Advice on How to Do Skateboard Tricks
- 1). Figure out the correct stances for each trick. Study professional skateboarding videos or ask friends how you need to stand on your skateboard for whichever trick you want to perform. Find out whether you need to have either of your feet at an angle, and which specific area of the skateboard you should be standing on.
- 2). Determine whether the trick you want to perform requires a pop, scoop, shove, kick, or any combination of the four. A pop means you need to ollie first; basic tricks such as kickflips and heelflips usually require you to pop the board high in the air before executing the maneuver. Scoops are when you use your back foot to "scoop" the board and send it rotating sideways at an angle, such as with varial kickflips or 360 flips. Tricks that require a shoving motion, like shove-its and big spins, are when you shove the board one way with your front foot, and the opposite way with your back foot. A kick is simply when you flick the board and make it flip with your front foot, such as with kickflips.
- 3). Watch the board closely as it flips or spins around so you know when to catch it with your feet. Pay close attention to how fast it is moving and as soon as you see the grip tape or top of your skateboard, bring your feet down to catch it and land. Bend your knees as you land to absorb the impact and help stay balanced as you ride away.
- 4). Focus hard on the trick you want to execute. Think about each individual step you need to take in order to perform the trick, from the stance, to the execution, to the landing. Concentration is a major part in learning how to do skateboard tricks. Envision all of the motions in your head, and keep practicing.