Kip-up facts for kids
A kip-up (also called a kick-up or nip-up) is an exciting acrobatic move. It allows a person to quickly go from lying on their back to standing up. Sometimes, people even do a version called a prone get-up from lying on their stomach.
You can see kip-ups in many activities. These include breakdancing, acro dance, gymnastics, martial arts (especially kung fu), professional wrestling, and freerunning. They are also often used in action film fight scenes.
To perform a kip-up, you push your body away from the floor. This makes you airborne for a short moment. You typically land standing in a squatting position. Doing a kip-up successfully requires both muscle strength and the correct technique. You need to prepare your body, fly through the air, and then land safely on your feet. Each part of the move involves specific body movements and timing.
Contents
How to Perform a Kip-Up
Learning a kip-up involves understanding the steps. It's like a mini-jump from the floor to your feet!
From Lying on Your Back
This is the most common way to do a kip-up.
- First, lie flat on your back.
- Bring your legs towards your chest. You can keep them straight or bent.
- Place your hands on the floor near your ears, with your palms down.
- Now, push off the floor with your hands. At the same time, quickly extend your hips and knees. It's like you're trying to kick your feet towards the ceiling.
- This powerful push lifts your body into the air. Your legs lead the way.
- As you fly up, your body rotates. You arch your back slightly.
- With enough power and rotation, you will land on your feet. You'll usually be in a squatting position.
From Lying on Your Stomach
This version is less common but also very cool!
- Start by lying face down on the floor.
- Push against the floor with your fists or palms.
- At the same time, kick your legs back powerfully.
- This creates momentum that lifts your body into the air.
- You will land with your feet on the floor, usually with your knees bent in a squat.
Different Ways to Kip-Up
There are many variations of the kip-up. Each one adds a unique challenge or style!
| Name | How it's Different |
|---|---|
| Knee Extension Kip-Up | In this move, you keep your knees straight (extended) as you bring your legs towards your chest. This makes it a bit harder because it changes how your body balances. |
| No Hands Kip-Up | This is a more advanced kip-up! You don't use your hands to push off the floor. Instead, you use more force from your shoulders and neck area. Your hands might be placed near your knees as you prepare. |
| Prone Kip-Up | This is the version where you start lying face down. You push off the floor with your hands or fists and kick your legs back to get into the air. You land in a squat. |
| Rolling Kip | Imagine starting in a push-up position or kneeling. You roll your body forward, then quickly pull your legs back towards your chest. From this position, you then perform a regular kip-up. |
| Headspring | Also called a "head kip," you start kneeling with your head and knees on the floor. You then push with your palms against the floor and extend your elbows. Your legs swing over your head, and you land standing up. |
| Kip-Up 180 | This move adds a spin! As you are airborne during the kip-up, you rotate your body 180 degrees (half a turn) before your feet touch the ground. It's a harder version, similar to a "Kip-Up 360" which is a full turn. |
Kip-Ups from a Standing Start
Some kip-ups start with you standing up. You intentionally fall or roll onto your back, then immediately kip-up again!
| Name | How it's Different |
|---|---|
| Standard Hop Back to Kip-Up | You start standing, bend your knees like you're sitting, then jump backward. You land on your shoulders and back. Your hands go behind your neck to protect it. As soon as you land, you quickly bring your knees to your chest and perform a standard kip-up to stand back up. This can also be done continuously! |
| Rubber Band | This is a breakdancing move. It involves doing repeated kip-ups, but you don't fully stand up each time. Your knees stay bent. It's a bit like a back handspring, but with a slower, controlled movement as you lower your back to the ground before springing back up. |
See also
- Kip (artistic gymnastics)
- Kip (trampolining)
