A nip-up is an

acrobatic Acrobatics () is the performance of human feats of balance (ability), balance, agility, and motor coordination. Acrobatic skills are used in performing arts, sports, sporting events, and martial arts. Extensive use of acrobatic skills are most ...

spring from a

supine position The supine position ( or ) means lying horizontally with the face and torso facing up, as opposed to the prone position, which is face down. When used in surgical procedures, it grants access to the peritoneal, thoracic and pericardial regions; ...

(lying horizontally, facing upward) to a

standing position Anatomical terminology is a form of scientific terminology used by anatomists, zoologists, and health professionals such as doctors. Anatomical terminology uses many unique terms, suffixes, and prefixes deriving from Ancient Greek and Latin. The ...

. It is executed by propelling the body away from the floor so that the performer is momentarily airborne, and typically ends with the performer standing in a

squatting position Squatting is a versatile posture where the weight of the body is on the feet but the knees and hips are bent. In contrast, sitting involves taking the weight of the body, at least in part, on the buttocks against the ground or a horizontal object. ...

. It is performed in a variety of activities, including

acro dance Acro dance is a style of dance that combines classical dance technique with precision acrobatic elements. It is defined by its athletic character, its unique choreography, which seamlessly blends dance and acrobatics, and its use of acrobatics i ...

breakdancing Breakdancing, also called breaking or b-boying/b-girling, is an athletic style of street dance originating from the African American and Puerto Rican communities in the United States. While diverse in the amount of variation available in ...

gymnastics Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, shou ...

martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...

professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...

parkour Parkour () is an athletic training discipline or sport in which practitioners (called ''traceurs'') attempt to get from point A to point B in the fastest and most efficient way possible, without assisting equipment and often while performing a ...

and

freerunning Freerunning is an athletic and acrobatic discipline incorporating an aesthetic element, and can be considered either a sport or a performance art, or both. Freerunning is similar to parkour, from which it is derived, but emphasizes artistry over ...

Execution and physics

Nip-ups depend in large part on developing momentum in the legs and then using that momentum to lift the body into the air. A nip-up begins with the performer rolling back onto the shoulders while drawing both legs toward the chest. The legs may be either straight or bent, and hands may optionally be placed on the floor near the ears. The legs are then rapidly thrust away from body trunk and floor while simultaneously pushing away from the floor with hands, if used. During the thrust, the acceleration of leg mass away from the floor develops upward linear momentum in the legs. At the same time, the acceleration of the angular expansion between legs and trunk develops angular momentum in the legs. When the thrust is completed, movement of the legs with respect to the trunk ceases suddenly and, as a result, the linear and angular momentum of the legs are transferred to the entire body. The linear momentum of the thrust carries the body into the air feet first, while the angular momentum causes the airborne body to rotate in a face-first direction. The back is arched so that with sufficient thrust, back curvature, and body rotation, the performer will be carried into the air and land on the feet.

References

{{Reflist, refs= {{cite web , url = http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nip-up , title = nip-up , publisher = Merriam Webster Breakdance moves Gymnastics elements Martial art techniques Acro dance moves Squatting position

Execution and physics

See also

References