Being a Gymnast is not an easy thing to achieve. Backflip is significant to any gymnast enthusiast. However, it’s quite hard to learn to do but not impossible. Besides, you can learn how to do a backflip through regular practice. Yes, it’s going to take all the injuries and trials and tribulations to reach that point where you can smoothly do a backflip. Are you a beginner who wants to learn how to do a backflip? Then, here we will teach you how. Find all you need to know about a backflip in this article.
However, you should keep in mind that you must have some basic level of flexibility in you to learn this. Besides, some experience in acrobatics will also help. Nevertheless, keep these things in your head before you learn how to do a backflip. Good training, determination, regular practice, and some not-so-easy steps! All this you have to follow to do a perfect backflip on your own.
We know it ain’t easy. But, let your body also know that as well. You cannot learn a backflip in a day or even within three days. So, prepare for a worthwhile struggle!
How do you do a backflip?
There are a lot of things happening at the same time in a backflip. Besides, you jump as high as you can. During this jump in a way that your legs are stuck to your chest. Your arms are around your legs. In fact, during the jump, you rotate the body backward and smoothly get on the ground on your toes.
So, this is how a backflip is done.
Follow the steps below to achieve this polished, no-hurdle backflip. However, practice them daily to learn how to do a backflip.
Do the Warm-up
Start with some warm exercises. Stretch your hands and legs, and balance your body. Side by side, breathe in and breathe out. However, do running or jumping for some casual warm-up for your body. Plus, make sure your mentor or any guide is always by your side while you practice the backflip.
Follow these steps to learn how to do a backflip.
Step 1
Stand with your body straight. Now, your hands are up in the sky. Let your eyes focus in one direction. And, balance yourself this way.
Step 2
You are standing straight with your hands up in the sky, your gaze focusing on one direction. Now, bend your knees in a high squat and make your body like a chair. However, make sure to keep your hands stretched above your head.
Step 3
Stay in the above posture and practice moving your hands backward. However, if you have to master a flip you have to learn to swing your arms in the backward direction. This is what you have to learn now.
Step 4
Bring your hands forward. Bent your body. Now, take a leap in the backward direction with your hands swinging behind you. Try to jump upwards first. Then let the movement of your arms in the backward direction. This will make your body jump backward. Practice this again and again. Besides, prepare your body and mind so that it has to jump backward.
Note: Your body should have a memory of rolling backward and forward on the ground. Do the back roll and the front roll on the ground. This is how you will prepare your body from the shock of rotating when you achieve your first backflip.
Step 5
If you want to learn how to do a backflip, you will have to master the art of doing a back tuck. As you jump try to bring your legs close to your chest. However, notice most of the backflips start with mastering the back tuck properly. However, during the jump bring your legs close to your chest. Put both your arms tightly around your knees to keep them stuck to your chest. You have to learn the back tuck through regular practice.
Note: Always keep your eyes open. Do not close your eyes even for a moment. Be aware of where your body is going.
Step 6
Yes, you have to keep your legs close to your chest halfway through the jump. But after seconds release them as your head goes down. However, free them from your chest and balance them upwards. This will enable you to have a good landing on your soft mat or trampoline. Besides, it goes like first you keep them close to your chest, you release them from your chest, you spread them upwards. Then, you land them down on the ground.
This is the process your rotation must follow. Now, your body has to know the right timing when to do it.
Note: Keep a soft mat below you. Do not practice without someone standing there to support you in case you fall.
Step 7
In your first backflip, you will land somehow in this position—your knees bend, and your hands on the ground. Besides, your hips are aligned with the position of your knees. In simple words, you might find yourself in the animal position.
In some cases, your arms might also be stretched horizontally before you.
You will eventually learn to land on your toes once you master the art of how to do a backflip.
Things to keep in mind to do a backflip
- Learn to swing your arms forward and backward. Keep the pressure on your thighs to do the back tug.
- Do not pressurize your body with a lot of exercise in one day. Always make use of your coach’s advice.
- Do other exercises to increase your flexibility.
- Keep the height of your jumps in control. Prevent yourself from falling off unnecessarily and getting injured.
- Use soft mats or trampoline to practice the backflip.
The Final flip
You think you are now ready to do a backflip all alone? It will take a lot of time for you to get there. Nevertheless, it’s a very slow process. So, you must trust the process.
Now try to do a backflip without a trampoline.
- Jump with the back tuck. You can wrap your arms around your legs or keep them over your head.
- Take a high jump. However, keep the mats off only if you are confident that you can do it alone.
- Be confident and land with precaution on the ground. Try to land on your toes. However, don’t worry if you land with your bent knees in case you are a beginner.
That’s it! This will tell you whether or not you have learned how to do a backflip.
Keep the above exercises in mind before taking a final backflip
Yes, you don’t learn backflips in a day or a week. Let that sink in! Besides, do enough warm-ups before you do the exercises mentioned above. It’s important to master those before you learn how to do a backflip. It’s a fact that to learn any major gymnast move, you have to go through many other exercises.
Besides, these exercises prepare you for the final move. However, they just don’t prepare you physically but mentally as well. So, do them regularly with the advice of your coach. You will get there and eventually see the change when you take the final backflip.
Conclusion
Backflips can be really difficult to do even for professionals. Daily practice will make you achieve your first dream backflip. It takes a lot of patience and endurance till this moment comes. So, don’t be disappointed if you don’t learn faster than the other people around you. Everyone takes their time to learn how to do a backflip.
You will gradually get there as it is a slow and tiring process. But you can make it all fun and worthwhile by adding new exercises that would increase your flexibility and strength.
Also read: Top Reasons Why A Stock Tank Pool is A Good Idea for Your Daily Plunges
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