The Cartwheels reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004
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Cartwheels

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Cartwheel (Known as Au in the game of Capoeira)

Person Doing CartwheelEnlarge

Person Doing Cartwheel

A cartwheel is where one moves sideways (in the motion a cart wheel would follow) in a straight line keeping the back straight placing the hand of the same side on the ground followed by the other hand as the legs are passed over the body and then come down as the hands and body come up to a standing up position.



Original Chart WheelEnlarge
Original Chart Wheel

The name cartwheel is used because when a human performes this they look like a moving wheel of a cart.