Defying Gravity: The Physics and Physiology of 75 Backward Somersaults in One Minute
I recently watched another astonishing performance also on China’s CCTV-17 channel. It was a young girl who repeatedly performed backward somersaults on the exact same spot an incredible 75 times within a single minute. That means each backward somersault took only about 0.8 seconds to complete.
This was truly a phenomenal feat of human biomechanics.
I cannot even do a single somersault sideway - which is the easiest - without two people helping and supporting me on both side, let alone 75 somersaults backwards on same spot within 60 seconds.
CCTV-17 often showcases extraordinary talents from across China, including elite young tumbling prodigies. One famous example is the Chinese tumbler Li Jiamin, who reportedly performed nearly 90 backflips within one minute in an attempt to enter the Guinness World Records. That would mean approximately one backward somersault every 0.7 seconds. However, I am unsure whether the girl I saw on CCTV-17 was the same performer.
Nevertheless, performing 75 consecutive backward somersaults within 60 seconds while remaining on the same spot requires extraordinary mastery of rotational physics, muscular coordination, balance, energy, stamina, and spatial awareness.
Allow me to explain this remarkable performance from the perspectives of physics, physiology, and medicine.
1. The Physics of Staying on the Same Spot
To somersault continuously without moving forward or backward, the performer must control her Centre of Mass (CoM) with extraordinary precision.
In ordinary tumbling routines, gymnasts launch themselves backward at an angle so that they travel along the floor mat. However, in stationary tumbling, the vertical component of the take-off velocity must be maximized while the horizontal velocity must remain almost zero.
This requires extremely accurate control of the ground reaction force. The performer must push almost perfectly straight downward into the ground. Even a tiny deviation of force would gradually shift her position after several flips.
The feat therefore demands not only strength, but also near-perfect neuromuscular coordination and balance.
2. Angular Momentum and Elastic Energy Recycling
Maintaining a pace of one somersault every 0.8 seconds requires the body to recycle energy with exceptional efficiency.
One important mechanism involved is the Stretch-Shortening Cycle (SSC). As the performer lands from one flip, the muscles and tendons, especially the gastrocnemius muscles of the calves, the quadriceps, and the Achilles tendons, rapidly stretch and store elastic potential energy like compressed springs. This stored energy is then immediately released to propel the body into the next somersault.
Without this elastic “bounce,” the cardiovascular demand would become overwhelming within seconds.
Another important principle is the conservation of angular momentum.
Once airborne, gravity becomes the main external force acting on the body. To rotate rapidly enough to complete each somersault safely, the performer pulls her arms and knees tightly toward her chest, thereby reducing her moment of inertia. According to the laws of rotational physics, this causes the body to spin much faster, allowing her to complete the rotation before landing.
3. Defeating Vestibular Dizziness
Perhaps the most astonishing aspect of this performance is not muscular power, but the ability to overcome extreme vertigo.
Inside our inner ears are semicircular canals filled with endolymph fluid. During rapid spinning, this fluid moves within the canals and sends signals to the brain indicating rotational motion. In ordinary individuals, repeated spinning quickly produces severe dizziness, disorientation, nausea, and loss of balance.
Spinning 75 times within one minute would cause most people to collapse. She was like a wheel turning very fast - simply amassing to me.
Elite tumblers overcome this problem through years of neurological adaptation and specialized visual techniques known as “spotting.” They keep their eyes fixed on a visual reference point for as long as possible during rotation and rapidly relocate the floor upon landing.
Over years of intense practice, the brain gradually learns to suppress or adapt to the dizziness signals arising from the vestibular system, enabling the performer to maintain orientation despite repeated rapid rotations.
4. Cardiovascular and Physiological Endurance
Continuous somersaulting transforms what appears to be a simple acrobatic stunt into an extreme physiological endurance challenge.
The repeated explosive movements place enormous demands on both the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. Blood pressure and circulation fluctuate rapidly as blood shifts repeatedly between the lower limbs and the head during each rotation. The cardiovascular system must therefore tolerate repeated transient gravitational stresses while simultaneously supplying oxygen to highly active muscles.
To perform 75 somersaults without losing power, coordination, or accuracy requires a combination of the explosive muscular strength of a weightlifter, the neuromuscular precision of an elite gymnast, and the endurance conditioning of a long-distance athlete.
Using my combined multi-disciplinary university-trained understanding of mathematics, physics, biophysics, physiology, medicine, and even in nutrition for bursts of energy supply, I would regard the young girl I saw on CCTV-17 performing 75 backward somersaults within 60 seconds as displaying an almost superhuman feat of biomechanics rarely witnessed anywhere in the world. Her performance was not merely entertainment - it was a remarkable demonstration of the extraordinary capability of the trained human body.
