How to Flip Out of a Tail Slide

Thanks to popular television shows and highly publicized professional contests, skateboarding is more popular than ever. While most are content to enjoy a relaxing cruise down the street, more ambitious boarders will dabble in trick skating. A tail slide is an intermediate trick which involves popping the tail of the board onto the edge of a grind box or a metal rail and sliding for several feet. When a kick-flip -- which involves flipping the board horizontally with a kick of your leading foot -- is added to the end of the tail slide, you'll be sure to impress friends and onlookers.

Things You'll Need

  • Edged obstacle (grind box or rail)
  • Curb wax
  • Safety equipment
  • Skateboard
  • Skate shoes
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Instructions

    • 1

      Apply a thin coat of wax to the obstacle you plan to tail slide on. Wax is required to reduce friction between the underside of your skateboard, the baseplate of your trucks (metal axles) and the obstacle.

    • 2

      Approach the obstacle at a parallel angle going a moderate speed. As you are performing a front-side tail slide, the front of your body should be facing the edge of the obstacle. Go fast enough to achieve an adequate slide, but not so fast that you lose control before reaching the obstacle.

    • 3

      Place your back foot at the center edge of your skateboard's tail. Keep your front foot just behind the four hardware bolts near the nose. Your front foot should be flat on your board, with little toe or heel overhang.

    • 4

      Pop your tail while simultaneously dragging your front foot up the board toward the nose to perform an Ollie, or jumping, motion. Once airborne, rotate your hips and shoulders 90 degrees, to swing the board's tail forward toward the obstacle's edge.

    • 5

      Smack the board's tail onto the ledge. Once you begin to slide, lean back slightly, shift your weight to the tail and keep both shoulders perpendicular to the obstacle, to maintain balance.

    • 6

      Move your front foot over the top of the front four hardware bolts. Position your foot at a slight outward angle, so that your heel hangs off the edge of the board.

    • 7

      Dip the front of the board down slightly as you slide. This unweights the tail and will provide the leverage required for the kick-flip out of the slide.

    • 8

      Press down hard on the tail with your back foot -- while simultaneously kicking your front foot off the side of the skateboard. In execution, this motion will feel like an Ollie or a regular kick-flip on flat ground.

    • 9

      Jump away from the edge of the obstacle and allow the board to complete a single rotation beneath you. As you prepare to land, move your hips and shoulders, so that they are once again parallel with the obstacle.

    • 10

      Catch the board with both feet as the top of the board comes around. Bend your knees to absorb the impact and roll away from the obstacle.