Quick answer: a cartwheel and a roundoff start the same way, but a cartwheel lands sideways, one foot after the other, while a roundoff snaps the legs together in the air and lands on both feet facing back the way the athlete came. That landing turns forward running speed into backward momentum - which is why almost every running tumbling pass starts with a roundoff.
| Cartwheel | Roundoff | |
|---|---|---|
| Landing | One foot after the other, finishing sideways | Both feet together, facing back the way you came |
| Hands | One hand, then the other | One hand, then the other, close together, with a strong push |
| Momentum at the end | Sideways | Backwards - ready for a back handspring |
| Typical use | Foundational skill and transition | Entry skill for running tumbling passes |
| First allowed (USASF) | Level 1 | Level 1 (connecting into a back handspring: Level 2) |
The Core Difference
Both skills rotate sideways through a handstand with the hands placed one after the other. A cartwheel keeps the legs apart all the way round and lands one foot at a time, finishing sideways. A roundoff brings the legs together at the top, turns a quarter, and lands with both feet together facing back towards the start - the USASF glossary describes it as "similar to a cartwheel except the athlete lands with two feet placed together... facing the direction from which they arrived."
Why the Difference Matters
A running pass needs to change direction: the athlete runs forwards but then tumbles backwards into skills like a back handspring or tuck. The roundoff is what makes that switch, turning the run's speed into backward power. A cartwheel's sideways finish can't do that, so it doesn't lead into backward skills.
The Level Rules
Under the USASF All Star rules, both skills are allowed from Level 1, because the hands stay in contact with the floor. But Level 1 doesn't allow any tumbling immediately after a roundoff. Connecting a roundoff into a back handspring is first allowed at Level 2, and into a back tuck at Level 3. The no-handed version of the cartwheel, the aerial, is first allowed in running tumbling at Level 3.
How They're Used Differently
Cartwheels appear as foundational skills, simple tumbling for younger teams and as quick transitions in choreography. Roundoffs are almost always the opening skill of a running tumbling pass - "roundoff, back handspring, tuck" is one of the most common passes in cheer.
What Judges Notice
In a cartwheel, judges look for straight legs, a straight line through the handstand and a controlled finish. In a roundoff, they look for legs snapping together cleanly, a strong, straight landing and how well the roundoff leads into the next skill.
Related Skills
See Aerial for a no-handed cartwheel, and Back Handspring for the skill a roundoff most often leads into.