Loser
Loser
The Loser Flip is a Webster that is entered from a backstep.
The name describes the opposite of a Gainer, a backflip that is ‘gaining’ distance, whilst the Loser is a Frontflip that is ‘losing’ distance (traveling back). In tricking however those rules don’t need to apply. A Gainer is simply a one footed backflip and a Loser is simply a Reverse Webster.
01 Webster
You should be able to do a normal Webster, which you just step into. Here you want to transform your forwards momentum into height, via blocking with your jumping foot. In a Loser you’ll block a bit different. However, the more efficient you are with your normal Websters, the more familiar you’ll be with the Loser, since both are essentially the same trick, just with a different setup.
02 Swing Webster
Entering the Webster with a swing is a lot more similar to the Loser flip. It will teach you how to generate vertical momentum without blocked horizontal momentum.
03 Loser
Many harder variations of a trick are harder, because they are less efficient. However, taking a step back for a frontswing trick can be actually a very efficient setup. The step back provides some momentum that you can block against to gain more height. It will also place your swinging foot in front of you, so it has more room to swing.
Don’t step back too far as that will make it harder to gain height. You want to hit the ground at about an 45 degree angle with your foot. So don’t make the step too short either.
Do not drop your chest. Try to stay up with your chest as much as possible, as your swinging leg swings up behind you. You want to stay as upright as possible and then flip over at about chest height. That also means if your chest is very low to the ground as you takoff, your flip will also be.
Tuck in tightly and flip fast. The Loser flip should feel fast and whippy.
Tips
If you know how to do an Aeriola or Reverse Aerial, you can learn the Loser flip from that too. Just tuck in. You may flip over sideways a bit, but you can fix that little by little.