Member of the Month

abjectwoe
May, 2025

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Backflip Progression Tips

profile picture
Skierra69
Posts: 14 - Karma: 151
Alright, so I've bucketlisted doing a backflip on skis and I'm not one to back out of a bucklist item. I was just curious to see what you wonderful (and attractive) NS people have to say about a progression to a backflip. I can do it on a tramp and off of diving boards, but that's not the same I'm sure. What are the differences? What did you find helpful in learning to throw backflips? Is it more of a "suck it up and grow some lady balls" kinda thing?
12 years ago
98 1
profile picture
Mr.Sloth
Posts: 5091 - Karma: 13,472
Please, do anything but grow balls
12 years ago
22 0
profile picture
first_rodeo
Posts: 2385 - Karma: 7,781
You flip in the air, dont do it on the takeoff.

backflip>loop>rodeo that is path of progression
12 years ago
3 0
profile picture
Rachy
Posts: 4355 - Karma: 2,761
Redbull sponsor, a private jump, and an airbag.

Or just go for it.
12 years ago
18 0
profile picture
Alvaro
Posts: 323 - Karma: 2,055
my biggest fear on a backflip is to hit the kicker with my head, so what helped me a lot was to start doing flat 3s and then doing them more and more inverted untill i feel like doing a straight backflip
12 years ago
1 0
profile picture
BLADEE
Posts: 1017 - Karma: 778
Imagine doing a backflip on a trampoline, but with boards on your feet slowing your rotation a little bit. First time I did backflips they felt wack as hell, you'll get used to it though.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
first_rodeo
Posts: 2385 - Karma: 7,781
you dont flip or even start the flip on the takeoff

for example this is how you start an lincoln loop
Click for larger image


if you start the flip on the takeoff you will probs land on your back
think about when you started spinning off jumps. you didnt spin until airborne
12 years ago
1 1
profile picture
humpty
Posts: 1190 - Karma: 3,162
dont do it at night if its your first one, do it on a sunny day with good light
12 years ago
2 0
profile picture
minihef
Posts: 827 - Karma: 931
Don't just panic about going upside down and impatiently huck off the lip. If you do that you'll either not get enough air and risk clocking your head on the lip of the jump or you'll throw it too hard, lose all control and risk over-rotating and landing on your head.

Instead get a good solid pop off the lip and then push through with your hips up to the sky whilst looking back. As you come around and start to see the landing start bringing your feet back under you in time for impact.

If you've done it on tramps and diving boards and you get a good controlled pop then you'll be fine.
12 years ago
1 0
profile picture
IanAvery-Leaf
Posts: 9937 - Karma: 9,479
this awesome new video should help you a lot

I did one last season then got real scared and never did another one so I'm stoked to try more this season


12 years ago
14 0
profile picture
jimmydar
Posts: 852 - Karma: 1,628
COMMIT. once your on the way you cannot question it at all. Its a generic answer but you have to have the all or nothing mentality
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
TheDers
Posts: 788 - Karma: 164
threads
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Washow
Posts: 343 - Karma: 463
Trying to do backie for the first time this season and this video is a big help. Thanks!
12 years ago
1 0
profile picture
mski
Posts: 4791 - Karma: 3,803
mostly commit and know you'll just bring it right to your feet. Pop and lean back looking for your landing and be aware of your feet.

Click for larger image
12 years ago
3 0
profile picture
Smuffy
Posts: 4687 - Karma: 3,411
If you're gonna huck it, fuck it... you might as well tuck it!

YOLO MOFUCKAS
12 years ago
3 0
profile picture
HabitualShred
Posts: 280 - Karma: 1,831
If you can find an airbag. Those things are unreal. You can try anything into those things without having to worry. I tryed one in to an air bag and was really suprised on how easily they actually were. Did it to snow the same day and all was good. Just commit!
12 years ago
1 0
profile picture
nine50seven
Posts: 576 - Karma: 686
Can't do one on a tramp or anything. I watched a bunch of tutorials and they all say it's easy just have to commit ago I hope they are right
12 years ago
1 0
profile picture
bakerpunk
Posts: 884 - Karma: 1,126
make sure you pop your hips out and keep looking for the ground. the bigger you go the easier it is.
12 years ago
1 0
profile picture
Blurst
Posts: 13577 - Karma: 10,169
Learn from this guy

12 years ago
10 0
profile picture
TimRiley
Posts: 1873 - Karma: 1,327
https://www.newschoolers.com/ns/mobile/forumread/id/764653/
This guy did a great how to video explaining backflips.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
CheddarJack
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 7,380
haha yes! That's my brother's friend!


Anyway, there's a lot of shitty advice out there about learning a backflip. This is the advice that I once got from a coach and is how I learned. It's a lot different than what I had previously thought and when I tried before I got this advice, I fell and broke my collarbone. I stomped it first try (on an airbag) with this advice.

First thing: you're not gunna be doing it on a 40 foot jump your first time so get the image of laying it out completely out of your head. If you try to lay it out on the smaller kicker that you're probably going to try it on, you'll fall on your head/shoulders. Try to pick a jump with a forgiving landing too. It'll be safer and will be easier to commit to.

Second: backflips are not about your head. They're about your hips/lower body. When you come off the jump, you want your body to be straight and perpendicular to the kicker with your head still looking forward. Once you come off the jump, suck your knees up (don't throw your arms past where they'd be in an athletic position) and try to watch your skis come up. You're probably going to crank your head back here, but that's alright, as long as it's after you completely come off the jump.

Third: Once your knees are up and you're in an athletic position, hold that position until you spot your landing by tilting your head back. It helps to look for the trees or whatever is near the horizon to help you get a sense of where you are in the air. Once you spot your landing, you can straighten out to slow your rotation.

Have fun!
12 years ago
2 0
profile picture
elm.
Posts: 1510 - Karma: 13,605
you should just huck it and expect to fall, then the fear is overcome and hopefully you won't be injured
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
ski0
Posts: 2321 - Karma: 5,370
I have seen many, many first backflip attempts over the years. Personally, I ate shit on my first attempt on a park jump.

From my experience the biggest fails are:

Smacking your head off the lip.
Issue: Person gets over excited, worried about under rotation and hucks too aggressively.
Fix: Take the dudes advice above.

and

Stalling the rotation / catching your tips on the knuckle
Issue: Person has poor body control and air awareness, or simply hucks it and hopes for the best.
Fix: Go BIG on the tramp and diving. You want to be able to do nice lazyboy backflips in training so you learn Try a backflip off of a 2.5M or even 5 M platform. Having a lot of air time is key because it will teach you about body control, timing, making adjustments in the air, air awareness, and confidence.



If fear is your biggest problem, my best advice would be to just accept that you are trying something dangerous, and you are risking injury. But you are totally OK with that because you love skiing, you want to push yourself, and every single decent freeskier had to go through the same moment at one point or another. good luck!

12 years ago
1 0
profile picture
John18_6
Posts: 7313 - Karma: 49,171
I'm having the problem I think I'll be too scared to throw one on a park jump. I have perfect air awareness on tramp (I haven't under/over rotated a backflip since I learned them). But I have the fear that I'll puss out because where I ski, the snow is so hard that if you don't land on your feet, you're pretty much done for the season. Maybe I can build a pow jump and go for it, but hell no at hyland.
12 years ago
4 0
profile picture
milk_man
Posts: 5252 - Karma: 5,975
I feel ya, the landings of jumps are so hard in Minnesota except in late spring. We need softer snow. And the only jumps they have at the resort I go to is sketchy step downs, but yet I love them
12 years ago
1 0
profile picture
John18_6
Posts: 7313 - Karma: 49,171
So true. Sometimes you get lucky with a warm powder day, those are my favorite days. Had a little huckfest when I was at giants ridge when there was an 8" storm in April, one of the best days I've ever had skiing. Other days, you are on an ice rink, like the blast of -5° temps after 3 days of freezing rain, this is when even straight airs are dangerous.
12 years ago
2 0
profile picture
C_Jack
Posts: 363 - Karma: 4,916
set it with your hips, not your head.
12 years ago
1 0
profile picture
John18_6
Posts: 7313 - Karma: 49,171
Same motion as tramp? Sorry bout the questions... I'm scurred.
12 years ago
2 0
profile picture
halfpipedream
Posts: 109 - Karma: 223
if you've never thrown a backie at all or aren't comfortable doing them, not on trampoline or off a diving board or anything, then DEFINITELY get it down with one of those more safe options. Muscle memory is huge when it comes to growing the lady balls and committing to it. That way you don't have to think about your actual body, just the timing.
12 years ago
1 0
profile picture
Mr_pretzel
Posts: 4616 - Karma: 1,289
Build a small kicky jump into a nice powder landing and just commit.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Shmeetman12345
Posts: 1 - Karma: 11
Help me out here plz I can’t tell what I’m doing wrong. Thxhttps://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/924194/A8437EBB-5A13-4ED0-B7B8-AFB44422E987-MOV
6 years ago
0 0
profile picture
DirtYStylE
Posts: 3652 - Karma: 8,897
Shmeetman12345Help me out here plz I can’t tell what I’m doing wrong. Thxhttps://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/924194/A8437EBB-5A13-4ED0-B7B8-AFB44422E987-MOV


Hell yeah dude getting sendy!

Its pretty hard to see whats going on. Next time have the filmer stand off to the side of the jump so we can see better. It looks 100% like you did not get enough speed.
6 years ago
0 0
profile picture
skierman
Posts: 8606 - Karma: 9,583
Skierra69Alright, so I've bucketlisted doing a backflip on skis and I'm not one to back out of a bucklist item. I was just curious to see what you wonderful (and attractive) NS people have to say about a progression to a backflip. I can do it on a tramp and off of diving boards, but that's not the same I'm sure. What are the differences? What did you find helpful in learning to throw backflips? Is it more of a "suck it up and grow some lady balls" kinda thing?


Alright, so I've bucketlisted doing a backflip on skis and I'm not one to back out of a bucklist item.



It sounds like you have a shitty bucket list. What's next? Doing a cork 7? LOLOL
6 years ago
0 1
profile picture
skierman
Posts: 8606 - Karma: 9,583
"I have the same bucket list as a 7-year-old. I'm so hardcore!"
6 years ago
0 1
All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 1:54PM