A backflip mid-rotation
A Flip is an acrobatic maneuver in which the practitioner preforms one or more rotations while airborne. They are rarely used in Parkour, as they rarely aid in efficient movement; however, they are very often performed in freerunning and tricking as they are often quite visually impressive.
Directions of rotation[]
- Front Flip The rotation is forwards.
- Side Flip The rotation is sideways.
- Back Flip The rotation is backwards.
Types of Flip[]
- Tuck The knees are brought tight to the chest in order to speed up the rotation.
- Pike Similar to the tuck but with the knees kept straight. Rotation is not as fast.
- Layout Hips are kept straight and back is arched.
- Wallflip Any type of flip performed off of a wall (or any type of vertical obstacles, such as a tree). The term "wallflip" most commonly refers to a backflip off a wall.
Usage in Parkour[]
Although flips have limited usefulness in Parkour, they can occasionally aid in efficient motion. Sideflips can be used to quickly get over a low obstacle (especially when ordinary vaults cannot be used, such as over barbed wire or bushes). A wallflip with a 180 degree twist can be used to quickly reverse one's momentum. Back, front, and side tucks can be useful when accidentally falling (in order to land feet first). They also teach the practitioner to be aware of their body and its relation to surroundings.
