The Tsukahara can refer to a specific vault

Vault (gymnastics)

The vault is an artistic gymnastics apparatus, as well as the skill performed using that apparatus. Vaulting is also the action of performing a vault. Both male and female gymnasts perform the vault...

 and a family of vaults in artistic gymnastics

Artistic gymnastics

Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, with less time for vaulting . The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique , which designs the Code of Points and regulates all aspects of international elite...

. The first Tsukahara vault was performed by (and named after) Mitsuo Tsukahara

Mitsuo Tsukahara

Mitsuo Tsukahara is a Japanese artistic gymnast. He was five times an Olympic Gold Medalist. His remained active in the sport after his retirement from competition...

 in 1972.

A Tsukahara vault consists of a half turn off the springboard onto the vault table, then a push backwards, usually into a back salto

Somersault

A somersault is an acrobatic exercise in which a person does a full 360° flip, moving the feet over the head. A somersault can be performed either forwards, backwards, or sideways and can be executed in the air or on the ground...

 or layout.

Variations

Any vault that has a handspring with 1/4 - 1/2 turn onto the vault table into a salto backwards is classified as a Tsukahara vault. Some variations on the Tsukahara vaults include:

• Kim - Tsukahara tucked or stretched with full twist (360°) off
• Zamolodchikova - Tsukahara stretched with a 2/1 turn (720°) off
• Phelps - a half turn onto the vault table, followed by a half turn off and into a front layout.