For Flip’s Sake - The role of flips in parkour: are they worth the hype?
- 16 hours ago
- 3 min read
“Can you do a Backflip?” - it’s a rite of passage for anyone who trains parkour to be asked this question from excitable children or an onlooking group of lads. The dilemma that follows arguably calls into question the spirit of parkour - do I need to prove myself right here, right now?
Firstly, why are we asked this in the first place? How closely are flips and parkour associated with each other? There is a controversy about flips in the parkour scene, where one school of thought believes that flips are not part of parkour at all. Flips go against the idea of efficiency in the sport as they require exerting much more energy and often are singular moves that have limits to where they can be used - this flies in the face of what some consider the essence of parkour - getting from point a to point b as efficiently and effectively as possible. This could be the perfect get out of jail free card if you don’t want to flip in front of others, but culture is not black and white and flips are seemingly becoming an essential tool in an athlete’s parkour belt, whether traditionalists like it or not.
Parkour has grown from its origins and now celebrates its practitioners through competition in both community jams or the international stage. A whole section of the competition is dedicated to style - this is where the ability to do flips really comes into play. As the competition heats up, so does the atmosphere: crowds gather to watch increasingly complex and spine-tingling combos of flips, with awe and respect awarded to all who dare to attempt tricks that seem to defy the laws of physics.
Just like the excited crowd of enthusiasts, you can enjoy awesome tricks without having to perform these yourself. However, flips can open up opportunities to add interest and more expression to your lines so you can make them unique to you.
If you want to begin on your style journey and add some flips to your repertoire, here are 3 simple flips you can learn in a few sessions with some ideas of how to translate them to the flow element of parkour to get you adding flair in no time:
Backflip: Can be used at the start of a line to add impact from the off, backflips lend themselves to spots with limited space as they can be transferred to a wallflip, creating opportunities to redirect your line with style.
Side Flip: Using your elbow to drive and grabbing your legs to tuck, side flips are quick to learn. They can be used over gaps or over obstacles once confident - perfect for connecting two lines together.
Front Flip: Using arms and a powerful tuck to drive you up and around quickly, these can be added to the end of a line, looking good when used off a higher ledge. Add a roll once you land for more ground cover.
Ultimately, whether to flip or not to flip is entirely your choice in your training journey and doesn’t need to be a philosophical debate at all. Simply think about the reason why you want to flip - is it to impress your mates (which is still a valid reason if it is your choice), a desire to move with more explosion and ferocity or develop your personal style signature with a unique trick? Here at Fluidity Freerun Academy, our Fusion Course has a purely optional level dedicated to flips - take it or leave it!
Want to prove them wrong and get that backflip? Enquire about our Front Back and Sides Learn 2 Flip courses we run throughout the year! Just remember that skills can be built quickly and lost just as rapidly - don’t be discouraged, as they say in Wales: dal ati (keep at it)!
Go send,
Demi
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