No matter how good your pit, check frequently that there is no way to get through to the floor.
This is a terrible accident.
… a 27-year-old gymnastics instructor died from injuries he suffered in a freak accident at a Marlboro gym, authorities said.
McCurdy died early Wednesday from injuries he suffered Tuesday night while trying to perform a move called the Quad Front Flip, police said.
Police said all safety procedures were followed at the Jonas Gymnastics Academy on Commercial Court, and it also appears that the flip was within McCurdy’s capabilities, but the flip went horribly wrong Tuesday night.
“It appears this was a tragic accident,” said Detective Sgt. Paul Reed.
On Tuesday night, members of an adult team were training at the gymnastics academy. McCurdy, formerly of Mount Joy in Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County, was a part-time instructor there. He was not working on Tuesday; he was practicing, but was not a member of that team, police said.
In a Quad Front Flip, gymnasts run, jump onto a trampoline, then do four somersaults in the air before landing on their feet, police said.
A roughly 6-foot-deep foam pit is in place for gymnasts who do not land properly. The bottom of the pit is lined with pieces of foam padding, about a foot thick, and on top of those pieces of foam are more foam cubes piled about 5 feet high, police said.
But when McCurdy tried the move, he only did about three somersaults, Reed said.
The instructor was still in the tuck position when he flew headfirst into the pit, and landed in between the pieces of padding, police said. He struck his head on the concrete floor, said Reed.
Gymnastics flip ends in death | Home News Tribune Online
A death like this makes us all feel our own mortality.
Coach Mack, posted a tribute video to his good friend Jon on MySpace. Watching the video you get to know Jon as a gymnast, rock climber, poet. A wonderful guy.
This is just tragic.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 