How to Do a Backflip in the Air

Many people have sat down in front of their television sets, anxiously waiting for something interesting to come on. Then, it happens. A martial arts movie comes on, or a Parkour showcase emerges from the depths of television anonymity and finally claims your attention for the next hour or so. Of course, after watching these shows, we're always left with the nagging "what if..." sensation. Everyone knows it's possible to do all sorts of acrobatic maneuvers, so why not learn one?

Things You'll Need

  • Mattress
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Learn to do simple maneuvers such as cartwheels, forward/backward rolls, hand stands, etc. Doing this serves two purposes: It builds confidence that will lend itself toward your training, and It strengthens and conditions your body, which will minimize the risk of injury in the long run.

    • 2

      Learn how to perform a backflip. Hunch your body forward until you feel sure you'll have enough backward momentum to complete the rotation. Jump up as high as you can while swinging your arms for momentum and arching backward. Grab your knees at the top of your jump and lean back as hard as you can. Keep your chin up and never look down. You must keep your eyes level or you might hesitate and land wrong. To do a backflip, you need to jump as high as you can and tuck in as tight as you can. Instruct a friend to help "spot" you if you aren't going to make the rotation.

    • 3

      Place a mattress on a level surface area and attempt to land the backflip perfectly at least 10 times by ending in a standing position. The mattress is the final training wheel in the backflip training regiment. It allows you to execute a new maneuver in a relatively safe manner while building even more confidence and body strength. Also, try to learn how to prevent over-rotations. If you find yourself over-rotating during a backflip, try to lean your shoulders forward in order to cancel out the backward momentum you initially had.

    • 4

      Remove the mattress from the floor. It is time to perform a backflip without the proverbial net. Try to find an experienced partner that can help you out with this step. If something goes wrong, you want somebody who can call for help or to prevent an injury altogether. Continue with a partner until you don't over-rotate or under-rotate. Once you feel confident, try it by yourself.