How to Flick Your Foot in a Kickflip

After learning to ollie -- a basic trick in skateboarding where you push down on the tail of the board and hold it to your feet as you jump -- mastering the kickflip is a good next step for any skateboarder looking to legitimize his street skating game. It may take a little while to master this one, and you will probably bang a number of attempts off your shins, but once dialed, the kickflip is a solid go-to trick.

Instructions

    • 1

      Position your feet as you would to do an ollie.

    • 2

      Set your front foot so that the ball of your foot is in the center of your skateboard, a couple of inches below the bolts. Some people prefer to keep their foot more in the center of the board, while others tend to let more of their heel hang off the board. Where you position your foot relative to the bolts of your board is also preferential -- experiment to find what works best for you.

    • 3

      Push down on the tail with your back foot as you would to ollie. Instead of dragging your front foot straight up the board, drag it more towards the side, flicking the side of the nose closest to you, causing the board to start rotating.

    • 4

      Remain centered over the board in the air, and be ready to catch it as it completes its rotation.

    • 5

      Catch the tail of the board with your back foot as the board finishes flipping. Follow with your front foot, and bend your knees as you land. You can try to catch the board with both feet at the same time if you like. Again, a lot of skateboarding is up to personal preference. Try to land with your feet as close to the bolts as possible. No one wants to see a sloppy kickflip.

    • 6

      Flip another one. And another. As with all tricks, the more times you do a kickflip, the more comfortable you will get and the better it will look.