A way to overcome the fear of the backflip

[Chrow]

If you're reading this, it's probably because you are scared of doing backflips, am I right? Don't be ashamed, I've been tricking for over 2 years and only recently got em, because i was scared of breaking my neck. Now, due to every fifth thread in the tips section beeing about how to overcome this fear, I've decided to post a little story about how I slowly but steadily got rid of the fear. Even though I'm not a great trickster(Yet, hehe), this still might help some people, which is the whole idea. I could make this a video tutorial, but that's not nessesary as this is not a "how-to-do a perfect backflip", but merely a way of getting started. Ready? Here we go!

First I got a decent roundoff (r/o), which shouldn't be too hard to get.
Then I went onto a mat, and had 2 friends spot me on some Back handsprings (Bhs). I worked on these very often untill i got them somewhat stable, untill I could do em without needing 10 seconds of mental preparing.
After that, I slowly combined the two moves, doing a r/o followed by a bhs.
When these two finally worked together, I felt how effortless the bhs's became because of the huge momentum generated by the r/o. I started to do it very fast,and taking off much harder, and suddenly I landed on my feet and hands simutaniously. I pumped myself up, did it even faster, and landed on my feet only. Then I did it again, but this time I slightly bent my legs and arms, doing a very open tuck, and landed on my knees. Finally I went for it, tucked harder, and BAM! There was the backflip, and that's how I got it.

Some side notes:

- This wole thing took me a long time (about 5-6 months) because I was doing service in the middle 4 months,
but if you work on it jsut a few times a week, it shouldn't take much more than perhaps a month, maby less
depending on how fast you learn and adapt.
- The most scary part of this was learing the bhs while beeing spotted, really. You barely feel the difference
when transitioning from an almost no-handed bhs to a backflip. I didn't even had a spotter when I did that.
- A really really good idea is to mentally prepare yourself for the next training session, thinking "Man, in
a few days it's gonna be SO much fun" and such. Also see if you can bring some friends to inspire and motivate you.
- I did this on 15 cm mats. Not too soft, not too hard.


Well, thats about it. Feel free to post and I shall try to answer the best I can. Good luck on your backflip!

Chrow

[JKT]

Probably the best way without just "growing some balls"
Thumbs up*

[tuareg]

Might come handy for some people, but im more scared of a bhs than a backflip thank you.

[lastmanstanding]

I agree about British Home Stores being scarier.

Its easier for those whove conquered the backflip to say that growing balls will get the backflip for you, but its easier said than done. Nevertheless I, who cannot yet backflip, think that just going for it (after studying the technique a little) is the best idea.

[Chrow]

Yea, like I said the most scary part was learing the bhs at first, but with two spotters, its basicly just leaning back and they will catch you :)

[LazyAss]

Well, I can say that was a great explanation (I reall mean it :)), but this will certainly help only those people who have no access to gym. I do have it so I've seen enough people who just got the backflip in 2-3 month just using the help of one experienced spotter (not even a trainer, just a man who can do a backflip and knows the technique). And there are A LOT of such guys in every gym :).

[Urban_Juggernaut]

Great story, I beat myself up about it to get the back tuck from nothing. I swear I cried getting over the mental preparation, I though trying to learn a prerequisite or having a spotter meant that I was weak. " Be on your own, or don't be at all"

[Swartz]

I expected a sensible one sentence piece of advice like "just do it" but instead you ramble on and on with a bunch of bullcrap. Shame on you Chrow.

[Konnar]

Why is it that people constantly need to diss people who have difficulty with the backflip, the 3 times I "grew some balls", that got me injured - and I'm not completely incompetent because I can do a decent 540 and aerial. It's not that easy for some of us.

[Chrow]

Heh, don't mind Swartz, he's always talkin' shit

[Swartz]

Why is it that people constantly need to diss people who have difficulty with the backflip, the 3 times I "grew some balls", that got me injured - and I'm not completely incompetent because I can do a decent 540 and aerial. It's not that easy for some of us.
I'm stating the obvious truth pal. I'm not dissing people who are struggling, I'm laughing at Chrow's ridiculous post. It's completely unnecessary. I highly recommend a spotter who knows what he's doing, that's all you need. I'm not recommending you throw it on your own, because while many learn it that way it's not the wisest course of action.

Get someone to spot you and just THROW it. That's exactly how I learned. I was fortunate enough to have a gymnastics coach at an open gym teach me. Maybe you can't find a coach but anybody that's strong enough to throw you over and knows the technique is all that's required.

Also, being able to do a 540 and aerial has absolutely nothing to do with a backflip, so I don't see the point in mentioning that. They're all completely different moves. Backflip is very easy physically just a real mindfuck when you first try it, but no shit.
Heh, don't mind Swartz, he's always talkin' shit
I don't even know you but if you decided to pay more attention to my posts you'd see I'm known for two things:

1) being helpful.
2) being sarcastic/humorous.

I like the balance myself. I'm not always fucking around and I'm not always serious. I try to provide help in areas I'm experienced with. Next time trying reading more of my posts before making that kind of assumption.

[Chrow]

Lol swatrz, i know you're joking, didn't mean to offend you, and i know you provide good and helpful information, but what I do think however, is that your ironic attitude and coarse language is a bit too much for my taste. Your humor doesn't apply to me, sorry. By my comment on you, I was mearly trying to "ride on the wave" but apparently I failed at that, sorry.

[tricker_d]

Might come handy for some people, but im more scared of a bhs than a backflip thank you.

+100 :good:

[Swartz]

Lol swatrz, i know you're joking, didn't mean to offend you, and i know you provide good and helpful information, but what I do think however, is that your ironic attitude and coarse language is a bit too much for my taste. Your humor doesn't apply to me, sorry. By my comment on you, I was mearly trying to "ride on the wave" but apparently I failed at that, sorry.

I HAVE AN AVERAGE SIZED COCK.

[mchitti]

first I did backflip with spotter was a success, then I lost it, and then tried it with a spotter and I bailed and landed on my head lol.

[Swartz]

first I did backflip with spotter was a success, then I lost it, and then tried it with a spotter and I bailed and landed on my head lol.

You had a shitty spotter. Find someone who actually knows what the fuck they're doing.

[mchitti]

nah Swartz, I was just a pansy and I jumped sideways/backwards, and you can't hold someone up and flip their legs over when they are side ways.

[flexibility]

I'm writing this post basically just to say that method described by Chow works.

I think transforming ro/bhs to ro/back tuck is the best way to overcome the fear of a ro/back tuck. It's how I learned mine and I recommend it to everyone who haven't nailed their ro/back tuck yet.
If you can do standing back tuck, but you don't have courage to do it from ro, try to do really high back handsprings from round off and transform them little by little to backflip (just as Chow described).
When you start to fall to your feet only your balls get bigger and you can start to concentrate to proper back tuck technique.

Also... I' didn't use mats or a spotter. You don't need them but they help.

Good luck with your ro/back tucks!

[tuareg]

+100 :good:

Haha last time i tried them was a year or so ago. I didn't have any fear or anything so i jumped backwards then fell on my neck. I did that twice in a row hahaha.

[Berend]

Hey guys!

I'm Berend, nearly 16 and i live in the netherlands.
so that my introduction haha:tongue:

i registered some time ago, and i really want to get in to tricking some more.
I've been starting to do street stunts some time ago, and i'm also active on the 3run forum.

I've been searching for help there, wich i got alot but i think my question is better of here:smile:

I really want to get into tumbling some more but i'm having some problems:eh:

I can do a standing backtuck quite easily, and my roundoff gives me alot of height, but if i want to combine the two moves in to one solid round off backflip it just doesn't gets 1 move if you get what i mean:tongue:

first i do the roundoff, jump up without doing the backflip, land and then doing the backflip:dead: And i've been trying really hard to get it as one move but it just wont work yet.

Do you guys have some tips for me? Or is it just practise practise and again, practise?

Also i don't have a safe place to train, no gym training what so ever:sad:

Here's a little vid to show you guys my kinda low skill level :tongue:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JgHOIlx4mU

and another one from some time ago :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjheQXtFvnw


thnx! <3

[Jon P]

I landed my first roundoff backflip on accident by going to high on a backhandspring haha.

[Ryu Sujin]

Just based on the title of this thread, for the love of god:

SPOTTER

[Miojo]

I HAVE AN AVERAGE SIZED COCK.

its exacly the same size as mine

EDIT: We have identicle dicks.

[n3m3s1s]

I HAVE AN AVERAGE SIZED COCK.

I dont see what that has to do with the post...

[tuareg]

I dont see what that has to do with the post...
I don't even know you but if you decided to pay more attention to my posts you'd see I'm known for two things:

1) being helpful.
2) being sarcastic/humorous.

Re-read how swartz likes to balance hisself.

[GriffinHeart]

i just hope your not doing bhs like a backflip altho that is one way to overcome the fear of the backflip it may lead to some not so right things.

mostly cause a bhs e a bending and droping/jumping backwards move and the backflip is a jump up and tuck.

so don't end up with bhs that look half bhs half backflip. bhs are very supossed to be very quick moves.

anyways i think a spotter is allways the best way. because with a spotter the only thing you have to do is trust him and do what he tells you.

i allways say "jump and tuck and never look back nor the sides, the rest is my work" after that is a matter of trust.

i do agree that bhs are a nice progression to backflips but not has in turn bhs into a backflip.

[skylerhall]

I expected a sensible one sentence piece of advice like "just do it" but instead you ramble on and on with a bunch of bullcrap. Shame on you Chrow.

lolz

[a11 0r n0thing]

thats a great story but i have a question about bhs: do u have to be able to do a back bridge from a standing position to to a bhs? or can u jump back and land on your hands without bending your back too much?

[cepopeye]

http://photos-h.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v63/47/107/20200550/n20200550_30798503_8398.jpg

[SickTrick]

Good way to get over it! Get a chick at gym thats pretty damnn hot who your into and go for it. Worked for me tonight! Landed it first go on the ground. :tongue:

[Dragonic MiKe]

Good way to get over it! Get a chick at gym thats pretty damnn hot who your into and go for it. Worked for me tonight! Landed it first go on the ground. :tongue:

I believe I speak for everyone when I say: lol wut?

[tuareg]

I thought i may figure it out myself, but no.

[Ziainvictus]

well i have a pretty decent roundoff. just got into tricking. i dont really have anyone to spot me but that's probably cause i haven't really asked anyone. :smile: i guess i am going to start trying to learn the bhs. thx for this write up... really inspirational :bandit:

[milan]

There is no easy way to overcome the fear really. Just keep on trying, dont give up. I remember when i was learning them i could not sleep at night because i was thinking about it all the time, i got it in about 2-4 days of constantly standing on the mat trying to grow the balls to do it, and finally did it.

[Alexar]

The way I learned is going to a gym, taking a whale mat (which is four feet tall usually) add a couple of 8 inch mats, and then going up to it so I can jump up and then roll over on the mats that's above my shoulder height and then roll back down.

It helped me jump -up- instead of back, and it also got me used to the motion of a backflip, which is basically just rolling backwards in the air, much like on the floor.

I got a spotter, who spotted me three times, told me he wasn't even touching me, and I did it on floor.

Also what helps is not throwing your head back, so you don't eliminate any height.

A test to make sure you don't is taking something soft and putting it in between your chin and neck, and when you flip it has to stay on, so you're sure that your head doesn't look back. Also imagine rolling your head back when you're rolling backwards on floor, you'll hit your head, I'm sure of it.

So yeah, tips.

[ninjitsian]

What if you have/are all of the folowing:

No spotter

No gym

By yourself

Scared shitless

Only grass to perform on, nothing else that's soft.

[Swartz]

Oh wow this thread is old. I forgot how much I had posted in it haha.

[ninjitsian]

Any serious advice swartz? Or from anybody?

[jiayo-chris]

hi, i'm chris

[ninjitsian]

Objects in mirror may seem closer than they appear.

[Swartz]

My advice in this thread IS serious ninjitsian.

You just do it. There is no shortcut with fear. You either do it or you don't.

[Gilgamesh]

My advice in this thread IS serious ninjitsian.

You just do it. There is no shortcut with fear. You either do it or you don't.
What is your opinion with using a back handspring as a base for learning a backflip? Although it isn't a shortcut, it could be a decent method for learning backflips.

[Swartz]

What is your opinion with using a back handspring as a base for learning a backflip? Although it isn't a shortcut, it could be a decent method for learning backflips.

No. I disagree. I've had a backtuck and can't back handspring. I simply haven't put much effort into trying to learn. That's not my point though.

The technique involved is completely different. The only way they're similar is that they both involved flipping over backwards. Even so, they're different in terms of fear as well. With the back handspring you are jumping back, arching and staying fairly low to the ground. A backtuck you go straight up, keep your head and back straight and are high off the ground. Almost every part of the move is the opposite.

People that try to learn backflip after a back handspring tend to do whipped back tucks low to the ground, usually traveling back (bad for backtucks). It's all a matter of habit. Learning back handsprings is fine but as a method to move on to backflips? Never.

Learn them as seperate moves. Which you do first is up to you but people generally have more success with avoiding bad habits by learning the backtuck first.

This is not a tricking law, only my suggestion which most would agree with.

[ninjitsian]

Well, I guess I have to overcome the fear all on my own

[Swartz]

Well, I guess I have to overcome the fear all on my own

Surprise! Just like everyone else.

[Adam Ross]

Well, I guess I have to overcome the fear all on my own

If you need someone to hold your hand get your best friend to spot you.
Accept, don't hold his hand as it will ruin the spotting.

[Flipsie93]

Im more scared of BHS then backflips.. You just really need to grow some balls.. i did and landed it first try..

[Adam Ross]

Im more scared of BHS then backflips.. You just really need to grow some balls.. i did and landed it first try..

You landed a backflip on your first attempt?