I think you're worrying too much about what your friend can do. Just relax and focus on exactly what you're trying to accomplish. For me, when I did gymnastics, I'd go through the steps in my head when I was doing it and it sort of fucked me over. So I'd try the skill again and again until I didn't think about it but more or less forced my body into doing it without thinking (if that makes sense).
Start by throwing backs, do them over and over and over until you're not even thinking about what you have to do. Then work on your layouts, extend your body in your backs until someone tells you that you're completely laid out in air. Next do those same fulls but add a twist to your landing, when you hit your landing immediately twist 180 degrees..this will help you train your body into rotating while laid out in the air.