It's time to master Backdrop Walkover with your FeetUp Trainer!
Feeling comfortable in your inversion practice and ready to explore full range of motion while upside down? Here are some progressions to help you master the Rolling Backdrop Walkover with your FeetUp Trainer.
Remember: Not all of these movements are for beginners. Please practice at your own risk!
Floating Tuck with Range of Motion
Challenge Level: BASIC
This is a great place to start getting comfortable with movement while inverted. Tucking knees to chest provides much more control and stability so you can slowly rock back and forth. Focus on moving slow, finding balance and using your core to direct movement.
Floating Pike with Range of Motion
Challenge Level: BEGINNER
Once you’ve mastered the Tuck, it’s time to find balance in a different shape. Extended legs change the balance point in your body. Try rolling more onto your shoulder blades and taking a long, relaxed breath without moving.
Single Leg Pike with Range of Motion
Challenge Level: INTERMEDIATE
The piked leg acts as an anchor in this position, so focus less on quick movements and more on controlled exploration. This is one of the most important parts to safely practicing a backdrop with your FeetUp Trainer.
Single Leg Pike Roll Dismount to Supported Bridge aka “The Backdrop”
Challenge Level: ADVANCED
Beginning with one leg anchored for balance, the other leg reaches for the ground below to initiate the backdrop! Shoulder position on the cushion is VERY IMPORTANT. Make sure your upper back is centered over the FeetUp Trainer to avoid tipping over. A strong grip on the frame allows you to engage your core and arms for more control. Only try this progression when you’re feeling super comfortable with steps 1 – 3.
Supported Bridge Mount to Floating Tuck aka “The Backdrop Walkover”
Challenge Level: ADVANCED
You made it all the way over! Congratulations!! If you’re still looking for more challenge, you can try kicking up one leg and rolling back to the Floating Tuck. The leg you kick up with becomes the anchor leg from Step 3 (Single Leg Pike with Range of Motion). Once you’ve made it back over, you can either bring knees to chest or feet to the floor.
Move safely! Go slow.
Don’t worry about how things look. Bring awareness to how it feels. Focus on substance over flash and foundation before decoration. You are the only person in charge of deciding what is right for your body. We hope that these helpful exercises can provide valuable insight on how to best move forward (and back) in your inversion practice. Be safe and HAVE FUN.
