What does “triple” mean in aerials?

In freestyle aerials, “triple” can mean two related things. Most often, it refers to a triple flip — three flips, with twists layered in — one of the sport’s highest-risk, tightest-timing skills. At the elite level, triples can include multiple twists (even five twists total across the three flips in the hardest men’s variations).

“Triple” can also refer to the triple kicker (the largest of the three takeoff structures). The triple kicker is roughly 13.5 feet tall and can launch athletes about 45–50 feet into the air, creating the height needed for triple-flip combinations.

Either way, triples aren’t just “learned” — they’re earned through years of repetition until the takeoff, shape, and landing become reliable under pressure.