General
scorpion
What does scorpion mean?
A particularly brutal crash where the rider flips forward over the bars and lands on their face and chest while their legs and the bike whip up behind, arching like a scorpion's tail. It is one of the more feared slams.
"That scorpion looked like it knocked the wind clean out of him."
Origin
Action-sports slang; the body arch resembles a scorpion's raised tail.
Frequently asked questions
What is a scorpion crash?
It's a brutal fall where the rider lands on their face and chest while their legs and bike whip up behind, arching the body like a scorpion's tail.
Why is it called a scorpion?
The arched body position, with legs kicking up over the back, resembles a scorpion's raised tail.
Is a scorpion a dangerous fall?
Yes, it's one of the more feared slams across action sports like BMX and snowboarding because of the hard face-and-chest impact.
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