Doing backflips requires you to have some sort of physical and mental discipline. Obviously, just going at it for the first time without thinking too much can get you seriously hurt. The difficulty in learning the move will depend entirely on how ready you are to actually start backflipping. In short, it can be dangerous to do if you are careless.

Now you may not get it in the first try, but as with all things we want to achieve, practice makes perfect (took me about 2 weeks to overcome my fear of being upside down and pulling off a clean flip. I didn't take it too seriously though so you might learn it even quicker).

Now take a deep breath and let's begin with Step 1

Before you start attempting something like backflips, you need to make sure you warm up and stretch the appropriate muscles to prevent any problems. Simple leg and arm stretches are important since we'll be using them to help us complete the rotation necessary for a backflip.

Your back will also play an important role during the flip. After warming up your arms and legs, stand up straight with your hands on your hips and arch back as far as you can. Once you start doing the backflip itself, this is the first thing you'll be doing in the air at the beginning of the flip. Doing this will also help you get the feel and visualize how it looks like to be in the middle of the backflip since you'll be looking back as you arch.

Also for your back, you need to do "bridges" - something which are done by gymnasts. Start by lying on the floor flat on your back. Bend your legs so that your feet are resting on the ground, and fold your arms, bringing the palm of your hands to the floor beside your ears. Now push your hips towards the top, using your feet and hands for balance. Keep this position and try to push your hips as high as you can, looking back straight as you do this. Again, this will help you understand how it feels to be in that position while doing the backflip.

Now that your all warmed up, have at least two people to help you out in this second step (to act as spotters). Also find a good, soft place to practice on, preferably on a soft mat. You'll most likely spend the most time in this step since this is where you'll be doing actual backflips now, only with spotters to help you perfect your form.

Now have both assistants stand to your left and right. What they need to do is hold your pants from the left and right side, preferably the belt loops on those sides (its best if you wear shorts/pants with belt loops) for better grip (they should stand with a bit of distance away from you, to avoid the possibility of you hitting them with your arms). Now to begin the backflip, you need to use both your legs and arms to help. Start by pumping up and down with your legs, like your ready to jump really high (don't go beyond bending your knees to 90 degrees). At the same time, swing your arms back and forth: back as you're going down, and forward as you're up. Its all about momentum, and these motions should give you just that.

Once you get the right feeling, count to three so that your spotters will know when to tighten their grip and help you up. On the 3rd count, lunge up, but not straight up. Remember that you'll be doing a 360 motion, so you have to lean back as you jump up, similar to that first back exercise you were doing earlier (your spotters should help you up as if they were carrying you). About a split second in, you should be in a position similar to that of the bridge. Now curl your legs and tuck them in, as if you are trying to bring them close to your chest. This will help complete the turn for you. You should be able to see the ground now another split second later, so just try to land as smoothly as you can by extending your legs again straight to the floor.

All the while you are doing this, the spotters should guide your flip along the way. They can help you by supporting you legs as you are trying to complete the flip after the bridge. If you made it through with no problems, then congrats! If not, take a quick breather and try again. There's only so much I can tell here, but you need to learn and understand for yourself how your body reacts to the backflip and how you can complete the rotation easily. Practice, practice, practice!

If you think you've become confident enough to do this with 2 people helping you out, move up to having only one person assist you. The process will be similar - just have him stand on either side and let him hold you by your pants' belt loop. You can also have him move his free arm straight forward at you back, so that you are resting against it. Do the flip again, but this time, try to use his arm as a guide, something you'll be flipping over. Keep practicing, having your partner provide you with less support as you start to get comfortable.

Again, practice hard and keep your mind sharp. This is pretty close to doing the backflip on your own now.

Once you've mastered doing backflips with the help of only one person, the only logical step left now is to do it without any assistance whatsoever. Again, start by doing quick up and down squat motions with your legs, swinging your arms at the same time. After a count to three, spring up and repeat what you've been doing when you had the spotters around you.

Now three things can happen here: either you land on the ground with your hands and feet (didn't spin high and fast enough), you made perfectly, or landed on your feet and lost balance falling backwards (spun too fast). Either outcome, you may feel this adrenaline rush of excitement since you were able to do a backflip on your own. Don't let this get into your head and start doing it on concrete ground without thought. Always be well prepared before trying it again. Take quick, short breaks in between and in no time, it will become second nature for you.