back circle

9.3

A gymnastics move where a person lies on their back, arches their back and brings their feet to their head

noun

Specialized

: flexión de espalda

The gymnast performed a perfect back circle during her floor routine, impressing the judges.

Examples

She amazed her classmates by demonstrating a back circle in gym class.
Learning the back circle requires a great deal of flexibility and practice.
Wow! That was an amazing back circle!
She performed a perfect back circle during her routine.
The gymnast performed a perfect back circle during her floor routine, impressing the judges.
She amazed her classmates by demonstrating a back circle in gym class.
Learning the back circle requires a great deal of flexibility and practice.

Synonyms

backbend

vsback circle

Specialized

1 6.8

A move where a person bends backwards from standing until their hands touch the floor

starts from lying and bends until the toes touch the head

How Difficult

walkover

Specialized

1 7.7

back circle

Specialized

9.3

Surface Forms

back circle singular

back circles plural

Morphology

back + circle

The phrase combines transparent words ('back' + 'circle'), so a B1 learner who knows those constituents can infer it denotes a circular movement involving the back. However, the exact gymnastic posture and sequence described are technical and not fully predictable from the parts alone, making the expression partially but not fully transparent.

Etymology

Back circle is named for the shape and motion: the gymnast lifts their back and swings their legs in a round path so the body makes a clear circle and the toes nearly touch the head. So the name describes this 'gymnastic move'.