Gymnastics
Back Pike
The back pike is a backward somersault performed with straight legs and folded hips. It combines leg power at takeoff with body control during rotation and landing.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Advanced
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 2 min
How to do it
- Stand upright with your feet about hip-width apart.
- Dip into a shallow squat with your arms behind you.
- Drive upward into a jump with your arms reaching overhead.
- Fold at your hips after takeoff, bringing your straight legs toward your chest as you rotate backward.
- Hold the pike shape through the rotation.
- Open your hips as the landing surface comes back into view, extending your legs beneath you.
- Land on both feet with your knees bending to absorb the impact.
Form cues
- Keep your legs together in flight.
- Brace your middle.
- Keep your head aligned with your torso.
Common mistakes
- Throwing the shoulders backwardDirect your takeoff upward rather than leaning back, allowing enough height to complete the rotation.
- Bending the knees in flightUse a pike depth you can maintain with straight knees rather than turning the skill into a tuck.
- Opening at the wrong timeReturn to spotted progressions to establish a consistent opening point before attempting independent landings.
Safety
Insufficient height or mistimed rotation can cause a head, neck, or back landing with serious injury. An uncontrolled landing can also injure your knees or ankles.
- Practice only under qualified gymnastics supervision with appropriate spotting.
- Use a spring floor and suitable landing mats secured against movement.
- Establish a reliable back tuck and controlled pike jumps before attempting this skill.
- Stop when fatigue changes your takeoff height or landing control.
If you have current neck, back, knee, or ankle symptoms, get advice from a physiotherapist or doctor before attempting backward somersaults.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Gymnastics Landing Mat
- Spring Floor
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–5
- Target
- 1–3 reps
- Rest
- 2 min
Use this as skill practice, fully resetting between repetitions rather than linking them into a conditioning set.