Somersault

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This article is about somersault, the acrobatic feat. For the movie, see Somersault (film).

A somersault (sometimes somerset) is an acrobatic feat in which a person tucks in mid-air and moves the feet over the head. The somersault can be performed either forwards, backwards, or sideways and is synonymous with a flip (or, if performed backwards, backflip).

The word originates from the obsolete French word sombresault. In Dgèrnésiais the word is buncho.

There are many variations of front and back somersaults. A back flip is commonly associated with back somersault, yet a backflip is technically a back handspring which uses the arms to sustain the person performing the move.

Other associated flips are:

• Barani (Front Somersault with 180 twist)
• Flash Kick (Back Somersault with legs split to represent a 'kick')
• X-Out (Back Somersault with both legs kicking out so legs form a V shape)
• X-In (Frontflip with legs at a V shape)
• Gainer (Back Somersault whilst the momentum of the body is moving forward)
• Backfull or frontfull (Backflip or frontflip with a 360 spin)
• Barrelroll (Performing a Sideflip in a forward movement)
• Loser Flip (Front somersault but moving backwards from take off)

A somersault performed on a trampoline.

See also

• Gymnastics
• Jules Léotard
• Tricking
• Parkour

External links

• [Front flip tutorial]
• [Front Flip Biomechanics and Technique - Animated Comic Tutorial]

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