Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced Skateboard Tricks

Learning skateboarding tricks takes balance and board control. A novice skater must learn the basics before even attempting beginner tricks. Intermediate skateboarding tricks consist of flip tricks and grinds. Advanced skateboarding tricks combine both the flip trick and the grind. Skaters flip their boards and then lock the aluminum trucks onto metal rails or concrete ledges. Professional skateboarders spend years perfecting the intricate foot work that goes hand in hand with advanced skateboarding tricks.

  1. Beginner: Ollie

    • The Ollie continues to stand as the most fundamental of all modern skateboarding tricks. Beginner, intermediate, and advanced tricks utilize the Ollie. When performing flip tricks, skaters use the Ollie to pop the board into the air. While executing grinds, skaters use the Ollie to pop their board onto grind-able obstacles, including rails and ledges. The foot placement for the Ollie places the skater toward the back of the skateboard. The skater places their back foot on the tail of the board, or the area with the concave shape, while resting the front foot toward the middle. The Ollie takes place when the skater pushes on the tail of the board and then jumps into the air. Once airborne, the skater slides the front foot toward the front of the board as it levels out. The skater then lands on all four wheels of the skateboard while continuing to roll.

    Intermediate: Backside Heelflip

    • The backside heelflip, considered an intermediate skateboarding trick, combines a backside 180 degree spin with a heelflip. For skaters who ride with the right foot on the front of the board, known as the goofy stance, the backside 180 rotation spins in a counterclockwise direction. The regular stance, or riding with the left foot at the front of the board, spins the 180 in a clockwise direction. After performing the Ollie, the skater uses the heel of the front foot to flip the board. The skater flicks the heel in an upward direction while sucking the feet up to allow the board to rotate. The skater begins to spin the 180 prior to flipping the board. The skater catches the board after it completes the heelflip revolution and turns the rest of the backside 180 degree spin. The backside heelflip finishes as the skater lands and rolls away.

    Advanced: Kickflip Frontside 50-50

    • The kickflip frontside 50-50 combines both a flip trick and a grind. A grind refers to when skaters uses the metal trucks of the skateboard to slide across a slick surface. The kickflip rotates in the opposite direction as the heelflip as the skater uses the toes of the front foot instead of the heel. After performing the Ollie, the skater kicks the front toes toward the ground. For the kickflip frontside 50-50, the skater advances toward the rail or ledge while the front of the body faces the obstacle. The skater pops the Ollie and performs the kickflip with the front foot. After completing the kickflip, the two metal trucks lock onto the edge of the object. The skater slides down or across the extent of the obstacle and pops an Ollie to dismount. Rolling away completes the kickflip frontside 50-50.