10 Simple Skateboarding Tricks

These ten simple skateboarding tricks are something every beginner needs to learn. While professionals can pull off amazing feats, beginners need to learn the more basic tricks before they can tear up the half pipe.

1. Manual - For this skateboard trick, place your back foot on the tail and your front foot behind the trucks. Shift your weight towards your back foot but lean forward slightly. The front of the board should rise and you are popping a wheelie. Be careful, because if you lean backwards, you will wipe out.
2. Ollie - The ollie is the most basic skateboard trick. Begin with your rear foot on the tail and your front foot a few inches behind the front bolts. Use your rear foot to smack the tail on the board onto the ground and then bend the foot and slide it along the deck of the tail. This causes the board to jump into the air. Use your front foot to level the board out and land evenly back on the ground.
3. Dropping In - Dropping in is a skateboard ramp trick. Make sure the rear trucks are over the coping with your rear foot securing the board. Put your front foot over the nose, above the front bolts. Lean your weight and shoulders forward with your shoulders parallel with the ramp and take off.
4. Fakie - A fakie in skateboarding is a trick where you appear to be riding backwards. When you normally place your pushing foot on the tail, turn instead and put your pushing foot on the front of the board and rotate your body to face the rear of the board. It takes some practice but you are effectively riding fakie.
5. Grind - It is best to find a small curb to practice on before moving on to higher obstacles. Skate to the curb and ollie onto it. Make sure both side trucks level out on the curb and grind along the curb until you reach the end. Give the tail a slight push to return to the ground when finished.
6. Frontside 180 - The frontside 180 skateboard trick involves doing an ollie while performing a 180 degree rotation. Right before you pop your tail, turn your shoulders opposite the direction you plan to rotate. As soon as your shoulders are parallel to the board, perform the ollie. Use the foot that slides and levels with the board to guide the board in the 180. Keep your feet by the bolts to level out.
7. 360 Tre Flip - Place your front foot in the middle of the board with your back foot over the tail. Push down with the toes of your back foot to tilt the board slightly and then push your foot back to force the board to start to spin. Flick your front foot off the side of the board, and it will spin and flip in the air. Use your front foot to land on the board.
8. Varial Kick Flip - Your feet need to be in the same position as the 360 Tre Flip trick. Pop the tail and flick your front foot forward. Use the front foot to kick the skateboard to the side. Do not kick too hard or the skateboard will fly away from you. Keep your shoulders straight, both feet in the air, and then use both feet to land back on the board.
9. Pop Shuvit - Place your rear foot across the skateboard’s tail and the front foot close to the front truck bolts. Bend your knees and pop the tail, giving it a little scoop. Push the rear of the board in front of you, making it spin frontside. Make sure to jump forward a little bit and, when it comes around, stop it with your front foot and then land with your rear foot on the board.
10. Heelflip - Start with your back foot on the middle of the tail and the front foot on the front bolts with your toes hanging off. Crouch down, then ollie up. Kick your front foot out and use your heel to flick the skateboard, making it spin. When the skateboard flips completely over, use your front foot to stop the board.