Front flips are considered one of the most challenging moves in parkour. You have to perform it correctly to avoid hitting your head. There are many variations in front flip; one is a double front flip that you can teach yourself. Here is how to do it. Some tips and tricks on attaining this move are also included.
Step 1: Learning the Essential Body Motions
Before doing the double front flip, you must acquaint yourself with the basic body motions you must enhance to safely and perfectly do it.
Always stretch first by doing a warm-up. Start it by stretching your ankles, hamstrings, neck, and wrists at the very least. It would be beneficial to stretch beforehand as a preparatory for completing any moves and safety training.
For the angle stretch, sit on the floor and extend your ankles. Rotate the ankle in a circular motion as you prop it up on the other knee. Repeat with the other foot.
As you stand, lift one of your legs behind you to stretch your hamstrings, making sure that the ball of your feet touches your butt. Repeat on the other side. While you’re doing it, ensure that your butt muscles are taut.
While facing in front, position your head at the side touching the right shoulder, hold for at least 10 seconds and repeat it with the other side. Next, face the floor, hold for at least 10 seconds, and repeat it by facing the ceiling. This routine is the neck stretch.
With your palm up, extend your right arm in front of you, bend your wrist, pointing your hand toward the floor, then gently bend your wrist farther with the help of the other hand until you feel a mild to moderate stretch in your forearm.
Hold for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat it with your left hand. These are just some stretches you can do that will make a difference in learning the double front flip.
Step 2: Decide If You Are Ready To Do a Front Flip
Making decisions for your good is the best way to avoid tragedy. Before doing the double front flip, ensure that you are physically prepared and get as much height as possible.
Punch off the ground when you’re jumping. If you have never done it before, it is ideal to work with someone who has. To learn some tricks, go to a parkour or gymnastics gym. At these gyms, you will also have access to items like spring floors, which will make things much easier.
Also, recognize the repercussions of learning new tricks when a beginner. Prepare your mind and be ready. Knowing your limits is also helpful in your progress.
Try practicing on a trampoline first. A trampoline is a life-saver when learning new flipping moves in parkour. To get a feel for the moves, go through each step. You can practice these steps on your backyard trampoline in a safe environment.
Make sure you are tight when you first get on the trampoline. Keep your body straight and your head steady. Injuries can occur if you have your head and body fluttering around.
Bend your knees together and bring your arms to stand by at the side. As you start going in the air, straighten both knees and bring both arms straight in front of the chest.
At the highest bounce point, bring your arms straight above your head, trying to reach something to the fingertips as high as you can.
On the way down, bring your arms to the side (chest level forming a T position) and back into the first position.
Step 3: Get in Position and Run Forward
You can start doing a double front flip by having a running start. It will be easier for beginners because running will help you gain momentum and speed. However, you can also not do this if you have limited space in your practice area.
Instead of running for a front flip and punching the ground, try stepping into a flip. It will help you to tuck harder because you lack height.
Work out in a gym with a sprung floor and spotters if possible. You do not need to run far away; a few steps will do to get your momentum flowing. It must be at least four or five steps at a time, and once you have mastered the basics, you will be able to do more to increase your height and power.
Step 4: Be Brave and Leap Into A Jump
As you are about to end your run, leap forward on the final step, bringing your feet together so that you land in a jump on both of them. Furthermore, it would be best to lean slightly backward to increase rather than decrease your forward velocity.
Lift your arms as you leap into the jump. Keep your arms close to your ears to keep your core muscles taut when jumping. Pushing your momentum upward gives you more height, which gives you longer to complete the flip.
As you lift off from the ground, push your butt out. You can start your spin using this move.
Do not take a big leap because it can limit your momentum. It will also take your running momentum and use it up before taking a punch off the ground to go to a front flip.
Instead, your hop should be low to the ground; this will help your body act like a spring when you turn your forward momentum into height.
Add a knee lift to the punch, then push your body forward as you jump up and drag your knees into the air.
Stand straight and open your leg, facing your toes in front in your ready position. Straighten your back out as you descend.
Step your right foot in front, then lift your body while bending your knee to bring it up towards the chest. Do the same thing on the other side.
Step 5: Keep Your Head In Place
While you jump, your head should be looking forward until you tuck it in. Finding a point on the wall to focus on as you go into your front flip is the simplest way to keep this position. Keep your gaze on the ground until you’re ready to tuck.
Ensure that the position is safe and that there is no room for a miscalculated head movement because you should always avoid hitting the ground first.
It may be hard at first, especially if you cannot master yet how to tuck the head properly, do not stress yourself out because you can certainly do it after regular and serious practice.
Step 6: Use Your Arms To Rev Up the Momentum
You may get started on your rotation by using your arms. Your arms should move slightly back as you punch into the air. Throw your arms forward as you move to begin your tuck. This will assist you in starting your rotation.
Your arms can rev up the momentum for the rotation as you tuck and move your bottom accordingly.
Make sure that you are using your arms properly. Swinging your arms up hurt your ability to rotate, which causes most people to fail the flip. Utilize your arms to generate height; this is far less effective for your front flips.
It would help if you took your arms and swung them down into your rotation. Start with your arms at the take-off and swing them into the rotation for the front flip.
Step 7: Tuck Your Body
Positioning yourself into a ball continues your rotation. Tuck your body in to push yourself into the rotation. Grab your shins slightly below your knees.
Make sure to grip your legs below your knees in the small hollow. You’ll be able to pull your legs in without having to press your knee forward.
You will also be throwing your upper body down towards the ground. So that you tuck tightly, your chin should be at your chest. Put your head down as well.
Remember to tuck hard enough. Tuck should be tight and not a loose tuck; you can notice more improvements in doing front flip when you tuck tighter.
If you find tucking hard, you can try exercising your core like basic crunches or sit-ups. Keep your knees slightly apart, especially if you are new to this practice. This will help prevent a nosebleed if you accidentally stay tucked for too long.
Step 8: Let It Go, Do Not Hold Too Long
To avoid rotating too much that will end up in an improper position, do not hold on to your shins for a long time when you tuck, no matter how tempting.
In this step, avoid untacking too early. It may be tempting to open up or bail but try to hold it throughout the flip. It is safer than opening it too early and increasing the chances of landing your flip with your head first.
You might be lucky enough to complete a double front flip, but you could also tumble to the ground without landing on your feet if you don’t.
Step 9: Straighten Out Your Body
You should straighten out your body as you come around to finish the front flip. To avoid landing on your buttocks, try to put weight on your legs to push down towards the ground rather than kicking it outward as you turn.
You’re letting go of your tucking position and flipping position. To absorb some of the shocks, bend your knees as you land. Balance out and stand steadily.
Step 10: Decide Your Front Flip Finish
You don’t have to move if you can stick the landing. You can also sprint a few steps forward after you flip to deal with the momentum. Lastly, you can use the momentum to advance to a new tumbling skill.
As you come out of the flip, lunge forward on one leg to advance into another technique. It’s similar to continuing to run, but instead of taking steps, you use the momentum to move forward.
Put your arms up by your ears, so you’re ready to proceed forth.
A common mistake in this step is not blocking properly. This mistake means you failed to generate our maximum height. These mistakes happen when you land with your feet below directly or behind your body which causes you to travel forward instead of up.
It would be best to land with your feet slightly ahead of your body to help convert than running into height.
Step 11: Always Practice Safely
Whether it is your first time or not, practicing and performing a trick safely and free from major injuries is important, especially in moves involving leaps and flips. One wrong move and you might end up breaking a bone or two, and the worst case is that you may not be able to return to parkour again.
Of course, no one would want this, and staying safe is better than always being sorry. Parkour has undeniably many risks, but there are many ways you can stay safe while enjoying taking breath-taking stunts and falling safely in times that you will.
I have written an article that will teach you how to fall safely through a simple move that anyone can do. It is also essential to get back on track after falling. You can read it at this link.
Once you master this, an expert traceur can make the advanced parkour moves I have included in this article.
Show off The Double Front Flip
Once you have done the double front flip properly and polished it the way you want it to, it is time to show it off. Suppose you have trouble doing it, do not worry, since many people may find it difficult needing many tries. You may have to go over the steps again and repeat them, doing them, perfecting one step at a time. Once you achieve the double front flip, it will be a parkour move.
