Gymnastics
Trampoline Back Tuck
The trampoline back tuck is a single tucked backward somersault that finishes on your feet. It develops aerial awareness, coordination, and control of your jump 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 in the center of the trampoline with your feet hip-width apart.
- Build a controlled vertical bounce to your practiced takeoff height.
- Push through both feet into a tall takeoff with your arms overhead.
- Draw your knees toward your chest into a compact tuck as you rotate backward.
- Extend your hips and knees out of the tuck as your feet rotate toward the bed.
- Land on both feet near the center with your knees slightly bent.
- Absorb the remaining rebound into a controlled stop bounce.
Form cues
- Keep your head neutral.
- Lift before you tuck.
- Keep the tuck symmetrical.
- Find the bed before landing.
Common mistakes
- Throwing your head backwardKeep your head aligned with your torso rather than using a neck snap to start rotation.
- Pulling into the tuck too earlyFinish your upward push before drawing your legs in.
- Holding the tuck too longPractice the opening timing in assisted drills so you can extend before contact.
Safety
Under-rotation or over-rotation can cause a head or neck landing with serious spinal injury. Drifting toward the edge can cause a fall or collision with the frame.
- Attempt this only under qualified gymnastics supervision, with spotting or a harness when appropriate.
- First establish reliable stop bounces, centered straight jumps, tuck jumps, and supervised backward-rotation drills.
- Use a properly maintained gymnastics trampoline with secured frame pads and appropriate surrounding landing protection; allow only one jumper at a time.
- End practice when fatigue, dizziness, or inconsistent landings affect your control.
Choose nonrotating jumps if you lack the prerequisites, and seek medical advice before attempting flips if you have neck or back symptoms or balance problems.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Spotting Platform (optional)
- Trampoline
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–5
- Target
- 1–3 reps
- Rest
- 2 min
Treat each repetition as a separate skill attempt, not a continuous series of flips.