I recently got a question from a reader that I think many athletes might suffer from — especially if they’re involved in acrobatic based sports such as gymnastics, cheerleading or dance.

Let’s take a look

(by the way, for obvious reasons, all personal details have been removed)

“Dear Coach Sahil,

I found your facebook page (Addicted To Tumbling) and have been loving the videos and content so far! But I had a question for you that I wanted to ask without posting it as a public comment on facebook, since its something I’m a little sensitive about. I’ve been in cheerleading for about 2 years now and I’ve become and excellent base, my jumps are pretty good, and I have decent flexibility but my tumbling is just going no where! I have a friend that joined around the same time and she’s now doing round off back handsprings. I work just as hard and do what my coaches tell me but I just can’t seem to shake off the fact that I’m having a hard time because I’m a bit heavier than most girls on my team. Does this really matter? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. I’m afraid if I don’t catch up, me and my friend won’t be on the same team!

Thanks for your time”

– Miss Frustrated

 

Dear Miss Frustrated,

This is not an uncommon concern you’re having – in fact I can pretty much guarantee that every cheerleader, gymnast or dancer has thought about her body and its capabilities at some point in her life.

Before I say anything further, please note that I’m no therapist or doctor. What I will say in the words that follow comes from sheer life experience and an opinion based on logic. As in, it makes sense to me and has made sense for others, but it may not for you. Please take it for what you will. I will do by best to be as helpful as I can.

Let’s play a little game. Imagine I look you dead in the eye and say: “You have the perfect body for tumbling. Seriously. You couldn’t have wished for better genetics.”

How would you feel?

Hopeful? Skeptical? Ready to call my bluff?

Most athletes would smile politely while their brain whispers, “Okay… but if I’m so perfectly built for tumbling, why can’t I tumble like her?”

And if that’s you, congratulations — your brain is working exactly as designed. Humans compare, constantly. It’s a survival mechanism, not some personality flaw.

But here’s the problem: What your brain does automatically isn’t always what helps you progress.

Because while you might want a round‑off back handspring — the same skill your friend has — your path to that skill will look different than the path your friend took.

And that’s normal.

So instead of asking: “Do I need a body like hers?” a far better question to ask would be:

“What’s actually holding me back from achieving my skills?”

Let’s start with a simple, science‑y fact: For every 1 pound of body mass you carry, your knee experiences 2–4 pounds of pressure.

This means lighter athletes do have an initial advantage. They can throw their bodies around more easily, they feel less joint stress, and they’re easier to spot.

Physics is real, gravity is unforgiving and unfortunately, none of us get to opt out.

But — and this is a big but — that advantage is only initial.

Because after coaching hundreds of athletes of every shape and size (tall, short, lanky, stocky, “built like a noodle,” “built like a tank,” you name it), I’ve seen them all learn to tumble successfully.

So how is that possible?

Because body type is only one variable, and it’s not even the most important one. In fact, there are three performance factors that can completely override body size — and if you master these, you can tumble just as well (or better) than someone smaller.

Let’s break them down…

1. Power To Weight Ratio (a.k.a your “engine”)

Lighter athletes aren’t magically more talented. They simply have enough strength relative to their bodyweight to move efficiently.

Think of it like cars: A normal sized engine stuffed inside a small car will feel fast. But a bigger car with a bigger engine plus a turbo bolted on, will feel even faster.

So if you’re the “bigger car,” your job is simple: Build a bigger engine.

And here’s the good news: You can increase strength without changing your weight at all.
Research shows that neuromuscular adaptations — how well your brain communicates with your muscles — can increase strength dramatically without adding mass.

How to train it:

• Focus on weight lifting with big compound movements (squats, deadlifts, presses). Watch the acro athletes from Baylor. They look strong for a reason — they weight train!
• Static strength holds such as: wall-sits, planks, handstands etc.
• Do this 2–3 times per week on days you don’t tumble.

This type of training boosts strength, stability, and power — all without needing to “shrink” yourself by losing weight.

If you need help coming up with your own plan, you have a few options:

1. You can always visit my exercise library or download my Fearless eBook (it’s free) which has a strength test inside with a worksheet to track your progress. This way, you won’t have to wonder if you’re getting stronger, you’ll know for sure because numbers don’t lie!
2. Hire a personal training who has experience working with cheerleaders or gymnasts and tell them your goal is rapid power development. They should be able to design a plan with the time and equipment you have available.
3. Ask your current coach. Most good coaches that teach tumbling or any kind of acrobatic based sport are well versed in biomechanics and strength training. They’ll be able to help you develop a basic plan of action.
4. If you’d like my help, I can create a plan for you by doing a virtual consultation. Feel free to get in touch.

2. Technique (Your Secret Weapon)

Technique is the great equalizer.

Good technique improves something called movement efficiency — meaning you use less energy while producing more power. Research in biomechanics shows that efficient movers learn faster, perform better under fatigue, and stay healthier long‑term.

In other words: Clean technique beats messy power every time.

Here’s why technique matters for you:

• You’ll retain skills longer
• You’ll reduce injury risk
• You’ll perform better under pressure
• You’ll look cleaner than athletes who rushed their progress

Look, if your friend gets her back handspring first, great. You should be excited and happy for her. That’s actually a tell-tale sign that you have something called a growth mindset.

But here’s the thing: if yours looks better the day you get it, that’s a huge win — and a sign you’ll progress faster in the long run.

Need Help With Your Technique?

Be sure to visit my drill library where I have over 300 drill videos for you to explore for pretty much every tumbling skill.

Another option is to get in touch and I’ll do a complete breakdown of your current skill along with a gameplan with all the corrections and drills you need to improve at a rapid pace. This is all done virtually and requires your parents permission, so make sure they’re on board.

But the absolute best way to improve your technique is to listen to your coaches. I can’t speak for every gym or program, but the coaches that I know have their athlete’s best interest in mind. They want you to win as much as you do!

3. Determination (The “Unfair Advantage”)

This is the ingredient that makes everything else work.

Determination is the reason some athletes with “perfect bodies” quit… and others with “non‑ideal bodies” become absolute monsters in the gym.

There is no scoresheet that asks: “How long did it take you to learn this skill?”

You’re judged on execution — not speed of learning. And here’s a fun twist I’ve seen many times: The athlete who takes longer to get her back handspring often gets her back tuck faster than the friend who learned everything easily at first.

Why?

Because determination builds discipline, technique, and resilience — the stuff that actually matters.

Wrapping Up My Thoughts Into A Final Answer

So… do you need to be skinny to be a good tumbler? Absolutely not.

But you do need to be:

• Strong
• Technical
• Determined
• That’s it

Comparing your body to someone else’s is a losing game. There will always be someone lighter, faster, or more flexible. But none of that determines your potential, or whether you can reach it.

Focus on the three factors above, and everything else will fall into place.

I wish you the best!