Skateboarding is an exciting sport that takes practice to master. For those just starting out, certain tricks are essential to learn in order to build fundamental skateboarding skills. This article will provide an overview of 10 key skateboarding tricks that every beginner should know. We’ll explain what each trick entails, offer tips on how to approach learning it, and discuss why it’s an important trick for novice skaters to have in their repertoire.
#1 Ollie
The ollie is perhaps the most fundamental skateboarding trick. It involves popping the tail of the skateboard down while simultaneously sliding your front foot forward to lift the board into the air. This gets the board briefly airborne and allows you to hop over obstacles or perform other tricks. Mastering the ollie takes coordination and timing, but repetitive practice will help new skaters get the hang of this essential trick.
#2 Kickturn
The kickturn involves rotating the skateboard 180 degrees using a sharp twist of the shoulders and hips. This allows you to change direction quickly while moving. Kickturns are commonly used when approaching obstacles or ramps in order to manoeuvre the board into proper positioning. Developing smooth kick turns will give beginners greater control over their board.
#3 Dropping In
Dropping in refers to entering a ramp from the coping at its peak. It requires gathering speed at the top of the ramp, then pushing the board over the edge while bending your knees to maintain balance. This is one of the first ramp tricks learners should master. Once you’ve gotten comfortable dropping in, it opens up ramps and bowls for more advanced techniques.
#4 Pumping
Pumping uses the up and down motion of a ramp to generate speed by pushing down with the legs as the board moves upward and standing tall as it comes back down. This is an essential skill for maintaining and gaining momentum in ramps without pushing. Pumping will help beginners learn to utilise the terrain of a skatepark efficiently.
#5 Frontside 180
A frontside 180 involves approaching a ramp facing sideways, then twisting the body 180 degrees while pivoting the board to come back down the ramp rolling forward. This combines the kickturn with the technique of riding into a ramp for a smoothly executed trick. Landing frontside 180s consistently will prepare novices for more advanced ramp tricks.
#6 Boardslide
The boardslide involves sliding the underside of the board along a ledge or rail while keeping your balance on top. This grind trick helps beginners learn to lock on to edges and slide smoothly. Boardslides are also a gateway to more complex slide tricks down rails, boxes, and tunnels.
#7 Nosegrab
Grabbing the nose of the skateboard with your front hand while airborne comprises the nosegrab trick. This is one of the simplest air tricks for new skaters to learn. Nosegrabbing will help improve overall board control and coordination in the air, essential skills for ollies and aerial manoeuvres.
#8 Fakie Ollie
A fakie ollie starts the same as a regular ollie, but while rolling backward. Hopping into a fakie ollie while moving forward trains skaters to perform tricks while going switch. This is key for linking tricks smoothly when moving between regular and fakie stances.
#9 Rock to Fakie
In this mini ramp trick, you roll up to the coping, stall briefly with your trucks hanging over the edge, then drop back in fakie. This technique lets you turn around on transitions without switching your stance. Rock to fakies help build confidence rolling up ramps along with fakie rolling skills.
#10 50-50 Grind
This grind involves balancing the skateboard trucks evenly along the edge of a rail, ledge, or coping. It’s a straightforward slide that helps new skaters get comfortable with grinding positions. Once 50-50s are consistent, it opens the door for more advanced board positioning in grinds.
| Trick | Brief Description |
|---|---|
| Ollie | Popping tail & sliding front foot to lift board |
| Kickturn | Rotating board 180 degrees |
| Dropping In | Entering ramp from coping at peak |
| Pumping | Using ramp’s motion to gain speed |
| Frontside 180 | Turning 180 degrees into a ramp |
| Boardslide | Sliding board’s underside along a ledge/rail |
| Nosegrab | Grabbing nose of board while airborne |
| Fakie Ollie | Ollie while rolling backward |
| Rock to Fakie | Stall on coping and drop in fakie |
| 50-50 Grind | Balancing board on edge of rail/ledge |
To conclude, learning the basics is crucial when starting out in skateboarding. The 10 tricks covered in this article – from fundamental techniques like the ollie to introductory ramp, rail, and transition skills – provide a solid foundation that will enable beginners to progress quickly. Mastering these starter tricks will soon have novice skaters moving on to kickflips, heelflips, 180s and beyond. With consistent practice time and dedication to nailing down these essentials, new skaters will be dropping in, grinding rails, and stomping advanced tricks in no time. The journey to skateboarding proficiency starts with the fundamentals – so grab your board and start practising these top 10 tricks today!
