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I am doing gymnastics training, our class is learning about basic backflip. I have read few cases where people land improperly, and hurt their leg, neck, shoulder etc. Is there anyway to prevent backflip injuries? Any training on how to break a fall, or improper rotation? In basketball , there are ways to counter a bad layup fall or baseball (such as falling on the slide, or sliding on the ground, instead of hard landing).

Just curious what they teach in gymnastics as far as preventing bad flip issues?

https://www.liveabout.com/gymnastics-back-flip-1715056

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  • Its more usually called as a back somersault, not a backflip. A backflip is when a gymnast lands on their hands, not aerially. @mattsmith5
    – Stevo
    Commented Sep 7, 2021 at 7:45
  • @102152111 Don't agree there - though maybe there are some regional terminology differences? A back flip in my experience is just what that link shows - standing, rotate backwards in the air 360 degrees, standing. I might misunderstand what you're describing, but that sounds like a back handspring? Or do you mean stops on their hands and doesn't go further (I don't know what that would be called)?
    – Joe
    Commented Sep 7, 2021 at 16:27
  • Ah, sorry for the confusion @Joe. In my place, as a gymnast, we call what you call a backhandspring a back flip, while we call what you call a back flip a back somersault.
    – Stevo
    Commented Sep 7, 2021 at 23:01
  • @102152111 Interesting - is this an English speaking part of the world? Or maybe a translation difference? I looked about some, and can't find any US site that uses the other terminology - usagym.org/pages/gymnastics101/glossary.html for example uses handspring. (It uses "salto" for "flip", which is the technically correct term.). Somersault is commonly used as a synonym for flip or salto, so on that one we agree!
    – Joe
    Commented Sep 7, 2021 at 23:07
  • @Joe yeah, a salto is the abbreviation of Somersault. And yes, it is an English speaking part of the world, in fact the one down under!
    – Stevo
    Commented Sep 7, 2021 at 23:08

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Usually a person doing a backflip for the first time wouldn't go up and do it. It will take drills and drills for about at LEAST 3 months until the gymnast gets the feelings. Then they will do a backflip with the coach spotting them, best on the trampoline or a soft mat.

There isnt any way to prevent the injuries. The best way possible is to do drills again and again and doing backflips with the coach spotting. That way, the backflip becomes more of an instinct. The best way to start backflips if you have learnt it before but haven't done it for a substantial amount of time is to go back to the drills and do backflips on the soft mats/trampolines before going and doing complex skills. As the injuries are usually caused on the actual floor, going on the soft mat will more or less prevent MOST injuries.

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