A still shot taken during a reverse vault.
A Reverse Vault is a vault used in parkour in which the traceur rotates 360º backwards over an obstacle. It is mostly used for removing momentum, while still moving forwards over an obstacle. Reverse vaults can also be used as a break-fall after a medium drop instead of a roll; for example, if the traceur lands on a wall and a roll is not suitable, he can use a reverse vault to remove momentum whilst getting down from the wall.
Some consider the reverse vault to be a separate vault where the traceur/freerunner begins with their back towards the obstacle and with only one hand placed on said obstacle, whereas others consider it to be identical to the 360º Vault. A variant is the double leg reverse vault, where the legs are kept straight.
Progressions[]
As with any Parkour movement, start small and move up. Make sure you have a firm foundation in landing and the basic vaults, such as the safety, two-handed and kong vault before attempting this movement. The Kong Vault, though not a a technical progression, is one of the first commitment moves one should learn, so it is helpful for building confidence.
It is an inherently dangerous move, combining a high vault with a possibly disorienting spin, so be careful when beginning this move (for instance, don't try this over a high drop).
Technique[]
- Run up at a controlled pace. The more speed you go into the vault with, the faster you'll turn, so be careful not to run too fast and over-rotate.
- Place your left hand (assuming you are spinning to the left) in a comfortable position and jump swinging your legs over one at a time. The hand placement is mostly personal preference, but on rails it is usually best to grab it with the palm of the hand either up or out to allow the body to rotate. For flat surfaces it's best to place the hand in a backwards position to more naturally align with the rotation.
- (Optional) Push off with your right hand after completing the backwards rotation to even yourself out to make it easier to controllably go into a run out or landing.
Freerunning Variations[]
Barrel Vault[]
- Main article: Barrel Vault
Video[]
