Mark Monea lands 360 front flip on dirt bike

Australian freestyle motocross rider Mark Monea broke new ground last week by landing the first ever 360 front flip on a dirt bike. Monea — from Victoria, Australia — had practiced the maneuver for a month via a jump ramp into a foam pit.

Action sports athletes including FMX and BMX riders commonly use large foam pits as a safe way to learn new progressive maneuvers.

Snowboarder Shaun White benefited by a foam pit's forgiving landings while training at his secret halfpipe ahead of the 2010 Winter Olympics as he mastered the now infamous double cork 1260. Read On: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/action/2011-03-10-monea-lands-360-front-flip_N.htm