Skateboarding Tips

Read these 9 Skateboarding Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Skate Board tips and hundreds of other topics.

Skateboarding Tips has been rated 3.3 out of 5 based on 2107 ratings and 31 user reviews.
How do I kick flip?

Kick Flips - Version 2

Ok, this is a common problem with people learning kick flips. I also had this problem growing up skating. In order to overcome this problem you need skate a little longer, skate a little harder, and you can not give up. I think you need to focus on getting your board to stay in the air a little longer. The best way to do that is by using your ankle more than your actual leg, see kick flips are all done in one motion as you snap your tail. One thing to remember is that you need to be flinging your front foot and kick flipping and jumping all at the same time. Try to bring your feet closer together and wait for the board to come around. Once it comes around plant your feet back on the board. If you land bolts thats a plus. Make sure you ride away smooth and throw the biggest shaka and get stoked. Oh, about your new skate park and the jerks there don't worry about them...ignore them and always have fun. And don't be afraid to stick up for you self.

   
How do I do frontside flips?

Frontside Flips with Freddy from Active Mailorder

I'm Fred and I am going to help you with your front side flips. First, you want to start off in a kick-flip position make sure you have a good amount of speed - not to slow and not to fast - a speed that you are comfortable with. Next, you want to place your back foot on the middle of the tail; half of your foot should be hanging off the tail. Next, your front foot should be right in the middle of the board with half of your foot hanging off the side of the board. Angle your toes slightly towards the nose of the board with your lower body and hips should be parallel with the board. Twist your upper body slightly and look towards the nose of the board. Next, you want to ollie fronside 180, ollie as high as you can and turn your lower body only. Your upper body should rotate just a little bit and kick-flip at the same time. Lean the weight of your upper body towards the nose of the board wait for the board to completely flip. Finally, land on the bolts and role away as smooth as possible. Remember practice makes perfect never give up.

   
How do I do 360 flips?

360 Flips

First, you need to learn 360 shove-its, 360 pop shove-its and kick-flips. Then you might be able to throw down a 360 flip. Most importantly you need to practice pop shove-its and learn how to snap the tail on just regular 180 pop shove-its. When you get that trick down, try to learn pop shove-it kick-flips.

Once you get that trick down start shoving the board a little harder, to get it to rotate 360 and flip it a little slower than the pop shove-it kick-flips and then you should have your self a tre flip. Remember practice makes perfect.

   
How do I learn to ollie higher?

Higher Ollies

When I was a kid this is the way I looked at things; I figured if I can jump 5ft in the air then I can ollie 5ft. And, do you know what? It started working for me. But, it was after years of skating, being in shape, and mastering the ollie. So, first what you have to do is start setting up obstacles to ollie over. You mentioned that you can ollie as high as 8 inches right? Thats about as wide as a board set sideways. Anyway, during your next skate session you and your budies should take turns setting up each others boards sideways. Practice olling over a single board until you feel real comfortable clearing it. Next, stack another board up so you have 2 boards stacked up. The hieght of two boards stacked up sidewyas is about 1 foot or more. Practice clearing 2 boards until you get really comfortable with that height. Once you master that stack a 3rd board. Setting goals will help you to progress fast. The key to progression in to have an obstale to clear and to set goals. The next time you contact us here at activemailorder you should be at almost 3 boards. Take care and remember practice makes big ollies.

   
How do I do hard flips?

Hard Flips - Version 2

A hard flip is a combination of 2 tricks. The combinations of tricks are the kick flip and the front side pop shove it. If you can do those 2 tricks by them selves then you can do the hard flip. I'm telling you from experience its mixing a couple of tricks to make one trick. The key to the hard flip is keeping your shoulders parallel with your board. You only want to rotate your lower body front side as your kick flipping and shoving your board. Make sure you don't do illusion flips which are the kind of hard flips that flip in-between your legs. To better explain this take a look at Mike Carrol and Richard Mulder, those guys have the best hard flips out there. Now remember keep in mind what I told you about the 2 tricks in one. All a hard flip is, is a kick flip and a front side pop shove it. Now get out there and practice…remember practice makes perfect.

   
How do I learn how to ollie?

How to ollie

So, you want to learn how to ollie. One way to practice Ollie's is to set the back wheels of your skateboard in a side walk crack, like one of those cracks you see every 10 feet. When you place your back wheels in the crack it keeps your skateboard from moving while practicing your ollies. First, place your back foot on the tail half of your board, your foot should be on the tail so the heel of your foot is hanging off the tail of the board. Place your front foot in the center of the board with just a little bit of your heel hanging off the side of the board. Next, you want to bend your knees and set your shoulders parallel with the board. Your back leg will be a little more bent than the the front leg. Next, imagine that you are as light as a feather, spread your arms for balance, and snap the tail. As soon as the tail and the ground make contact jump up and forward while lifting the board with you front and back feet. If all goes well; you have an ollie. It is recommended that the ollie be mastered first before you move on to kick-flips, so remember practice makes perfect never give up. Once the ollie has been mastered and you can ollie up a curb you're ready to start learning kick flips. Remember its all about having fun.

   
How do I do hard flips?

Hard Flips with Freddy from Active Mailorder

First, want to get in a kick-flip position with your upper body twisted towards the nose of the board make sure you are not going too fast nor too slow. Next ollie and shove-it at the same time make sure you get a good snap off the tail. It's like doing a front side pop shove it. The board should be going behind you, your back foot should be kicking out while popping and shoving the board. Your front foot should be kick-flipping while your whole body should be in the air. Make sure that both of your legs are spread out waiting for the board to land. Once you see the board coming around again bring your legs together and try landing on the bolts for a solid landing. If you are successful throw a shaka while ridding away. Remember practice makes perfect and never give up.

   
How do I kick flip?

Kick Flips

You need to practice the kick flip standing still without rolling. First, you need to find a smooth flat surface where you can practice your kick flips. Second, you need to get set up and you want to make sure you have the best stance for kick flips. You mentioned you skate regular stance, so... your front foot which is your left foot should be at about one o'clock position your back foot should be at about three o'clock in order for you to under stand this o'clock position stuff just look at your board as a clock with the nose of your board being 12:00 and the tail being 6:00. OK, now that we have that settled on with the kick flip. Now what you want to do is ollie and make sure your in that position I just explained. You want to get a good snap and make sure your front foot gets a good feel on the concave of the board so that when you fling your front foot the board rotates properly. Next, keep both legs up in the air while you see the board rotating under you. Once your board is back to its normal position, stick both feet back on the board. Do this until you master it. To keep your feet in the air a little longer try jumping a bit higher after you snap your tail. It takes a while to master...so don't get discouraged. Remember to practice standing still at first then you can start rolling with little speed. Good luck and remember practice makes perfect…have fun.

   
How do I ollie?

How to Ollie - Version 2

Well this is going to be a bit hard to explain only because I'm not there to actually show you physically. However, I will try my best. Here it goes. First, you want to make sure you feel comfortable on your board and not all off balance. Second you want to get in a good stance, your back foot should be half way on the tail, the heel end of your foot should be hanging off and that should be the only part of your foot hanging off. Your front foot should be about 2 inches above the middle of your board with about 2/3 inches of your heel hanging off the side of the board. Ok, now that we have your stance down, you can Ollie. This is how you're going to do just that. First, you have to think light you have to think you're a feather. Then you want to crunch down by bending your knees you want to bend you back leg more than your front leg and make sure your upper body is leaning towards the front. Then snap the tail with your body already wanting to take off into the air. As soon as you feel and hear the tail snap, lift up your whole body with your front foot dragging up the front of the board towards your front truck. Look down and keep your eye on the top of your board and wait to land.

   
Not finding the advice and tips you need on this Skate Board Tip Site? Request a Tip Now!


Guru Spotlight
Lynda Moultry