Somersault
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A somersault (obsolete French word sombresault, Provencal sobresaut; and Latin - supra, over, and saltus, jump, and in gymnastics a Salto) is an acrobatic exercise in which a person does a full 360° flip, moving the feet over the head. A somersault can be performed either forwards, backwards, or sideways and can be executed in the air or on the ground. When performed on the ground it is normally called a roll.
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[edit] Types of somersault
There are many variations of front and back somersaults with most technically recognized versions being defined in the competitive sport of Trampolining - in which a somersault can be competitively performed in three shapes: tucked, piked or straight.
In addition to full somersaults, somersaults can be used in 1/4 rotations. These create variations such as:
- Crash Dive (3/4 Front Somersault to back landing)
- Lazy Back (3/4 Back Somersault to front landing)
- Ballout (11⁄4 Front Somersault to feet from back landing)
- Cody (11⁄4 back Somersault to feet from front landing)
Within British Gymnastic associations, the above terms have been deprecated in favour of more standard terms. e.g. Crash Dive is referred to as a 3/4 Front Somersault (Straight). Similarly, the previously named Barani Ballout is now termed a Ballout Barani to indicate that the forward somersault is executed before the twist.
In addition there are many variations of double and triple somersaults, often including twist rotations and can end in body landings.
Other associated moves include:
- Barani (Front Somersault with 1/2 twist)
- Rudolph (Rudi) (Front Somersault with 11⁄2 twists)
- Randolph (Randi) (Front Somersault with 21⁄2 twists)
- Adolf (Sometimes referred to as an Adi) (Front Somersault with 31⁄2 twists)
- Full Back or frontfull (Back Somersault or Front Somersault with 1 twist) less common with single fronts
- Double (Double Front or Back Somersault)
- Double Full (Back Somersault with 2 twists)
- Half Out (Double Front Somersault with 1/2 twist in the second somersault)
- Back in - Full out (Double Back Somersault with 1 twist in the second somersault)
[edit] Terminology
The word 'flip' is synonymous with somersault in a number of countries including the USA.[1] However this is not used in trampolining in some countries such as Britain, whereby a flip is a skill that is executed with forward or backward movement, relying on the arms to create rotation, with an optional contact on the floor with the hands.
Many sports (not just gymnastics) have added to the confusion of named somersaults. For instance in sports such as BMX, FMX, snowboarding and even skateboarding, a backward rotation is referred to as a "backflip". Certain new sports such as tricking and free running also name their moves flips.
The word 'somerset' was also used in Victorian England to describe what today we call a somersault. For example, an 1843 poster advertising Pablo Fanque's Circus Royal boasts, "Mr. HENDERSON will undertake the arduous Task of THROWING TWENTY-ONE SOMERSETS, ON THE SOLID GROUND."[2]John Lennon also employs the word in his adaptation of the circus poster for The Beatles song, Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!, in which he sings, "And Mr. H will demonstrate ten somersets he'll undertake on solid ground."[3]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ http://www2.usa-gymnastics.org/education/gymnastics/glossary.html, American Gymnastic Terminology
- ^ Sweeny Report: This circus poster from 1843 was the genesis of what popular song? June 5, 2008. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
- ^ Beatles Lyrics: Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! Retrieved April 5, 2011.
