Doing the b-twist without sufficient flatspin makes it much harder to generate rotation and also control the landing. To fix this, face the chest further to the side during takeoff. Aim for at least 45° left of the line of travel (for left-twisters).
Done intentionally, a torpedo b-twist is known as a spiral knuckle.

Torpedo (Insufficient Flatspin)

When learning to twist, it's natural to want to start twisting as soon as possible in order to maximize the amount of time you have to complete the twist. However, wrapping too soon will interfere with your takeoff, and you will miss out on a lot of height and torque that could otherwise make the twist very easy.
Be patient with the wrap, and let yourself complete the takeoff fully. It might still be scary as hell, but over time you will develop air-awareness and confidence in your twisting.

Wrapping Early / Incomplete Takeoff

For beginner trickers, another tempting mistake is to twist by looking so far over the shoulder that the spine begins to arch. Having an arched spine interferes with your ability to keep your core tight - which in turn makes it hard to generate power during the takeoff and also prevents you from wrapping tightly during the twist.
Instead of arching, focus on first swinging the arms wide during the takeoff, and then pulling them into the chest. Keep the chest slightly caved during the wrap (i.e. hollow position).

Arching the Twist

Intermediate

Corkscrew

The dip for the b-twist is largely the same as for the b-kick. Keep the eyes forward as you transfer weight from the back leg to the front. Drop both the hips and the shoulders so that you can launch up into the takeoff position. Try to generate power primarily with your legs - it's important to get the shoulders down, but don't make the dip too much like a good morning. 

As with the b-kick, push through the ground to lift your body. To generate rotation, additionally throw the arms in a circle - the right arm to the side and forwards, like a hook punch, and the left elbow back and up (for left-twisters). To generate flatspin, be sure that your chest makes it across your line of travel. Aim for at least 45° to the left, again for left-twisters.

Takeoff

In-air, pull the arms into your chest to speed up your twist. Look in the direction of the twist but keep the spine straight - don't arch even though it may be tempting (see below).
For a single twist it is usually not necessary to wrap with straight legs. However, for a floaty aesthetic you can try taking off with less rotation - in this case you may need to push your plant leg down (relative to your body) for a fully straight wrap.

Butterfly Twist

“B Twist”

Learn to Cork For Free!

Key Positions & Pathways

Dip

Takeoff

Wrap

Common Mistakes

Torpedo (Insufficient Flatspin)

Wrapping Early / Incomplete Takeoff

Arching the Twist

Tricks to Learn Next