A back drop on a trampoline is a foundational skill where you land flat on your back after a bounce. It's a key step before attempting more complex skills that involve rotating backwards.
What is a Back Drop?
A back drop is a basic trampoline landing position. Instead of landing on your feet, seat, or hands and knees, you land flat on your back with your legs slightly bent and arms out to the sides for balance. Learning this landing safely is crucial in trampolining.
Steps to Learn the Back Drop
Learning a back drop typically involves starting with simpler steps and progressively moving towards the full skill on the trampoline. Based on the provided reference, practicing on a "string" or elevated surface might be part of the progression.
Here are general steps, incorporating insights from the reference:
- Start Safe: Begin by practicing on a soft surface off the trampoline to understand the position.
- Practice Landing Position: While sitting, practice pulling your knees slightly towards your chest and rounding your back. Your arms should be extended out to the sides for balance. This is the shape you aim for mid-air just before landing.
- Use Aids (like a 'String'): As mentioned in the reference, the next step might involve practicing onto a string that. This suggests using a progression aid, perhaps a line or elevated surface, to practice the movement and landing position safely before doing it on the trampoline bed. You would do the same steps (practicing the position and landing).
- Transition to the Trampoline: And then when you're ready you turny to the trampoline. Once comfortable with the practice steps, you move to the trampoline itself.
- Initial Bounce: Start with a small bounce from your feet.
- Tuck and Land: As you rise, for the same steps arms here one leg. Out. This implies a starting or preparation movement possibly involving positioning your arms and extending one leg as you prepare to rotate slightly or control your body shape for the landing. Tuck your body slightly and fall onto your back. Aim to land flat, distributing the impact across your back, shoulders, and hips simultaneously.
- Rebound: Ideally, you should rebound straight up to your feet from the back drop landing.
Breakdown of Key Movements
| Phase | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation | Position arms and body (Reference: arms here one leg. Out.) | Prepare for the fall or slight rotation needed. |
| Mid-air | Tuck slightly, maintain back shape | Aim for a slightly rounded back shape. |
| Landing | Land flat on back, arms out for balance | Distribute impact evenly. |
| Recovery | Rebound straight up | Control the bounce back to your feet. |
Tips for Learning
- Start Small: Don't try to bounce high when first learning the back drop.
- Use Your Arms: Your arms are crucial for balance before and during the landing. Keep them extended to the sides.
- Land Flat: Avoid landing on just your lower back or shoulders. Aim for a flat landing across your back.
- Practice Rebounding: The ability to bounce straight back up from the back drop is important for linking skills.
- Supervision: Always learn new trampoline skills under the supervision of a qualified instructor.
Learning the back drop safely and correctly is a fundamental part of progressing in trampolining skills. Practice the steps gradually, including any preparatory exercises like those potentially involving a "string" as mentioned in the reference.
