Bellyfirst

Bellyfirst is an informal descriptive term used to indicate that the abdomen is the first part of the body to contact a surface during a descent or landing. The phrase is common in coaching, commentary, and casual usage but is not a formal technique name in most official manuals or sport rulebooks. The form is sometimes written as belly-first or belly first.

In practice, bellyfirst outcomes appear in a range of activities that involve falls, dives, or rolling motions. In diving and water-entry practice, a bellyfirst contact describes a belly-led entry into the water rather than a feet- or head-first entry, and is typically avoided in competitive settings in favor of entries that minimize splash and impact. In tumbling, gymnastics, and parkour training, practitioners may use controlled belly-first rolls or breakfalls as part of progressive drills designed to absorb energy and protect the spine and head when a straight-on foot-first landing is not feasible or during emergency descents.

Safety considerations emphasize keeping the neck in line with the spine, tucking the chin, engaging the core, and using a controlled roll or brace to dissipate impact. In instructional contexts, belly-first movements are framed as potential hazards to be avoided or mitigated through technique and progression, rather than as preferred outcomes.

See also: prone position, belly flop, breakfall, fall technique.