Coach JoseNo. Regardless of what some social media influencers tell you, you can’t Learn to flip in 60 seconds. At least, you shouldn’t try.
First, you should not attempt to teach anything you’re not qualified to instruct. There are many reasons instructors and teachers spend countless hours learning and understanding the material they cover. It’s arrogant to think that you can impart knowledge you did not acquire through disciplined observation.
Second, safety is an essential aspect of learning new physical skills—especially the performance of skills that involve complex locomotions. Flipping is dangerous when done incorrectly; the consequences to the person doing it can be dire.
Learn to Flip in 60 Seconds
Granted, and it’s necessary to consider this caveat, there are people for whom learning complex skills comes naturally. I know people who taught themselves how to tumble and later came to me for help in refining their skills.
Now (and this is where this consideration becomes critical), unless you can identify a person’s natural ability for skill development, you should not assume that they require minimal instruction to learn a new skill.
Assuming wrongly, in this case, can have negative, life-altering results.
I want to get right to point with this message because it’s important to me and any other coach I know.
The Problem
There are numerous videos doing rounds on the Internet of people with large followings claiming that they can teach someone to flip in a short time or a small series of steps.
Here is one that illustrates my point clearly.
DISCLAIMER: INVERT CITY, PULSARS GYMNASTICS CLUB, NOR ANY OF THEIR ASSOCIATES ENDORSE THE MESSAGE OF THIS VIDEO. THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN IT ARE SOLELY THE OPINIONS OF THE PRODUCER AND THEIR EXECUTORS.
Her friend appears to have some gymnastics training, and even so, she lands the flip incorrectly. You can imagine asking someone to do this without previous experience.
The Solution
In response to this trend, one of my Superheroes and I decided to show some basic progressions to learning a backflip, or what we call a back-tuck.
Here is the video
I need to point out that we excluded more complicated parts of the process to avoid sending the wrong message to anyone who reads this. We do not want untrained people to think they are qualified to spot or assist the performance of a difficult skill.
As stated in the caption of the video more progressions are required for safety reasons.
Conclusion
All new and complex skills should be practised under qualified supervision.
This article aims not to undermine people’s aptitude for learning but to minimise the dangers of performing advanced acrobatics in the wrong setting.
Thanks to Jordyn for her patience and help with this video.
I’m glad you stopped by.
— Coach José
