Learning Tricks
Tricks are a huge part of skateboarding. The whole skateboarding addiction usually stems from being able to progress continuously and always being able to learn new moves to keep things interesting. There is nothing quite like the feeling of landing a new trick for the first time, especially after hours, days, weeks, months, or even years of practice.
Everyday I get emails and read messages in the forums from people who are having trouble learning a new trick. They are searching for tips to perfect their ollies and kickflips. I’ll often offer a few tips and direct them to the trick tips on the site. About half of them will email me back later that day and say they tried what I suggested and and it didn’t work. A quarter of them go out, learn it, and thank me later on. The other quarter do not reply again.
So, why do fifty percent of the people who email me for help find that the tips don’t work? Maybe you noticed that I said they email me back later that day. That means that at the most, they tried for a few hours to do the trick. They all seem to have the same mindset thinking that there is some simple secret to doing a trick, and that if you know that secret then you can do it right away. There is no secret. If you read a trick tip, that is how one person does a trick, and it is probably good as a general guide. It does not guarantee you will learn the trick. Some of the tips may help you out and you’ll learn the trick faster, but it will still take anywhere from a few tries to a few years to learn the trick.
With all of that out of the way, here is my method for learning new tricks. It’s called logic.
1. Think about the trick you are going to do. Think about how the board moves when the trick is being performed. Next, think about how your legs and feet are going to have to move to make the board do that. Next, pick out a stance, and try the trick a few times.
2. You didn’t learn the trick in those few tries? That’s no big surprise. Think about what you and your board did compared to how the trick is supposed to work. If the board flipped too much, then dont kick it so hard. If your foot got in the way of the board’s rotation then try adjusting your stance. Now try the trick again a bunch of times.
3. Continue step number two over and over. That is what it takes. It’s all trial and error. Eventually you’ll get the trick. If you aren’t even getting close, then maybe you need to practice some more basic tricks first. Don’t skate beyond your ability. Not everyone progresses at the same speeds.
Remember that skateboarding is supposed to be fun. Don’t burn yourself on one trick and get frusterated. I find that I progress faster if I try learning a few new tricks at a time. If you try to learn too many tricks at once though, you’ll be spreading yourself thin and you’ll progress slow that way too. Just skate, have fun, and remember that tricks are not instant.
Stumble it!
June 12th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
dear hdskate..i just started sk8ing(im a girl its obvious..lol)i would like to know how many days it will take 4 me 2 be good with my board and start doing ollies?
June 12th, 2007 at 10:43 pm
There’s are too many factors to give you an answer. It’s different for everyone.
June 21st, 2007 at 3:38 pm
ive been skating awhile now and can olli but i need to learn how to keep my feet above the board as im doing a kickflip..any words of advice?
June 28th, 2007 at 11:25 pm
hate to break it to ya but you need to learn to ollie bra.
June 28th, 2007 at 11:26 pm
my bad read it wrong
July 5th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
dear,
ANDREW & EVERYONE ELSE READING
one problem might be that your scared to land.
I have a friend that does the same thing relax, calm down and have a good time. Learning your first flip trick wont be easy but once its over you’ll be SO happy!
ALSO HERES THE STEPS ON THE WAY I KICKFLIP:
1. Place your back foot like you would for an ollie.
2. Your front foot should be curved right behind the front truck bolts.(in other words your toes should be turned not all the way but almost facing straight to the bolts)
3. you will almost basically do the same steps for an ollie, so pop the back of the board with your back foot and kick your front foot to the side.
4. suck up your legs and make sure that you lean forward and also make your arms straight with the board’s nose and tail.(you lean forward so you can keep a nice balance, you suck up your legs so you can give the board room to flip, you keep your arms straight with the board so it stays perfectly under you.)
5.you should now be able to land smoothly and clean.
tips:
to make the board flip up higher move your front foot to the center a little and then for that first pretend like your ollieing then really just do the steps i told you to do.
that tip before will help you be able to ollie over recycling bins,bigger gaps, down stairs and down rails to grind variations.
you may not get the trick right away but, take your time your not going to fall so dont worry about that just skate!
HAPPY SKATING
July 5th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
ALSO TO EVERYONE dont skate thinking your goin to be pro or just wanting to be cool. SKATE cuz your having a good time and thats how you become pro and trust me I would know.
July 17th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
i wuz wonderin how to land while doin a pressure flip cause ive been at it for so long and i cant get my back leg on the board
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:13 am
ahhhhhhhhhhhhh?
July 26th, 2007 at 8:20 am
ihave 3 tricks i really want to learn but im also really close to landing like shuv t i can land sometimes. kickflips ic an only land with my back foot.180,s im always 10 degrees short if u have any advice it would be apreciated thanks
July 26th, 2007 at 8:22 am
ok im knew to ollieing stairs the day before yesterday i ollied a 2 step for the first time then yesterday i ollied a 3 should i go for the 4 today or not push it? thanks
July 26th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
ive been skating for about a year and i can ollie, shove it, primo flip, and i can do some basic grinds i need some advice on how to get my front foot on the board when doing a kickflip. i can stick my back foot every time but not the front.
July 30th, 2007 at 9:43 am
my pop shove it is good but im scared to land it
August 11th, 2007 at 4:57 pm
i have a problem. Ive been skatebording for a wile i can ollie and tall that but im haveing problems with my kickflips. every time i try to do them it hits my shin what should i do?
August 11th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
O_o never mind i found out my own problem? Ive been pushing down on the side of the bord and that made it hit my shin. ty ne way
August 13th, 2007 at 10:20 am
I just got my board for christmas and I can ride on it pretty good but am having trouble learning to jump. Can you please tell me what I should do.
August 18th, 2007 at 1:33 am
EVERY TIME I TRY TO OLLIE I CNT. I CNT EVEN LIFT THE BOARD OFF THE GROUND. I NEED TIPS ON HOW TO POP THE BOARD. I CNT EVEN DO THAT >:{
August 19th, 2007 at 1:05 am
i just watched the video and i cant get my back wheels of the ground or i fling the board
August 23rd, 2007 at 11:03 pm
if ur a bit on the heavy side and are trying to sk8, dont let it slow u down TRUST ME!!! im a prime example i used to think because i was big that i culdnt sk8 now skating has made me a little smaller and i can sk8, so dont give up
August 29th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Ok, this is what i need, i dont know how to pop shove it i can almost land it but its to hard do u have any hints for me, i would really like help, thank you so much.
August 30th, 2007 at 12:51 am
ive been skating for about 2 and a half months now and im 14 years old. i can ollie decently while riding, fakie ollie, almost 180 but usually only make it 90 degrees, and kickflip while standing still…im wondering if at my age i would have any chance in become pro because i pretty much devoted my life to skating. the only reason i ask this is because i learned all this these things fast and id love to make a career out of skating in the future
August 30th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
U still have a chance, most skaters start skating late. Like Ray Barbee he started in 7 th grade and he is a pro. Even though it would be an advantage if u started earlier. But, if u have the talent then u got the talent. So age doesn’t matter, it’s just ya skill level. But not to burst ure bubble not alot of people get sponsored. Even if they started when they were 4 or 14.
September 1st, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Hi um…. I was just wonderin’ how to ollie it is really hard for me and I have been practicin’ for a few weeks now. I already know how to skate, but I want to do tricks please help me. thanks!
September 1st, 2007 at 4:21 pm
hi i need help . I’ve been practicin’ for a while now and my board doesn’t come off the ground when i try an ollie….. please help me.and i already know how to skate ……. thanks!
September 4th, 2007 at 12:23 am
hey, all is good with skatin.i was wondering about some tricks to learn now since i can kickflip.
can some1 giv me maybe like a list in order of tricks i should try, thanks
September 4th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
and drake…its really important to pop ur tail hard. and even the board out by sliding your foot. if u need anymore help let me kno..glad to help
September 6th, 2007 at 11:46 am
uhhhh im close to landing kickflips and have read the articles several times. do you have any suggestions of helping me land with both feet?
September 9th, 2007 at 4:23 am
justin,these are some tricks you could try:
Varial Kickflip,
Fakie Kickflip,
Frontside/Backside 180 flip,
and some more advanced:
Fakie 180 flip,
360 flip.
Also remember it will take time for you to be able to do all of these tricks so try doing the top 3 first.