drills that will bring out its true potential!

Drill #1 – Uphill Cartwheel Onto Panel Mat

Are your athletes working on mastering their cartwheel?

Or maybe they want to make the transition into Aerials?

Regardless of what their cartwheel goals are, one thing is for certain: having a slow heel drive and an inconsistent landing won’t help. And that’s where this drill comes in! It truly does solve a lot of problems.

See the video below…

Here’s how to set it up: First, the athlete should already have a basic cartwheel that they can perform on the floor. When starting, they should stand in a passe position, with arms tight to the ears, shoulders shrugged & engaged, and hips facing the direction of travel.

They will then initiate the reach and heel drive. When the athlete places their hands down it’s important to note the positioning: it should be in an upside down “T” formation, and as close to the mat as possible.

The athlete should be spotting for their landing foot to ensure they are travelling in a straight line as well as making sure their foot is landing as close to their hands as possible. The athlete will finish tall in a tumbling lunge facing the opposite direction from where they started.

Drill #2 – Passe Entry Round Off To Front Support

The round off can be a tricky skill for beginner tumblers to understand. Many athletes hear that “a round off is just a cartwheel with two feet coming together” …and while this isn’t wrong, per say, it’s also not the most accurate way to think about the skill. So it’s no surprise why they might struggle with mastering the Round Off.

This drill is an excellent starting point for both beginners and advanced athletes alike. First, it helps reinforce staying tight and straight throughout the skill, but can also be used to develop power if you rebound back into a handstand.

See the drill below…

Here’s how to set it up: The athlete will start in a passe position and fall into a tumbling lunge, with the leading leg on the panel mat. Encourage the athlete to reach as far as possible toward the end of the mat before initiating the round-off. Upon landing, they should finish in a tight front support position, maintaining a hollow body shape throughout the movement. Advanced athletes can be allowed to rebound back up into a handstand. A landing mat is recommended as this drill can be hard on the ankles — especially if the athlete isn’t well conditioned.

Drill #3 – Mat Kick Toe Drive Back Walkover

A good back walkover requires the athlete to balance on one foot while leaning backward onto their hands. Many athletes struggle with this part, which is why it’s a great idea to isolate the beginning.

This drill focuses on balance and building a strong toe drive (because let’s face it, too many athletes start doing knee drives, and end up with bent legs).

If the athlete performs the kicks properly by engaging their quads and VMO, you will see straight legs from the very start of the drill all the way to the end.

Let’s take a look…

Can’t do a back walkover yet? No problem! This drill can also be used to teach effective toe drives to newbies. Simply have the athlete kick and flip the panel mat until it closes, then have them perform a back bend into a bridge and hold it for 5 seconds, while the kicking leg is elevated.

Drill #4 – Toe Drive Standing Tuck Jump

If you think about it, a back tuck is just a tuck jump with rotation added to it. This drill isolates the toe drive movement to help the athlete understand how to initiate the rotation (the knees and hip portion of the tuck rotation can be addressed using other drills our Back Tuck library). This setup is very similar to the previous back walkover drill. The focus here, is on developing the toe drive needed for a powerful tuck rotation. 

Let’s take a look…

Can already do a back tuck? If so, this drill can also be used to perform actual back tucks! We do advise to perform this into a pit for added safety and as always, with a Coach’s supervision.

Drill #5 – The Dive Roll

The dive roll is a great example of a skill that can always be improved, primarily because height plays such a critical role. A dive roll is a precursor skill to the front tuck which means there are a lot of similarities. By using a panel mat you can adjust the height that an athlete must clear. To demonstrate this more clearly, I’m going to introduce you to two versions of this drill.

In version one, we have the standing dive roll over a “tent” setup. The tent is created by folding one section of the mat and resting it upright on the floor. The athlete will then, from standing, jump into a dive roll with hands reaching over the “tent”. This version focuses on the jump element from standing forcing the athlete to gain height by using leg power alone while also providing a visual barrier for the athlete to clear. 

See version one below…

Here’s how to set it up: The athlete will now run (ideally no more than 2 steps) and perform a rebound in front of the tent set up and dive roll by reaching over the tent. This progression teaches the athlete how to build power, and turn it into vertical height. Once this version is mastered, we move to “the wall” set up.

“The wall” is a panel mat propped up on its side to increase the height the athlete will have to dive over. Using the same running rebound entry, the athlete must now dive over a taller obstacle, focusing on lift (by having arms to ears) and reach.

IMPORTANT! In order to keep the safety of the athletes a priority, add a soft landing mat to the other side, ESPECIALLY when increasing the height of the physical barrier.

See version two below…

Drill #6 – Unfold Mat From Bridge

The bridge recovery is one of the most overlooked skills in basic tumbling, yet is arguably one of the most important. Weight distribution can be a tricky concept, but once understood, it makes skills like front and back walkovers much easier.

When an athlete is able to recover, or stand up out of a bridge, it shows they have enough body awareness to shift their weight from their hands to their feet. That’s exactly what this drill focuses on.

See the drill below…

Here’s how to set it up: The athlete will begin in a bridge position with their hands placed on a panel mat, ensuring the opening of the fold is facing them. They will then grab the open edge of the mat and shift their weight toward their feet by rocking their hips toward their toes. Once the athlete feels “weightless” in their hands, instruct them to flick the mat open and land back in their bridge. You can repeat this process or do it one rep at a time, depending on how much endurance and control the athlete has.

I hope you can see just how versatile the humble panel mat can truly be. When used correctly, it acts as an irreplaceable item in a tumbling coach’s toolbox. Its adaptability makes it essential for teaching a wide range of skills and basic shaping, to complex tumbling progressions.

Want to know what else a panel mat can do? Luckily, I have 14 more drills to show you!

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This article was written by Coach Liz and edited by Coach Sahil