Twist: A movement in acrobatic skills where the rotation is about the longitudinal, or vertical, axis. This is the axis that runs from head to toes. Twisting is usually defined in terms of which shoulder moves backwards first. A right twist is defined as the right shoulder going backwards, the opposite is true for a left twist. Twisting usually refers to an action that occurs simultaneously with a somersault so the body is both twisting and flipping.