Today I potentially damned myself a lifetime of back problems.

I'm into a quasi-sport called "tricking" ( http://www.trickstutorials.com ) which is basically a lot of acrobatics blended with a bit of martial arts and gymnastics.

So anyway, I've been working up towards a standing backflip on the ground for a few days now. I'm feeling pretty good, besides the fact that today was a leg day, and anyone who's gone through a hellish leg day knows jumping isn't something they'd want to do.

I'm standing there, visualizing in my mind how this is supposed to happen. No surprises. Well, I got a big nasty surprise as I went for the flip, freaked out in mid air (totally upside down I might add) and kill my momentum, sending me head first into the ground. Luckily this was on soft grass. Had it been on concrete or anything harder, I would probably be in an ER right now. When I land on my head, I hear multiple bones popping. "Ah sh*t" were the only words out of my mouth. :o

Soon as I recover from the shock, I'm thinking to myself how lucky I am that I can still move my arms and legs. I'm relatively fine, save the incredible pain on my upper back. I can walk and I have coordination for the most part, but I think I'm going to take a break from the gym for a while. Tomorrow I have a 2 mile run I HAVE to accomplish so I can move on to 2.5 miles the next cardio session, and 3 miles after that.

Not so long ago, I had an injury on my lower back when I failed to get my squat weight from the floor to my shoulders. That was when I found out I had spina bifida occulta (Two bones on the lower spine that are supposed to fuse together during growth do not, and weaken the lower back). Now I think I'm going to have to go back to the same doctor and get my upper back X-rayed.. Bah :(

That sucks. In gymnastics or cheerleading, that's a standing back tuck, I think.

You should get someone to spot you while you're practicing. All they need to do is put their hands on the sides of your body as you jump and if you aren't going to make the rotation they can help rotate for you.

Where was your spot?
If you freak in mid-air and crash from fear stop and take a deep breath. Re-analyze your technique and ask your spotter what you look like or what you could improve (yes, a spotter is required). When you try again keep your cool head and keep at it. After a few spotted crashed your fear will drop tremendously.

Can't find a spotter :p I've got the guys I practice with but that's it. I think I'll be alright. Just muscle soreness (I hope..)

It's rough that you fell like that... I just seem to have started with all that stuff recently, too. But, ah.. I'm scared to rotate backwards, and I can't quite jump high enough to rotate fully forwards.

So I practice hard the handstands and maybe the front hand springs. I just thought that it was so awesome that after a week of practice I saw improvements and was able to stand for a longer period of time inverted.

Anyway... I got into it after I saw sampler movies of this guy: Joe Eigo (http://come.to/jeigo). I saw it and immediately said, "I want to do that!" But in the end, it's another source of inspiration.

Jeff.

The last time I did something like that I could hardly get out of bed the next day... Needed a good ole' popping(back) and then I was sore for a couple of days,,