If the person you’re with is comfortable on a trampoline and knows what they’re doing, consider having them help launch and rotate you. They can place their arm near your back and help propel your feet over as you flip. Both you and your partner should be prepared for when you attempt. It is important to be prepared for when you will be rotating. If the person you’re with isn’t comfortable on the trampoline or you’re not comfortable with another person being on it while you flip, have them standing off to the side, ready to take action if need be.
Some trampolines are a bit different than others. Make sure you’re familiar with the one you’re working up to a flip on and make doubly sure it doesn’t have any weak spots. Falling through the trampoline is a very unsafe landing.
Try to do a backdrop, lifting your legs up and throwing the behind you, and then using the bounce back up to rotate behind you and onto your knees. This will get you used to the momentum of going backwards, which can be quite unnerving.
Bend your arms at your elbows and imagine them going up and over your head, propelling you backwards and fully around into a full circle. This is the motion you need to keep throughout the jump. Look behind you. This will drive your body as your neck brings the rest of your body with it. It will also help you place your jump. Get a good bounce going and jump up straight. At the peak of your jump, propel yourself over your shoulder. Aim to land on your hands. At first, don’t worry about your landing. On your hands and then knees is fine.
If you propel yourself mainly backwards, you may fall off the edge of the trampoline. Start near the edge of the center, and aim to jump up and then around – not backwards. If you just throw your body back, you could seriously injure yourself.
Tuck in your legs and arms to get more momentum. You know how when an ice skater wants to go faster, she pulls herself in? Do the same thing for your flip, making your surface area smaller.
It is recommended that you clear a minimum of 6 feet for an adult to complete a backflip. You might over spin initially, but that’s all right. Don’t give up if you don’t get it the first few times. It’ll come. You’ve got to trust yourself! Stop if you get frustrated; you can always pick it back up tomorrow. Practice makes perfect, and patience is a skill you can learn. You don’t want to break your neck or tire yourself out, which could also lead to injury.
Remember the upward and then over momentum. This combined with a big bounce will be the set up to a successful backflip.
For now, your aim is to get over your body, not to land it perfectly. Remember to use your arms to propel you up and then around – as long as you land and don’t hurt yourself, you’re doing it.
If it makes you uncomfortable, don’t force it. Give yourself time to get comfortable with each step. If it’s difficult for you, find friends who can walk you through it (flip you?), watch videos, and read more tutorials on different techniques. No two people do it the exact same way (unless they’re professionally trained) – someone else may have a theory that works well for you.
