A standing backflip on floor rotates backwards from two feet and lands on two, with no hands down. The setup is a slight bend with the arms drawn back and the chest held up — tipping the chest forward sends the body travelling backwards instead of up. Height comes first: the arms swing up and the feet push off the balls, driving the body straight up before the shoulders tilt back to start the rotation. Looking forward through takeoff rather than throwing the head back is what keeps the flip going up rather than away. Once airborne the knees pull to the chest and the tuck stays tight for rotation; opening early kills it and turns the landing dangerous. The eyes find the floor on the way round, then the body opens to land on the balls of the feet with the legs bent to absorb. Because it is a backwards, blind-ish rotation, it is worth learning over a soft surface or with a spot before the floor.
Key cues
- Chest up, arms back, only a slight bend
- Look forward on takeoff — don't throw the head back
- Swing the arms up, push off the balls of the feet
- Drive up first, then tilt the shoulders back
- Knees to chest, tuck tight
- Spot the floor before opening to land