Trampoline back-flips

SurfTiger26 · Newbie Joined: 05 Oct 2004 Posts: 15

Ok so this off season I'm going to get a trampoline to work on tantrums and backrolls. I've never done a backflip on a tramp before... how did you guys learn? Did you just say "here it goes" and kick your head backwards in a jump until you landed on your feet for the first time or what? Is there any tips you can give me so I don't break my neck on this thing? Shocked

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

Yeah the key here is you want to over rotate not under rotate. It's better to go back too far than go half way. The first couple times you'll scare the crap out of yourself and probably land on your knees but it doesn't hurt. Then you slowly work up to jumping higher and landing on your feet. Then it becomes second nature.

You might want to learn it on a diving board first so you get used to doing a backflip. Winter-time it might not be the best to learn that though. You can always get a spotter if you're too freaked out by it.

JUST REMEMBER YOU WANT TO OVER-ROTATE MORE THAN UNDER

midwest wake · Addict Joined: 13 Oct 2003 Posts: 629 City: Middleton

SurfTiger26, the key to learning a back flip is to have a really good back drop. really over looked by alot of people to learn but it's the best way.

first off when you do backdrops you want to land squarly on your back. get that good a few times. remember when doing backdrops, don't fall back, just bring your knees to your chest and they will roatate you.

after establishing a good backdrop, you wnat to work on reverse pumpkin rolls. so do a backdrop and from that position, bring your knees further to your face and try to land back on your feet. get this good several times in a row.

after being able to do these consectively without any problems you are ready to try a backflip. one key thing. many people jump back, but you should just jump straight up (better for your back in the long run).

here's where you have an option.

trampoline with a spotter, this is a good thing to have when learning them. althought you don't need them. don't take big jumps. jump up and down and count to your self 1..2..3.. and on that third bounce bring your knees to your ches like a fast backdrop and hold the tuck. try to spot the trampoline mat when upside down to know if you need to hold longer (underrotating) or untuck (overrotating). when having a spotter put one hand on the chest and other on the lower back. when they bring their knees to their chest, either stop the roatation if they aren't going to get close to making it, or help them get around.

or

go to the local gymnastics place and try backflips in the same manner above (knees to chest) into a foam pit.

i learned off a running trampoline level with the floor wiht out a spotter the wrong way. knees to chest is key. if not, it will hurt your back eventully.

good luck. and if you aren't ready. don't try. or get a spotter

wakeboarder89 · Addict Joined: 15 Jun 2003 Posts: 637

wait until you are at the height of your jump. i made the mistake of flipping too early and not getting high enough

colefooter · Posted: Oct 26, 2004 5:49 pm Post subject:

i agree with wakeboarder89, you gotta wait untill your in the air then shoot everything backwards. it will scare the crap out of you the first time trust me, but after that its cake

savage3221 · Posted: Oct 26, 2004 7:44 pm Post subject:

Yeah definitely wait until you are in the air and then go back..I learned them going back AND up at the same time so that I was landing a long ways away. Well I grew, and then when I tried them again I overshot the tramp..a couple of times (I can be stubborn sometimes lol). Still havn't gotten back out to try them since though, so not so stubborn at other times haha.

J_DOGG · Posted: Oct 27, 2004 8:35 am Post subject:

IMO-doing all that half a$$ backdrop stuff is a waste of time and might create bad habits... I'm sure it works for some but so does learning spins hitting the wake and letting go of the handle and we all know you are not going anywhere fast learning a 3 that way.

Most people learn the front flip first on the tramp cuz they feel safer tucking and flipping forward. You can't spot the landing as easy as a back flip but the steps to initiate the trick are easier to master. Under or over rotating is not really an issue, unless you totally under rotate and land on the back of your neck.

The key to the tramp back flip (aka Tantrum) is waiting till the peak of the jump before you snap the head back. Lead with the head and the rest will follow. So bounce one two, wait for the release, get up high and snap the head back. If done correctly you will be able to spot the landing before your feet even come around under you and you should be staying in the center of the tramp. If you travel across the tramp you are looking back too soon.

One thing to remember when practicing on the tramp a front flip is different than a front roll. I can't tell you how many times I have had to explain to people they are practicing a front flip on the tramp and when they take it to the water they are tryn a front roll. The Front Roll being the easier of the two on the water IMO.

SurfTiger26 · Newbie Joined: 05 Oct 2004 Posts: 15

Thanks for the help guys. That helps a lot. I'm pretty confident that if I can get comfortable doing flips and spotting my landings on a tramp, it will help me to go through with tantrums and other inverts because I know what to expect through the rotation and landing.

midwest wake · Addict Joined: 13 Oct 2003 Posts: 629 City: Middleton

J_DOGG, when learning a backdrop way first that is the only way you will be able to then do it on plain ground. the tucking is actually what gets you all the way around.

wakeboarder89 · Addict Joined: 15 Jun 2003 Posts: 637

i dont ever tuck when i do mine i kinda lay it out

midwest wake · Addict Joined: 13 Oct 2003 Posts: 629 City: Middleton

wakeboarder89, it does help to learn back tucks first. other wise you don't really know what your doing.

al thought layouts are more fun.

Phil · Addict Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Posts: 636 City: Chattanooga

Or you could just huck one and make sure you jump straight up and see what happens .

J_DOGG · Posted: Oct 29, 2004 8:23 am Post subject:

midwest wake, You are training your body to stall out and land on your back. You should be training your body to lead with the head and land on your feet.

I'm not sayn you are wrong or it wont work but like I said IMO "waste O time"!

mcmarbles · Newbie Joined: 22 Sep 2004 Posts: 44

The most important thing when trying a back flip on a trampoline is to go straight up first before throwing the flip. If you don't, you could huck yourself right off the tram and hurt yourself. Trust me, I saw my friend do that and he could ride for almost a month. Also, when you get comfortable, try tying a rope off to a tree to the center of the trampoline. Then you can get the hang of doing the flip with the rope in your hand. I think it's the closest thing to a tantrum as it gets. Once you can do those on the tram, take it to the water. Remember, up first, then throw the trick. Hope this helps!

waterloggedbabe · Criminal Joined: 05 Jun 2004 Posts: 54 City: abbotsford

all i have ta say about using a trampoline to train is that it helps ALOT...i waited until i was really confortable doing the tantrum on the tramp before i wen out on the water...the most important thing i think u have to do both on the water and on the trampoline is wait...if u go to early on the tramp you'll strain ur back and too early on the water you wont end up getting enough pop off the wake and end up doing a belly flop...but hey if ya do that youll be amazed at how hard ur abs get Laughing

colefooter · Posted: Nov 06, 2004 4:26 pm Post subject:

the trampoline made me perfect my tantrum, i took a day of learning backflips on the trampoline then i went out for a run of wakeboarding, second tantrum attempt i ever tried i stuck it clean

Wakey Wakey · Newbie Joined: 08 Nov 2004 Posts: 1

The tramp is helpful, but you have to remember that when doing tantrums on the water, it is the wake that flips you over. On the tramp you are flipping yourself over...

akirachan · Criminal Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 61

So... a little off subject, but I was doing them on a trampoline the other day, without my board unfortunately, but got to thinking, how hard could this be on the ground. Then I got off the trampoline and felt like i was somehow stuck to the Earth, the usual feeling you get when you step off, so I chickened out and went inside. Did I save myself from near death? How do you go about learning that?

wakeboarder89 · Addict Joined: 15 Jun 2003 Posts: 637

im gonna have to say you saved your self from nearth death

usually on the ground its more of a back tuck and you have to tuck more where as on a trampoline you can jump higher so you can lay it out which is more like a tantrum

BR_WB · Wakeboarder.com Freak Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 2850

You have two types of back flips:

1) Back Layout - which is a tantrum on the water.

2) Back Tuck - which is an indy tantrum on the water.

I would suggest learning both so you can be on your way to having very good air awareness. I would start off learning the back tuck, because you have to be able to control a layout so you don't shoot off the tramp. First, get a spotter to have one hand clenching onto your shirt and the other arm to throw you around in case you don't make the roatation. Back flips take alot more confidence than front flips. The good thing about back flips is that you can spot your landing almost immediately. Don't waste your time with a back drop or whatever it is, just go for a back flip with a spotter.

For a tuck take about three good jumps and on the third jump go straight up and suck your knees into you chest and then tilt your head back. Do this in two motions or else you will spin way fast. For the lay just jump and arch your back, but you have to be able to throw it a little forwards so you don't bounce off the tramp. If you can, go to a gymnastics center and get used to flipping in a harness first, it will really build your confidence and I'm sure they wouldn't mind. We have a gymnastics place here that has three tramps for us - one weighted rope, a harness, and a rope simulating a tower.

akirachan,

Doing a tuck on the ground isn't hard at all. I'm 6' 1 and have no problem, even though I haven't done it in a while. You just want to shoot straight up and swing your arms up for mementum to get you going. Then just suck your knees up super hard. Everything has to be over exaggerated in order to complete it. If you don't make it all the way around it really doesn't hurt that bad.

Hope this helps.

NewWake · Newbie Joined: 15 Nov 2004 Posts: 14 City: Williamsburg

I am assuming that using the wakeboard (minus the fins of course) is ok on a trampoline? Or is there some other practice board that is better to use?

finkle · Wakeboarder.com Freak Joined: 22 Sep 2003 Posts: 4067

NewWake, try an old skate deck.

NewWake · Newbie Joined: 15 Nov 2004 Posts: 14 City: Williamsburg

An old skate deck will not have the same mass and weight as a wakebaord. I figured there might be a flexable foam proto-type that is flexable enough on the trampoline but heavy enough to simulate a wakeboard. If not then there's a new product to market.

wakeboarder89 · Addict Joined: 15 Jun 2003 Posts: 637

couldnt you break somethin or hurt yourself somehow w/ a wakeboard strapped to your feet on a tramp?
just doesnt seem like exactly the safest thing to do but if it works o well

BR_WB · Wakeboarder.com Freak Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 2850

NewWake,

It's incredibly hard to get good bounce on a wakeboard and it's even harder to get it around. Try using an old skate deck or a piece of foam. You don't need to simulate by using an actual wakeboarding, just something to keep your feet in position.

wakeboarder_dude22 · Soul Rider Joined: 28 Mar 2003 Posts: 409 City: Australia

I actually found midwest wake's advice helpful. I took it really slow and worked my way up from the basic drills, just getting used to the backwards rotation. Then all of a sudden I felt ready to try it properly and I had no problem with drifting off the tramp and didn't find it that hard once you do it a few times. So the drills midwest wake said really helped me, mainly with my confidence.

DunDunDun · Posted: Nov 21, 2004 5:21 pm Post subject:

its werid but the way i learned them so by running off of a deck, bouncing and hucking myself backwards. so it was more of a barrel role/backflip, like half of both and then i got the backflip thing down. it looked weird buyt i did it. Laughing

wakeboarder07 · Posted: Nov 24, 2004 8:38 pm Post subject:

I find this the easiest way to do a back layout or a back flip on a tramp is:
1)for a back layout jump as high as you can, then when you get up there in the air throw your head back and let your feet follow, then bring your feet back up to land it.
2)for a back tuck jump as high as you can straight up and when you at the very peek of your jump quickly bring your knees to your chest. When you see the tramp start bringing your feet back down to land it.

Enzoborder230 · Posted: Dec 01, 2004 4:45 pm Post subject:

for the skate deck how do u get the shoes to stick to the deck. ive seen them i just donno how do u glue em tape em or nail em?

roundbaywakeboard · Posted: Dec 01, 2004 9:43 pm Post subject:

Go to a gymnastics gym, the coaches there will show you how to do it. There should be no "throwing" motion at any time during your jump. When you jump up, look straight forward and bring your knees to your chest and have your forearms touch your shins. This will bring all the centrifugal force to your core and spin you without you having to exert any effort. Spotting the landing with this is easy and you really cant under rotate it unless you untuck and freak out. Case in point- Don't freak out and you won't get hurt. Good luck!

Elevation · Posted: Dec 02, 2004 4:29 pm Post subject:

ar230border, duct tape solves everything Cool

Enzoborder230 · Posted: Dec 04, 2004 5:48 pm Post subject:

how do u tape the back of the shoe it always hangs off, would sandals work

Elevation · Posted: Dec 04, 2004 10:20 pm Post subject:

are you asking how you get the shoe to stay? or that you want shoes skinny enough to not hang off ha. sandals would work, ive used a skate deck with sandals before. you can just wrap the tape through the middle of the sole and around the deck. or you can use skate shoes and just go across the toe and under/over and around the back of the heel and then underneath the deck.

weby · Outlaw Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 124 City: Sydney

midwest wake's first comment was right i learnt how to do backflips on the ground with a spotter just slowly go down 1... 2.... 3... jump upwards and bring your knees to ure chest and if ure not going to make the spotter will spin u the rest of the way. get the spotter to hold with his right hand on to ure shirt at ure arm and the other on ure shorts as long as they dont let go u will be right. MAKE SURE U TRUST URE SPOTTER. using that i can now do them without the spotter on the grass, tramp or even on ledges

wakesnake · Newbie Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Posts: 37 City: Tamworth N.S.W

yer i agree and all u need is plastic glue to put the shoes to the deck Rolling Eyes