Backflip

[Ness]

This has been frustrating me for some time. I can do front flips no problem, but when I try to back flip I either freeze up or if I try it I usually go to the side. I usually go to open gym at the local gymnastics center, but they stop doing open gym over the summer so I have no place to practice flips. I have done them with a spotter and on a sloped mat (though I usually landed low, on my knees). I don't know why backflip scares me so much. I know the form in my head (jump straight up, not back and tuck your legs to your chest) but I still get scared practicing them. Any advice on getting over the fear?

[Reveridian]

I personally hate backwards tumbling (we call back flips back saults so if I say that accidentally then I mean back flip haha)

If you are just trying to CHUCK the backflip without having done any drills for it then yes of course most normal people would be scared. You need to work drills that work towards the back flip and break it down part by part. If you go to an open gym and have a spotter then I'm assuming they know what they're doing? Ask them for some drills for back flip. If that fails then I can give you a couple but it's easier and more efficient to ask them first. Fear is natural, but you can work around it with time and practice. If you have done enough drills then keep working the more advanced drills until you reach a point where you are just doing full back flips. Practice is what helped me get over my fear.

[Blairbob]

Again, another good reason to learn a back handspring prior. It's not necessary but there is something to be said to learn handsprings before saltos.

If you have access to a trampoline, work on backdrop progressions to back pullover. Look it up.

[AlexX]

I agree with blairbob. While a backhandsrping and a tuck have very different techniques, having a back-handspring will get you comfortable with back tumbling. Even if you don't ever plan on using a back-handspring much it is a good tool to use for aerial awareness.

[Yaad Mohammad]

I got the same problem, 3 days ago I could do perfect backflips, because I did a lot of them that same day in the pool. 1 day later I tried them again and I had the fear again. I landed them, but in a crouching position and it looked awful. I recommend you to do them a lot in a pool or on a trampoline to get over the fear.

[Troy Rodriguez]

I personally wouldn't recommend pool as it forces you to jump backward instead of setting straight up. Usually pool flippers throw their head back to initiate rotation rather than using their knees/hips to initiate. Trampoline is great and i second the backdrop to pull over on tramp as a good drill and use it a lot with my kids.

[Yaad Mohammad]

I personally wouldn't recommend pool as it forces you to jump backward instead of setting straight up. Usually pool flippers throw their head back to initiate rotation rather than using their knees/hips to initiate. Trampoline is great and i second the backdrop to pull over on tramp as a good drill and use it a lot with my kids.

Yeah, but it'll get you over the fear!

[AlexX]

I personally wouldn't recommend pool as it forces you to jump backward instead of setting straight up. Usually pool flippers throw their head back to initiate rotation rather than using their knees/hips to initiate. Trampoline is great and i second the backdrop to pull over on tramp as a good drill and use it a lot with my kids.

Yeah, but it'll get you over the fear!

Getting over the fear at the expense of technique is seldom the way to go. Bad habits are extremely hard to break, ask any coach. Learn it right from the start. There are much better ways to get over the fear than pool. Trampoline, spotters, timing drills and mats are all much better choices.

[Yaad Mohammad]

I personally wouldn't recommend pool as it forces you to jump backward instead of setting straight up. Usually pool flippers throw their head back to initiate rotation rather than using their knees/hips to initiate. Trampoline is great and i second the backdrop to pull over on tramp as a good drill and use it a lot with my kids.

Yeah, but it'll get you over the fear!

Getting over the fear at the expense of technique is seldom the way to go. Bad habits are extremely hard to break, ask any coach. Learn it right from the start. There are much better ways to get over the fear than pool. Trampoline, spotters, timing drills and mats are all much better choices.

I agree with that, but here in Holland trampolines and mats are hard to find. I'm going on holidays this week, and I'm going to try to do backflips in the pool and then move on to the ground to get over the fear AGAIN, and return to the proper technique.

[Seiji]

I actually learned to backflip by jumping backwards into a cartwheel type thing. I did that until I was comfortable enough to jump straight back to the back handspring and from there realized there's no danger in trying backflips if you can already back handspring because you have to land on your hands. Took me about ten minutes, but I was scared the next day and didn't bother learning again for a couple of months lol

[Blairbob]

Learning BHS before back flip does give you a bail out option.

[Seiji]

Learning BHS before back flip does give you a bail out option.

And it's sort of the only bail out option.

In other words, it's not safe to learn a backflip by yourself without one.