Trickfighters -

If you have scrolled through YouTube or Instagram in the last decade, you have likely seen them. They are the athletes backflipping off walls, spinning through the air with swords, or choreographing fight scenes that look like a live-action anime. They are . But what exactly is this discipline? Is it a sport? A dance? A martial art? Or is it simply a spectacle for social media likes?

That is the life of a . And it is absolutely mesmerizing. Are you a trickfighter? Drop your best combo in the comments below—and remember, keep your toes pointed. trickfighters

A trickfighter is not usually trying to knock someone out. They are trying to land a "Corkscrew" (a 540-degree twisting kick) or a "Jackknife" (a hyper-extended aerial kick) with perfect form. If you have scrolled through YouTube or Instagram

Where a boxer drills the heavy bag for power, a trickfighter drills a "Swipe" (a one-handed breakdance freeze into kick) for flow. Where a Jiu-Jitsu player works for positional dominance, the trickfighter works for "hyper-mobility." But what exactly is this discipline

In a world of increasing utility and efficiency, trickfighting is gloriously useless for self-defense—and gloriously essential for the human spirit. It is play. It is art. It is the sound of a sneaker swishing through the air at 60mph, followed by the solid slap of a landing.

Unlike skateboarding, where you fall onto a board, in trickfighting, you fall onto a joint. The psychological resilience required to throw a "Double Full" (two full twists in the air) after slamming your knee is immense.

So the next time you see a video of a teenager in a hoodie doing a "Corkscrew 900" off a park bench, don't scoff. Understand that you are watching thousands of hours of physics, pain, and passion compressed into two seconds of flight.