Tips & Tricks

The Ollie
This skateboarding trick is probably the most essential, as it will become the key to anything you try to do on your skateboard! It is advisable to begin an Ollie in a stationary position and you should only consider trying this trick with your skateboard moving when you feel confident about the trick itself.

Presume the sideways stance. Your front foot should be about 3 inches (7 cm) behind your font truck with your back foot remaining on the kicktail.

Bend down (crouch) and push (slam) your back foot down on the kicktail whilst at the same time removing all weight from your front foot. This should mean that the front of the board starts to rise off the ground.

Whilst the front of the board is rising, drag your front foot toward the nose of the board. (This is the tricky part). At the same time of dragging your front foot towards the nose of the board, lift your back foot slightly off the board, ready to presume a jumping position.

Leave your front foot at the nose of the board and try to level the board out whilst it is in mid-air (off the ground).

Land the board with both feet firmly on it. Make sure that your feet are spread evenly on the board. Your front foot should be at the nose and your back foot should be at the kicktail.

The Kickturn
Have your back foot on the kicktail and your front foot on the middle of the board.Press down with your back front so that the wheels lift off the ground. You only want the wheels to lift slightly.

Twist your body 45 degrees, the board will move in the direction that you twist to.

Lean forward with your front foot so that the board touches the floor.

See, this one is easy peasy!

The Kickflip
This trick is similar to the Ollie but has a 'flip' incorporated into the trick. You basically follow steps 1 & 2 of the ollie and build on it. Or should that be flip on it!

Presume the sideways stance. Your front foot should be about 3 inches (7 cm) behind your font truck with your back foot remaining on the kicktail. However, the front foot should be at a slight angle and the heel of your front foot should be hanging slightly off (over) the side of the board.

Bend down (crouch) and push (slam) your back foot down on the kicktail whilst at the same time removing all weight from your front foot.

Smack the tail down (pop it) with your back foot. Slide your front foot off the board towards the heel edge so that the board flips over 360 degrees. It would be good practice when carrying out the flip, to try to make sure that your shoulders are straight with the board. It is best to jump when the board is being flipped so that your feet land on the board when it is back it the position that you started with. Try not to lean in any direction as this will affect your flip. Remember to bend your knees slightly when you land in order to absorb the shock.

Kickflip Sex Change
As with some of the other tricks, this one can be difficult to perform whilst moving.
1. You do a normal kickflip (as opposite).

2. However, when the board is flipping underneath you, you turn your body only 180 degrees and land. Just remember to kickflip first and whilst the board is flipping, turn yourself 180 degrees. Also, don't try this when moving fast to begin with as you could hurt yourself as it is quite a tricky move.

The Heelflip
The heelflip is very similar to the kickflip - the board is spun but you use the heel of your front foot to do the flipping. Ollie's, kickflips and heelflips are all regular skateboarding moves/tricks that you will frequently see being performed at skate parks.

Resume the ollie position but as the board levels out in the air, drag your front foot towards the toe edge of the board. Do not make any sudden movements, try to do everything fluidly and gently - you can achieve this by moving the toes first, then the ball of your foot and finally the heel of your foot.

sAs the board flips, catch it with your feet and land it.

Ride away - feeling pleased with yourself!!

Pop Shuvit
An ollie together with a shuvit (or known as a shove-it) is what is known as a pop shuvit. However, before you can complete this, you need to understand and be able to do the shuvit.

Shuvit
Take up your position on the board. Make sure your weight is on the back foot whilst your front foot is placed over the nose of the board. Press down with the front foot so that the tail of the board rises. Push hard against the tails of the board with the toes of your back foot whilst jumping into the air. This will result in the board turning round (swivelling) 180 degrees. Land back on the board with the tail facing forwards.

Pop Shuvit
With this trick, you merely combine the above move, the shuvit and the ollie together. Put your front foot in the middle of the board and have your back foot handing over all of the tail (if you prefer, you can have your toes handing off the end). Bend your knees and pop like an ollie but do not slide your front foot up the board. Push your back foot backwards, this should make the board spin beneath you. Note that this trick may be difficult to perform at first whils the board is moving as the board may spin away from you. Also, do not put your back foot all the way to the end of the tail as this will flip the board over. The tip here, as with all these tricks, is to practice!

Backside Pop Shuvit
Put your front foot in the ollie position and your back foot in the centre of the tail. Push down on the tail and flick out your back foot behind you to turn the board. Allow the board to rotate 180 degrees.
Control it with your front foot and land it.

360 Shuvit
Once you can do the pop shuvit, you should be able to master this trick with practice and patience. All of which are commodoties required for skateboarding!!

Place your back foot at the top end of the tail so that it is facing towards the nose slightly.

Put your front foot in the middle of the board.

Crouch down and pop the tail, but not too much. Concentrate on the shuvit action.

Do the 'shuvit' movtion harder than you would normally and jump as high as you can, enabling the board to spin freely beneath you.

Try as you jump to jump forwards (like when doing the long jump - but not too far!) as the board has a tendency to move forwards (which you expect) but you have only jumped and not moved. Therefore, when you land, you may not be positioned very well on the board or worse still, the board may have escaped and you will land on your butt!!!

The Varial Flip
This trick is where you do a pop shuvit and a kickflip at the same time and if you have managed to do both those moves then this one should be easily picked up.

Put your front foot in a position similar to that of the kickflip, however, it should be in the middle of your board, at more of an angle with more of your heel hanging off the board.

Bend your knees and pop the board. Whilst popping the board, start a shuvit, however, when your board starts spinning round, flick your front foot like you would in a kickflip. This will make the board flip and spin.

Tip - this is quick tricky to do whilst moving, therefore, try practising it over and over again with the board moving slowly until you feel more advanced.

360 Flip
A 360 slip is a combination of a 360 shuvit and a kickflip. It is essential to be good at the 360 shuvit and the varial flip before commencing with this trick.

Have your back foot at the top half of the tail, facing in slightly. (As the shuvit position).

Have your front foot just in front of the back bolts. Ensure that your front foot is at an angle towards the nose of the board with part of the foot hanging off the board.

The next part is very similar to the varial flip (see opposite). When commencing the shuvit motion, wait until the board gets to about 45 degrees and then do a kickflip motion with your front foot.

You need to jump quite high and move your body slightly forwards inorder to land with the board.

Note - be prepared and expect all sorts of landings with this one as the board spins quite a lot!

180 Ollie
This move is where you ollie and turn the board 180 degrees. It is a move that combines the ollie and the kickturn. We haven't yet discussed the kickturn, so we'll explain this move first.

Kickturn
Your front foot should be in the middle of the board and your back foot should be on the kicktail. Press gently down with your back foot - the front wheels should lift slightly off the ground.

Twist your body 45 degrees so that it is facing in the same direction as your heels. As you twist, the board should also move in the direction of your body. (Remember to try to feel as if you and the board are one).

Lean forward and press your front foot down on the board so that the front wheels touch the ground.

This is the kickturn. Remember the 180 ollie is the combination of this move and the ollie.

Make sure your feet are in the ollie position and try to be moving whilst performing this trick Twist the upper part of your body (torso and shoulders) in the opposite direction to your feet.

Do an ollie and whilst doing the ollie, throw/push your arms and shoulders in the direction you wish to turn. By using the force of throwing/pushing your arms and shoulders, this should enable you to turn the full 180 degrees in one move.

If you are not able to get round the full 180 degrees, keep trying OR use your back foot to bring the board all the way round.

Fakie Ollie
This move is quite easy assuming that you have already mastered the ollie. A 'fakie' is the term used to describe you tavelling backwards at any time/point during a move. It can be as simple as riding up a ramp and then sliding backwards - 'a fakie'!

1. Resume your normal stance on the board. Push off and wait to roll backwards (the board is going in the opposite (rolling) direction to your body).

2. Now ollie. Try not to lean too far forward of you will come off the board when you land it.

3. This move take lots of practice. Be especially careful when landing back on your board as if it is not done correctly, you can really hurt yourself. All moves once mastered can then be turned into 'fakies'.

The Manual
This is probably the first move to master (apart from being able to stand on a board).
1. Place your back foot just behind the back truck bolts.

2. Place your front foot just behind your front truck bolts.

3. Have the board moving slightly. Push down slightly with your back front.

4. This should make the front wheels raise slightly off the floor.

5. If you raise your arms slightly, this should help your balance.

6. Try not to scrape the back of the board on the floor as this not only recks the tail of the board but slows you down as well!

Frontside 180 Flip
1. Begin this move in the kickflip stance. Make sure you bend down.

2. Practice twisting your shoulders through 180 degrees.

3. Push on the tail of the board as hard as you can and kick your front foot like a kickflip but do not slide your foot.

4. As the board is flipping beneath you, twist your whole body through 180 degrees whilst jumping into the air.

5. Land with the board

6. Hey presto - a fronside 180 flip!