Who wouldn't want to do a flip?  Gymnasts and other athletes perform flips frequently during their routines or out of excitement.  While doing flips would be a great way to exercise and work out, just imagine how much attention and amazed looks people would throw your way if you were to take a notion and do a flip spontaneously.  Conceptually, flips are not hard to do.  However, many people are held back from doing flips because of nerves or because they are simply scared.  Fear is half the battle.  If you can overcome the initial fear of doing crazy things like flips, then you will be well on your way to doing flips all of the time.

Before you start to learn and practice your flips, be sure to practice in a well padded area in the case that you do take a few wrong landings.  It is also a good idea to have a spotter on hand to help with your technique and assist you if something should take a wrong landing or need other first-aid attention.  Be advised:  Doing flips is a somewhat dangerous activity and should be done at your own risk.  By reading this how-to, you agree to be solely liable should any harm be caused as a result of your practicing or performing the flips.

Before you do physical exercise, especially one which will require many muscles to tighten and spring, you will want to stretch the muscles out.  If you do not stretch out you are putting yourself and your muscles in sever danger of becoming strained or even pulled.  Strained or pulled muscles are highly unpleasant and can cause much distress and pain.  In order to do a flip you will want to stretch your legs, arms, core, chest, and back to insure that you have gotten every muscle group limber, loose, and ready for action.

To start your flip, you will want to get into a jumping stance.  This is accomplished by bending the keens, raising the arms fully above the head, and pulling up the rib cage and chest area as if you were taking deep breaths.  When jumping it is imperative to jump strait upwards.  Many people are under the impression that those who perform flips jump forward.  However, jumping forward causes loss of height on the jump.  In order to turn a full flip, you will need as much jump height as you can get.

When you reach the maximum height of your jump, thrust the arms forward and then pull them down. This will assist your body in gaining the momentum it needs to perform a full front-flip.  As you are thrusting your arms, pull both of your knees as close to the chest as possible.  Essentially, the goal is to look like a human ball in the air.  Pulling the knees into the chest also creates good movement and enough momentum to turn the flip.  As soon as you feel your body returning to an upright position, you will want to uncurl to stop the momentum and prepare for the landing.

After you have uncurled from the ball position make sure that your feet are about should width apart and ready to be firmly planted into the ground.  In order to cushion the landing make sure that your knees are bent and loose so that your knees and joints do not have to absorb the brunt of the landing.  Remaining fluid and loose will make the landing much lighter and much more painless.  Remaining loose at the time of landing will also assist your body in maintaining good balance.  If your legs are too rigid and stiff, the momentum might continue to carry and you could end up with more than just your feet on the ground.