Learning skateboard tricks can be both exhilarating and daunting, especially for beginners! When you’re learning how to skateboard for the first time, you’ll probably be most excited about learning how to do cool skateboard tricks; this article is a guide to help you get started!
Skateboarding is not just about skill; it's a way to express creativity, improve physical fitness, and join a global community of skateboarders. In a world where the thrill of executing perfect skateboard beginner tricks leads to endless possibilities, knowing where to start is essential.
Prepare Yourself for Skateboarding
Before you start practicing even the simple skateboard tricks, you must first master the basics of being on your board. Until you can stand on the board, push, and balance with ease, it’s best to not try any fancy tricks, since you are much more likely to hurt yourself.
The good news is that you can usually get pretty good at these basic skills in as little as one day, depending on your preexisting skills like balance and foot-eye coordination.
Getting Comfortable on the Board
First, determine which stance you are most comfortable with –regular or goofy (basically right or left-handed, but with feet). Think: If you were to slide on a patch of ice, which foot would you lead with? This is probably your default stance.
To get more comfortable riding, start by standing still on your board to get a feel for how your feet should be. Use a chair or wall to help you balance at first if needed. Then, start moving with small pushes, learning how to move your front foot accordingly and maintaining your balance. Tighten the trucks for more stability. You can loosen them as you get more comfortable.
Basic Movements: Carving, and Kickturning
Learn to push correctly by using your back foot and shifting your front foot’s position. Practice it so much that you don’t even need to think about it anymore!
Then, begin practicing turning. There are two ways to turn: carving and kickturning. Which one is easier is subjective, so just begin with the one you like better.
Kickturning is when you step towards the back of your board just enough that you can lift the front wheels up slightly. When they lift, you can redirect the front of the board left or right, and when they come back down, you’ll be going in a different direction. Practice kickturning until it feels natural.
Carving is when you shift your weight to the toes or heels, leaning into the side of the board and causing the board to turn. Practice carving until you can comfortably move in a slalom pattern. You can loosen your trucks to turn faster while carving, but only if you have enough ankle stability to maintain your balance.
Practice Riding Switch
Riding switch means riding with your opposite foot forward. You can practice this simultaneously with your normal stance, or you can progress your normal stance before going back and re-learning it all in your switch stance. The order is up to you, but it’s vital to be able to be comfortable in switch so you don’t get messed up if you find yourself with your opposite foot forward in the middle of a ride!
Skateboard Safety Tips for Beginners
Always wear a helmet and appropriate protective gear to prevent injuries (elbow and knee pads, gloves).
Ensure your skateboard is in good condition by regularly checking the trucks and wheels. Ensure your safety equipment and shoes are in good working order.
Learn to fall correctly to minimize injury risk. Practice landing on “fleshy” parts like your shoulders and sides and immediately rolling out instead of landing on your wrists to prevent broken bones and sprains.
Once you’re familiar and experienced with these skateboarding basics, you can start building your trick repertoire!
Fundamental Beginner Skateboard Tricks (⭐ Easy)
Here are some of the easiest skateboard tricks that every new skateboarder should learn. They are foundational for more difficult tricks later on and you can use them all the time while just riding around or at the skate park.
Manual
Manuals are a great beginner practice in balance.
In your stance, place your front foot just behind the front bolts and your back foot on the tail. Gently lift the front of the board by shifting your weight to your back foot.
Practice finding this balance in a still position and then move on to practicing while in motion.
Keep your front leg slightly bent and your back leg straight (but don’t lock your knee!). Start with short distances and work up how long you can hold your manual over time.
Focus on form first! Doing the same correct movement over and over is crucial, otherwise, you'll teach your muscles to do the wrong thing. Unlearning a bad habit is much harder than just learning it right in the first place!
Tic-Tac
Tic-tacs are great for gaining speed and improving footwork. Start with your back foot on the tail and your front foot either on or just behind the bolts. Lean slightly forward to help your momentum, while pressing on your back foot just enough to slightly raise the front wheels (like a kickturn!). Rapidly move the front wheels to one side, let them touch down, lean into the motion, and quickly repeat the process to the other side.
You can see how this movement is like a combination of kickturns and carving that can propel you forward without pushing!
Pop Up
This super-simple trick is also super handy! Any time you want to pick up your board, you can do so with a pop up. Simply stand toward the rear of your board and tap quickly and firmly on the tail of the board so that the front pops up enough for you to catch it.
This simple move is practical and the better you get at it, the more impressive you can make it look.
By focusing on these foundational tricks, you'll build the skills necessary for more advanced maneuvers and enjoy a fun, rewarding skateboarding experience.
Basic Skateboard Tricks for Beginners (⭐⭐ Intermediate)
Once you’ve got the foundations down, you can start to learn other easy skateboard tricks for beginners that are a little more complicated. These cool skateboard tricks make you feel accomplished and confident while preparing you for even harder tricks and reinforcing your existing skills!
Ollie
Mastering the ollie is crucial as it forms the foundation for many other skateboard tricks.
Start by positioning your back foot on the tail and your front foot just behind the bolts, slightly angled for better control during the pop.
Prepare to jump by bending your knees deeply, pressing into the balls of your feet via your ankles, and shifting your weight slightly back (which will cause the front of the board to lift).
Let the tail of the board tap the ground slightly and gain liftoff, and then snap your legs upward, allowing the board to follow your feet.
Once you master the pop, begin working on leveling your board in the air. Your front foot will slide forward on the deck, catching the concave, and dipping the nose of the board for a smooth landing.
Practice your ollie in a still position before trying it in motion. Having something about waist height to grab onto while you figure out your feet is a great way to avoid falling down!
Frontside 180
The Frontside 180 combines an ollie with a body spin, so make sure you can ollie before you try this! It's also crucial that you’re comfortable riding switch since you’ll land in your switch!
Place your feet in a comfortable ollie position, except your back foot has more leverage by being on the very tail of the board with the ball of the foot in the center. Just before you pop the board, open your shoulders in the direction of the spin, ensuring your body and board rotate simultaneously. This trick requires understanding the dynamics of body rotation and board control, making it a bit challenging but rewarding to learn.
Nose Stall
For the nose stall (aka Slappy Nose Stall), you simply want the nose of your board to rest on the top of the curb or coping with the wheels unsupported. There are many ways to get into and out of this trick, but the actual nose stall is simply the part where you’re stopped at the top.
It’s easier to begin learning this trick on flat ground with a standard cement curb than with a skateboard ramp. Place your front foot on the nose of the board with your back foot on or just in front of the rear bolts; keep your weight back while you’re riding.
Approach the curb at a comfortable speed and when you get close, simply step your weight forward onto your front foot, causing the nose of the board to rest on top of the curb and the back of the board to lift. This is your stall!
The simple way to exit the stall can be done by simply pushing off into a fakie.
Hard Skateboard Tricks for Beginners (⭐⭐⭐ Difficult)
While these tricks look impressive, they are still on the simpler side, so beginners can learn them to prepare for the harder and hardest skateboard tricks.
Rock to Fakie
The rock to fakie is like a variant of a nose stall. It involves rolling up a ramp, lifting your front wheels over the coping onto the deck, and then rolling back down in switch. Start with enough speed, and ensure your front truck clears the coping while your back truck stays below it. It's crucial to manage your weight distribution to avoid tipping over as you roll back into the ramp.
Shuvit / Shovit / Shove It
You can begin practicing shovits at a standstill before you try one while moving in order to understand the mechanics, but it’s much easier overall while moving!
Just like in your ollie, you’ll pop the tail with your back toes. The key difference is that your toes are hanging off the edge slightly so that when the board pops, you can angle your foot down with your ankle to rotate the board with your toes.
Meanwhile, your front foot stays in one spot. Plant it on or just behind the front bolts. The front foot acts as a pivot point, keeping your board beneath you while it spins. This trick requires precise foot positioning and balance to land successfully with your feet back in their original positions.
Kickflip
Begin a Kickflip by rolling at a moderate speed. Then, perform an ollie and flick your front foot forward at a diagonal angle, catching the concave so that the board flips in the air. The board will stay under your feet while spinning 360 degrees, so you can land back on your feet on your board.
The key to mastering this skateboard move is to drive the muscle memory into your legs and front ankle so you can flick the board perfectly every time.
Challenge yourself and your friends with skateboard games! S-K-A-T-E is like H-O-R-S-E but with skate tricks. Match each other's tricks to win!
The skateboarder’s path from newbie to novice is paved with patience, practice, and perseverance. Building the foundational skills is paramount when you’re learning how to do skateboard tricks.
The journey doesn't end here; it evolves with every push, every fall, and every triumph. Whether you aim to carve through the streets with confidence or dazzle your friends with airborne feats, remember that every skilled skateboarder once started where you are today. With enough time, dedication, and practice, you, too can perform all the crazy skateboard tricks you want with confidence!
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