| By :
Mark Etinger
The kickflip is the hardest of the basic skateboarding tricks. Once you know how to ollie, the kickflip is the next step in the skate progression. It begins with an ollie, but instead of simply jumping, you spin the board with your foot so that it rolls over in the air. While the ollie is the most fundamental trick in skateboarding, the kickflip is the basis for all of the more complicated tricks in the complete skateboard realm, such as the tre flip, the heelflip, and even the 360 ollie. 1. Stance: Begin as if you were going to ollie: put your back foot on the tail of the board and your front behind the front trucks. The main difference is that you want your front foot a little to the side of the board so you will be able to spin. If this is awkward, try it in grass. If you are already comfortable with your ollie, you may find it easier to kickflip while rolling. 2. Pop: Ollie as high as you can because you need the extra time in the air for the board to complete its rotation. 3. Flick: You want to drag your front foot along the grip tape like you do in an ollie, but instead of straight up, it should be a little out and down. Using your toes, you want to flick the board out and down as if you were swatting at a fly, with your foot. It's a slight, fast movement and doesn't involve any kicking at all, despite the misleading name of the trick. You want to flick out at the grip tape near the nose, towards one side of the board, the left if you ride normal, the right if you're goofy. 4. Level: You want your shoulders to be parallel with the ground during the entirety of the trick. This will help you keep balanced and land properly. Remember to bring your feet up to your chest when you jump to give the board room to spin. 5. Catch it: Using your back foot, catch the board after one complete spin. Watch the board during your trick to see when it's time to do this. 6. Land: Bend your knees to absorb the shock of the landing. Though the trick only takes a second or two, there's a lot to remember. Don't worry if you can't get it, it takes tons of practice. Having a good sense of your complete skateboard will help you with tricks, and that comes with practice. So if you feel like you aren't getting anywhere with a trick, try a different one, or just cruise around for a while. Skating well involves a lot of confidence and it can be hard to land a trick if you don't feel like you can. After taking a spill is a bad time to practice a trick because pain will make you weak and your head won't be in it. Your body has to be comfortable with the board as much as your mind.
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