Physics of Tricking: X, Y, and Z

One of the graces of Tricking is the fact that we embrace non-linear movement. We have multiple axes that we have names for and that we use regularly. At the end of the day, what matters is what we do and not what we call it, but to better understand twists, flips, and their respective axes, we must understand X, Y, and Z.

What is X, Y, Z?

X, Y, and Z are the three spatial dimensions that are used to describe area. Generally, this means size(ex. 5 x 5 x 5 cm) or coordinates(ex. X:39 Y:40 Z:-39). Each of these dimensions has its own respective axis. We can use these axes to describe motion and human kinetics.

X

Movement on the X-axis is described forward and back movement. In tricking, this means Frontflips and Backflips. Although gruesome, imagine shoving a pole through the sides of your hips so that the pole is sticking out to your left and right side. Now, imagine that the pole is stuck in place and you're spinning around that pole.  That is the X-axis. You can also think of movement on the X-axis as movement on the Sagittal Plane. 

Y

Movement on the Y-axis can be understood as twisting and rotation. You can also see it as clockwise or counter-clockwise movement. Imagine a stabbing a pole down the top of your head and spinning around like a Beyblade. That is the Y-axis. You can think of this movement as movement on the Transverse Plane.

Z

The Z-axis is the hardest axis to understand by far. X and Y are quite simple, but Z is difficult to imagine. The best way to think of the Z-axis movement is as Sideflips. Imagine impaling your belly button with a pole and then spinning around the pole. That is the Z-axis. The Z-axis can also be seen as movement on the Frontal Plane.

This is the basis of all of Tricking. It is important to understand this concept of X, Y, and Z so that we can quantify rotational values. Now, there is always some nuance. I plan to talk about this in future posts, so look out for...

Physics of Tricking: X, Y, and Z - Flatspin - 

Physics of Tricking: X, Y, and Z - Inside and Outside Flips -