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SKATEBOARDING TRICKS GLOSSARY

Every niche trick, variation, and esoteric terminology

SUBMIT TRICK / VIDEO

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RANDOM TRICK

Kickflip

Board rotates on lengthwise axis via toe flick

TECHNICAL NOMENCLATURE & FUNDAMENTALS [-]

Frontside vs Backside

Direction of rotation or approach to obstacles

For spins/rotations:
• Frontside (FS) = Chest/front leads the rotation, you see where you're going
• Backside (BS) = Back leads, you rotate blind initially
• Regular stance: FS = counterclockwise (from above), BS = clockwise
• Goofy stance: FS = clockwise, BS = counterclockwise

For grinds/slides:
• Frontside = Approach with obstacle in front of you (facing it)
• Backside = Approach with obstacle behind you (back to it)

This is THE fundamental concept in skateboarding - everything references FS or BS

Regular vs Goofy

Your natural stance - which foot goes forward

• Regular = Left foot forward, push with right
• Goofy = Right foot forward, push with left
Neither is "correct" - just like being left or right handed

Frontfoot vs Backfoot

Specifies which foot executes flip or rotation

Example: Frontfoot casper vs backfoot casper - different foot initiates the trick, completely changes the mechanics

Pinch

Pressing/pinching truck against ledge or rail while grinding

The point where the truck/wheel meets the deck. Example: "Das pinch" on frontside crooked grind - you're pinching your way through using one wheel and part of the truck. Helps lock in grinds.

ledge

ledge rail

Switch

Riding opposite stance (goofy rides regular, regular rides goofy)

All tricks can be done switch, often significantly harder than normal stance

Fakie

Riding backward in normal stance

Not the same as switch - you're in your normal stance but rolling backward. Your tail becomes the functional nose.

flatground

flatground technical

Nollie

aka: Nose Ollie

Ollie popped from the nose instead of tail

Front foot pops nose, back foot levels board

Rolling forward in normal stance but using nose to pop

flatground

flatground fundamental technical

Revert

180° pivot on wheels (not in the air)

Land trick → Pivot 180° on transition or flat → Continue rolling

Common way to add style or change stance after landing

flatground

Rewind

Quick back-and-forth pivot motion

Revert one way → Immediately revert back → Quick oscillation

Like doing a revert then instantly reverting back. Often done in quick succession for style.

transition

flatground transition

Body Varial

Body rotates independent of board

Your body spins but board does something different (or nothing)

Example: "360 body varial kickflip" = your body spins 360° while board does a kickflip

flatground

flatground gap transition style

Stance Terminology Summary

The four ways to roll on a skateboard

1. Regular/Goofy - Your normal stance, rolling forward
2. Switch - Opposite stance, rolling forward
3. Fakie - Normal stance, rolling backward
4. Nollie - Normal stance, rolling forward, but popping from nose

Every trick can technically be done in all four of these stances

Mongo

Pushing with your front foot instead of back foot

Front foot pushes, back foot stays on board (opposite of normal)

Functionally works but considered bad form - less stable, harder to set up for tricks, looks awkward. Some notable pros push mongo (Bill Danforth, Chris Cole occasionally) but it's generally discouraged.

Drop In

Starting on transition by dropping from the coping into the ramp

Place tail on coping → Lean forward → Weight commits → Roll in

One of the scariest tricks for beginners but essential for transition skating. The key is committing your weight forward - hesitation = eating shit.

Fundamental transition skill that separates flatground from ramp skating. First major hurdle for new skaters learning vert/bowls.

transition

Ollie

Jumping with the board by popping the tail

Back foot pops tail → Front foot slides up → Level board → Land

Invented by Alan "Ollie" Gelfand in 1978. Revolutionary trick that changed skateboarding forever - made street skating possible. Every trick builds on this.

THE fundamental skateboard trick. If you can't ollie, you can't really skate street.

flatground

flatground fundamental

Chinese Ollie

aka: Crack Ollie

Using a crack in the ground to pop an ollie instead of your foot

Rolling fakie/nollie → Time wheels hitting crack → Crack pops board up → Level and land

Street skating trick where terrain does the work. Timing is everything.

flatground

flatground technical

Pop Shove-It

aka: Pop Shuv, Shuvit

Board rotates 180° horizontally while you jump

Pop → Scoop back foot → Board spins 180° → Catch and land

Foundation trick - teaches board control and rotation. The "pop" is key - this is different from the old school shove-it where you just scoop without popping. Backside pop shuv is standard, frontside is less common.

flatground

flatground fundamental

Tic Tac

Gaining speed by rocking the board side to side

Lift front wheels → Twist → Repeat alternating → Build momentum

Old school technique for building speed without pushing. Also useful for adjusting position.

flatground

flatground fundamental

Powerslide

Sliding to stop by kicking the board 90° sideways

Rotate shoulders → Kick board perpendicular → Slide on wheels → Stop

Essential for controlling speed. Wears your wheels flat spots if done excessively.

flatground

flatground fundamental

Foot Brake

aka: Speed Check

Dragging your back foot on ground to slow down

Take back foot off board → Drag sole on ground → Gradually slow

Basic speed control. Wears out shoes fast. Better than bailing into traffic.

flatground

flatground fundamental

Hill Bomb

Bombing down a steep hill at high speed

Find steep hill → Point it straight → Commit → Survive

Not technically a trick, more of a lifestyle choice. Speed wobbles are your enemy. Carving and foot braking help control speed. Wear a helmet.

gap

Obstacle Types & Terrain

Common skatepark and street obstacles

Street:
• Ledge - Flat grindable surface
• Out Ledge - Ledge at top of stairs/drop, requires "out" motion to land below
• Rail - Round or square metal bar
• Hubba - Ledge or rail down stairs
• Gap - Space to ollie over
• Euro Gap - Gap with raised bank on landing side
• Manual Pad - Low flat obstacle for manuals

Transition:
• Quarter Pipe - Single curved wall
• Half Pipe - Two facing quarters
• Vert Ramp - Half pipe with vertical section
• Bowl - Pool-shaped concrete
• Mini Ramp - Smaller half pipe (usually 4-6ft)
• Bank - Angled flat surface
• Hip - Two quarters meeting at angle
• Spine - Two quarters back-to-back
• Pyramid - Four-sided obstacle, can be skated from all angles
• Volcano - Conical ramp with all-around approach
• Coping - Metal/PVC edge on transition lip

Bowl-Specific:
• Deep End - Deeper side of bowl
• Shallow End - Shallower side of bowl
• Kidney Bowl - Asymmetrical kidney-shaped bowl
• Clover Bowl - Multiple bowls connected in clover pattern
• Pool Block - Raised platform/obstacle in bowl
• Tile - Smooth ceramic/tile surface (often slippery)
• Death Box - Square/rectangular section in bowl corner
• Channel - Gap/channel between bowl sections
• Extension - Extended vert section above coping

TECHNICAL FLIP COMBINATIONS [-]

Kickflip

Board rotates on lengthwise axis via toe flick

Pop → Toe flick off side → 360° lengthwise rotation

flatground

flatground fundamental gap technical

Heelflip

Board rotates on lengthwise axis via heel flick

Pop → Heel flick → 360° lengthwise rotation

flatground

flatground fundamental gap technical

Varial Kickflip

Kickflip + backside pop shuv 180

Kickflip + BS 180° shuv rotation

flatground

flatground fundamental gap technical

Varial Heelflip

Heelflip + frontside pop shuv 180

Heelflip + FS 180° shuv rotation

flatground

flatground fundamental gap technical

360 Flip

aka: Tre Flip, Trey Flip, 3-Flip

Kickflip + 360 backside shuv

Kickflip + 360° BS shuv

flatground

advanced flatground gap technical

Laser Flip

Heelflip + 360 frontside shuv

Heelflip + 360° FS shuv

flatground

advanced flatground gap technical

Backside Flip

aka: Back Flip, BS Flip

Kickflip + backside 180 body rotation

Kickflip concurrent with BS 180° body

flatground

flatground gap technical

Frontside Flip

aka: Front Flip, FS Flip

Kickflip + frontside 180 body rotation

Kickflip concurrent with FS 180° body

flatground

flatground gap technical

Shifty

Rotating body and board in opposite directions mid-air, then back

Pop → Twist body one way, board the other → Counter-rotate back → Land straight

Style trick. Body and board twist opposite ways then snap back to straight before landing.

flatground

flatground gap technical style

Shifty Flip

Kickflip with shifty rotation (typically 90°) added mid-air

Kickflip → Add shifty rotation → Counter-rotate back → Land

Can be frontside or backside shifty. The shifty adds style and control to the flip.

flatground

flatground gap technical

Shifty Heelflip

Heelflip with shifty rotation added mid-air

Heelflip → Add shifty rotation → Counter-rotate back → Land

flatground

flatground gap technical

Frontside Heelflip

aka: Front Heel, FS Heel

Heelflip + frontside 180 body rotation

Heelflip concurrent with FS 180° body

flatground

flatground fundamental gap technical

Backside Heelflip

aka: Back Heel, BS Heel

Heelflip + backside 180 body rotation

Heelflip concurrent with BS 180° body

flatground

flatground fundamental gap technical

360 Hardflip

Hardflip + additional 180 shuv (total 360 FS shuv)

Kickflip + 360° FS shuv (vertical flip axis)

flatground

advanced flatground gap technical

Inward Kickflip

Kickflip rotation + frontside shuv motion

Kickflip + FS shuv = toes-edge rotation

flatground

advanced flatground gap technical

Double Kickflip

Board completes two full kickflip rotations

Pop → Double toe flick → 720° lengthwise rotation

flatground

advanced flatground gap technical

Triple Kickflip

Board completes three full kickflip rotations

Pop → Triple flick → 1080° lengthwise rotation

flatground

advanced flatground gap technical

Nollie Flip

Nollie kickflip

Nollie pop → Kickflip motion from front foot

flatground

flatground fundamental gap technical

Fakie Flip

Fakie kickflip

Fakie pop → Kickflip

flatground

flatground gap technical

Switch Flip

Switch stance kickflip

Switch stance → Kickflip

flatground gap technical

flatground

GRINDS & SLIDES TERMINOLOGY [-]

5-0 Grind

aka: Five-Oh

Grind on back truck only, nose up

Back truck grinds, front truck elevated

ledge

fundamental gap ledge rail

Nosegrind

Grind on front truck only, tail up

Front truck grinds, back truck elevated

ledge

fundamental gap ledge rail

50-50 Grind

aka: Fifty-Fifty

Both trucks grinding simultaneously

Both trucks on rail/ledge/coping

ledge

fundamental gap ledge rail

Crooked Grind

aka: Crooks, K-Grind

Nosegrind with board angled, heel edge down

Front truck + heel edge of nose

ledge

advanced gap ledge rail

NAC

aka: The Knack, Not A Chance, 360 Flip Crooked Grind, Tre Flip Crook

360 flip (tre flip) into crooked grind

360 flip → Land crooked grind → Ride out

Named "Not A Chance" because it was considered impossible. Felipe Gustavo is known for landing this. Originated from the original nollie late flip frontside crooked grind that Paul Rodriguez couldn't film for Street Dreams.

ledge

advanced gap ledge rail rare technical

Overcrook

Ollie over obstacle to crooked grind on far side

Approach → Ollie over → Land crooked on far side of rail/ledge

Back truck grinds on the opposite side from where you approached

ledge

advanced gap ledge rail

Smith Grind

Back truck grinds, front truck locked under

Back truck on obstacle, front truck hooked under

Named after Mike Smith

ledge

advanced gap ledge rail

Barley Grind

Frontside 180 into switch smith grind

FS 180 → Land switch smith → Grind

Named after Donny Barley. Backside 180 to switch smith is a Bennett Grind.

ledge

advanced gap ledge rail technical

Sugarcane

Backside 180 over-rotated into smith grind (blindside disaster to smith)

BS 180 → Over-rotate → Lock back truck into smith → Grind blind

Advanced transition trick, considered blindside because you're not looking at landing. Popularized by Chris Miller. Can also be done as "Miller Grind" (BS ollie to fakie smith on rails).

transition

advanced ledge rail transition rare

Gnarly Grind

Nollie barley grind (nollie FS 180 to switch smith)

Nollie FS 180 → Switch smith → Grind

Andy Anderson's name for nollie barley grind

ledge

advanced gap ledge rail technical

Feeble Grind

Back truck grinds, front truck over obstacle

Back truck on rail, front truck clears over

ledge

advanced gap ledge rail

Losi Grind

aka: Over-Willy, Nosefeeble

Backside feeble where front truck and deck grind on edge while back truck is on top

BS approach → Front truck + deck grind edge → Back truck on top → Essentially backward feeble

Named after Al Losi. Like a feeble but in reverse - mirrors feeble grind positioning. Challenging to balance and keep back truck from hanging up.

ledge

advanced gap ledge rail

Hurricane Grind

Feeble position but approached from frontside

FS approach → Feeble grind position on back truck

ledge

gap ledge rail

Salad Grind

Smith grind approached from backside

BS approach → Smith grind position

ledge

gap ledge rail

Suski Grind

Backside nosegrind, front truck and toe edge

BS nosegrind + toe edge emphasis

Named after Brian Sumner

ledge

gap ledge rail

Willy Grind

aka: Nosesmith, Scum Grind

Front truck grinds while back truck hangs down on near side

Nosegrind position → Back truck hangs below on near side

Rarely executed. Like a smith grind but on the front truck instead of back.

ledge

gap ledge rail advanced

5-0 Hand Drag

aka: Tractor Slide

5-0 grind with back hand dragging on rail/ledge

5-0 → Drag back hand on surface → Grind

ledge

ledge rail technical

Crail Grind

5-0 grind with back hand nosegrab

5-0 → Back hand grabs nose → Grind

ledge

ledge rail technical

NoseCrail Grind

Nosegrind with front hand tailgrab

Nosegrind → Front hand grabs tail → Grind

ledge

ledge rail technical

Dark 50-50

aka: Tapeslide, Darkgrind

50-50 with board upside down (griptape sliding on rail)

Flip board upside down → 50-50 on griptape side → Grind

Like a darkslide but both trucks grinding. Griptape slides on rail/ledge.

ledge

ledge rail advanced rare

Barley Feeble

270 to switch feeble grind

270° rotation → Land switch feeble → Grind

ledge

ledge rail advanced

Caveman Grind

Place board on rail by hand while jumping onto it to start grinding

Hold board → Place on rail in grind position → Jump onto board → Grind

Instead of ollieing up, you manually place the board and jump on.

ledge

ledge oldschool

Primo Grind

Grinding on both wheels/bearings in rail stance

Rail stance → Grind on wheel edges

Freestyle/old school trick. Board is on its side grinding on wheels.

ledge

ledge rail oldschool rare

Coffin 50-50

50-50 grind while lying on back on the board

Lie on back on board → 50-50 → Grind

Old school freestyle variation. Extremely awkward and rare.

ledge

ledge oldschool

Boardslide

aka: Railslide

Sliding perpendicular on middle of deck

90° approach → Slide on center of board

ledge

fundamental gap ledge rail

Lipslide

Boardslide but rotated past 90°

Rotate past 90° → Slide → Rotate back

More rotation = tail crosses over obstacle first

ledge

gap ledge rail

Bluntslide

Sliding on tail, trucks over obstacle

Tail slides, both trucks above rail/ledge

ledge

advanced gap ledge rail

Noseblunt Slide

Sliding on nose, trucks over obstacle

Nose slides, both trucks above rail/ledge

ledge

advanced gap ledge rail

Tailslide

Sliding on tail edge, perpendicular

Tail contacts obstacle, back truck above/beside

ledge

fundamental gap ledge rail

Noseslide

Sliding on nose edge, perpendicular

Nose contacts obstacle, front truck above/beside

fundamental gap ledge rail

ledge

MANUALS, PIVOTS & BALANCE TRICKS [-]

Manual

aka: Manny

Wheelie on back wheels

Pop front up → Balance on back trucks → Roll

flatground

flatground fundamental gap

Nose Manual

aka: Nose Manny

Manual on front wheels

Lean forward → Balance on front trucks → Roll

flatground

flatground fundamental gap

One-Foot Manual

Manual with one foot off the board

Manual position → Remove one foot → Balance

flatground

flatground fundamental gap

Coconut Wheelie

Riding on two wheels on one side of the board

Roll → Tilt board onto side → Balance on two wheels (same side) → Roll

Pioneered by Pierre Andre. Requires freestyle wheels with offset shape for better balance. Front foot centered on heelside, press down to tilt board onto its side.

flatground

flatground oldschool advanced

Handstand Manual

Manual while doing handstand on board

Manual → Transition to handstand → Roll

flatground

flatground advanced gap

Pivot

180° rotation on back wheels in manual position

Manual → Rotate 180° on back trucks → Continue

flatground

flatground gap

Half Cab Manual

Fakie 180 into manual

Fakie 180 → Land into manual position

flatground

flatground fundamental gap

G-Turn

Sharp 180° pivot turn on front wheels

Lean forward → Pivot 180° on front trucks

flatground

flatground gap

Cess Slide

Powerslide on transition or bank

Carve → Kick board out → Slide on wheels

transition

bank transition

Reemo Slide

Primo slide combined with hand drag

Board on edge → Hand on ground → Slide

flatground

flatground gap

Caveman

Hold board in hands, jump on while moving

Run with board → Jump → Land on board

flatground

flatground gap

Flamingo

Manual with front foot behind back foot

Manual → Cross front foot behind → Balance

flatground

flatground gap

Coffin

Lying down on board while rolling

Cruise → Lie flat on board → Coast

flatground gap

flatground

LATE FLIPS & VARIATIONS [-]

Late Flip

Standard kickflip where the flip is delayed until after the ollie

Pop → Rise → Kick flip motion late

flatground

flatground gap technical

Backside Nollie Flip Frontfoot Flip

aka: Storm Flip (Jerry Hsu variant)

Nollie backside 180 with late frontfoot kickflip

Nollie pop → BS 180 rotation → Late frontfoot flip

The "frontfoot flip" specification indicates which foot executes the late flip motion

Iconic example in Jerry Hsu's "Bag of Suck" part (Enjoi, 2006). The trick became a reference point for discussing late flip nomenclature.

Classic Example:

Jerry Hsu - Bag of Suck (2006) [7:22]

flatground

flatground gap technical

Late Backfoot Flip

Late flip executed with the back foot instead of front

Pop → Rise → Back foot kicks flip late

flatground

flatground gap technical

Late Heelflip

Delayed heelflip motion after the ollie peak

Pop → Rise → Heel flick late

flatground

flatground gap technical

Late Shuv

Pop shuv-it motion delayed until after initial pop

Pop → Rise → Shuv motion late

flatground

flatground gap technical

Late Impossible

Board wraps around back foot late in the trick

Pop → Rise → Impossible wrap motion late

advanced flatground gap technical

flatground

COMPOUND ROTATION TRICKS (Body + Board) [-]

Blizzard Flip

360 body spin + 360 flip (treflip)

360° body rotation concurrent with 360° flip + pop shuv

Gained prominence in the 2000s as technical flatground skating evolved. Requires precise coordination of body and board rotation.

flatground

advanced flatground gap technical

Gazelle Flip

360 body spin + bigflip (360 shuv + kickflip)

360° body rotation with 360° shuv + kickflip

One of the more technical body varial combinations. The name follows the pattern of naming tricks after animals.

Notable:

Various examples compilation

flatground

advanced flatground gap technical

Gazelle Spin

540 pop shove-it + 360 body varial

Board: 540° rotation | Body: 360° rotation (like a 360 bigflip)

Step up from Bigger Spin - body does full 360 instead of just 180. More advanced variation.

Primarily a transition/vert trick. Rodney Mullen adapted this to flatground in the 1980s.

flatground

advanced flatground gap technical

Dolphin Flip

Forward body varial with varial kickflip

Forward 180° body + varial kickflip

Uncommon trick, requires forward momentum and precise timing

flatground

flatground gap technical

Storm Flip

Multiple definitions exist

Either: (1) Frontside body 180 + backside 180 flip, or (2) See Jerry Hsu variant above

Etymology unclear - name varies by region and era

flatground

flatground gap technical

Sal Flip

Nollie backside body 180 + frontside flip

Nollie BS 180 body + FS flip rotation

Named after Sal Barbier

Sal Barbier's signature trick from the 1990s. The counter-rotation makes it particularly difficult.

flatground gap technical

flatground

PRESSURE FLIPS & VARIANTS [-]

Pressure Flip

aka: Pressure Kickflip

Board flips by pressing down on tail/nose, not flicking

flatground technical

Pressure applied → Board springs into flip rotation

Inward Heelflip

aka: Inside Heelflip

Heelflip rotation with frontside shuv motion

Heel + FS shuv = inward rotation

Hardflip

Kickflip + frontside pop shuv

Kickflip rotation + FS shuv = vertical flip axis

Ghetto Bird

Nollie hardflip with late backside 180

Nollie hardflip → Late BS 180 body rotation → Land

Named by Kareem Campbell. Traditionally done from nollie. The late backside 180 is added after the hardflip rotation completes.

flatground

advanced flatground gap technical

Nightmare Flip

Double kickflip with pop shove-it

Pop → Double kickflip rotation + shuv → Catch → Land

Highly technical trick. Definition sometimes varies - some say varial heelflip + pressure component, but commonly understood as double kickflip with shuv.

flatground

advanced flatground rare

Bubble Flip

aka: Toe Flip

Dolphin flip variation with unique toe movements

Forward varial kickflip variation with specific toe positioning

Related to dolphin flip but with different execution. Involves unique toe movements during the flip.

flatground

flatground oldschool

Fakie Frontside Flip

Board moves toward skater while rolling backward - considered weird

Fakie stance → FS flip → Board rotates toward you as you roll backward

Considered unusual because the board's movement feels unnatural - approaching you while you're moving backward.

flatground

flatground technical rare

Anti-Casper Flip

Pressure flip variant where board flips under the feet

Downward pressure → Inverse flip rotation

IMPOSSIBLES & WRAPS [-]

Impossible

Board wraps vertically around back foot

Scoop → 360° vertical wrap → Catch

advanced flatground gap

Must touch shoelace.

Nollie Impossible

Impossible from nollie stance

Nollie pop → Front foot wrap

Must touch shoelace.

Double Impossible

Board completes two full vertical wraps

Scoop → 720° vertical wrap → Catch

Must touch shoelace.

Fingerflip

aka: Gazelle Underflip

Board rotates under the feet via finger-like motion

Toe scoop → Underflip rotation

Whirlybird

Frontside pop shuvit grabbed and whipped into a 360

FS pop shuv → Grab nose during first 180 → Whip it around full 360

Invented by Bam Margera. The grab and whip motion converts the FS 180 shuv into a full 360.

flatground

flatground gap technical

Backside Impossible

Impossible with backside body rotation

BS rotation + impossible wrap

Forward Impossible

Impossible variant wrapping forward instead of backward

Forward scoop → Forward wrap

OLD SCHOOL / FREESTYLE [-]

Casper

Tail stall with board upside down, griptape facing down

Flip board upside down → Balance on tail

Named after Bobby "Casper" Boyden. Fundamental freestyle trick from the 1980s, popularized by Rodney Mullen.

Master Class:

Rodney Mullen - Casper variations

oldschool flatground

flatground oldschool

Casper Flip

Half kickflip to Casper position, then flip back

Half flip → Casper → Flip out

Rodney Mullen innovation from the freestyle era. Requires precise board control.

oldschool flatground

flatground oldschool

Hospital Flip

Casper flip done entirely in mid-air with front foot only

Pop with back foot → Front foot flips board casper style in air → Back foot never touches ground → Catch and land

All front foot, no back foot touching the ground during the flip. Name origin: Trick so gnarly you'll end up in the hospital.

oldschool flatground

flatground oldschool advanced

Primo Slide

Board slides on edge (wheels vertical)

Board rotates to edge → Slide → Rotate back

oldschool flatground

flatground oldschool

Railstand

aka: Primo, Primo Stand

Balancing on the edge/rail of the board with wheels vertical

Lean board onto rail → Balance on edge → Wheels point sideways

Can be heelside (tilted toward heels) or toeside (tilted toward toes). Heelside is more common.

oldschool flatground

flatground oldschool

Primo to Remo

aka: Rollo, Primo Flip, Rail Flip

Transitioning from heelside railstand to toeside railstand

Primo (heelside rail) → Flip board → Remo (toeside rail) → Balance

Remo is the toeside version of primo. Flipping between them is advanced freestyle.

oldschool flatground

flatground oldschool advanced

Bubble Shuvit

aka: Strawberry Milkshake

Step off with front foot, scoop board 180 into primo, step back on

Front foot off → Back foot scoops 180 to primo → Step back on and ride away

The board rotates horizontally without flipping, using back foot scoop to bring it into primo position.

oldschool flatground

flatground oldschool

Truckstand

aka: No-Handed 50/50

Balancing on one truck with board upside down, feet pinching the board

Lift board → Step onto truck baseplate → Balance on one truck → Feet pinch board

Core freestyle trick. Can hop while in position or transition to flips. Often practiced by getting comfortable first, then learning to hop on and off.

oldschool flatground

flatground oldschool

Spacewalk

One foot on board, one foot pushing while rotating

Pivot on one foot → Rotate board + body

oldschool flatground

flatground oldschool

Shove-it

aka: Shuv-it (non-pop version)

Board rotates 180° without popping - old school version

Scoop board 180° → No pop → Land

Different from pop shuvit - this is the original freestyle version where you don't pop the tail. Just scoop and spin.

oldschool flatground

flatground oldschool fundamental

Pogo

Bouncing on tail repeatedly

Tail bounce → Repeat

oldschool flatground

flatground oldschool

Anti-Casper

Inverted Casper position (nose, griptape up)

Nose stall → Board upright, griptape visible

oldschool flatground

flatground oldschool

One Footed Casper

Casper position with one foot off the board

Casper → Remove one foot → Balance → Return

Extremely difficult balance variation

flatground oldschool advanced

oldschool flatground

BIG SPINS & BIGGER FLIPS [-]

Bigflip

Kickflip + 360 shuv-it

Kickflip + 360° shuv rotation

flatground

advanced flatground gap

540

One and a half rotations (540°) in the air

Pop → 540° body rotation → Land

Primarily a vert/transition trick but can be done on flatground

flatground

flatground gap

540 Shove-it

aka: Biggerspin (when combined with body rotation)

Board rotates 540° (one and a half spins)

Pop → 540° board rotation → Catch

flatground

flatground gap

Bigspin

aka: Big Spin

360 pop shove-it + 180 body varial

Board: 360° rotation | Body: 180° rotation

Board does a full 360, rider does a 180. Not to be confused with Gazelle where body also spins 360.

flatground

flatground gap technical

Biggerspin

aka: Bigger Spin

540 pop shove-it + 180 body varial

Board: 540° rotation (360 + extra 180) | Body: 180° rotation

More advanced than Big Spin - board does an extra 180 for total 540.

flatground

flatground gap technical advanced

Biggerflip

360 body + kickflip + 540 shuv

360° body + flip + 540° board rotation

Bigger Heelflip

Heelflip + 360 body + 540 shuv

Heelflip + 360° body + 540° shuv

Caballerial Bigflip

aka: Cab Bigflip

Fakie 360 body + kickflip + 360 shuv

Fakie cab rotation + bigflip components

Sex Change

aka: Body Varial (modern term)

180 body rotation opposite direction of board (changes stance)

Older terminology being phased out

flatground

flatground gap transition style

WEIRD & NICHE TRICKS [-]

Gazelle Disaster

Gazelle flip into disaster on transition

360 body + bigflip → Land on coping backward

transition

advanced transition

Helipop

360 shuv-it with body staying stationary

Board spins 360° under static body

Dragon Flip

360 shuv + forward 360 body + kickflip

Extremely rare, terminology not standardized

Feather Flip

aka: Kickflip Underflip

Kickflip combined with underflip motion

Kickflip rotation + board flips underneath you

Extremely technical trick requiring precise foot placement

flatground

Underflip

Board flips underneath you via scooping motion

Scoop with back foot → Board flips under → Catch

Foundation for tricks like nerd flip, feather flip. Board rotates in opposite direction from normal flip.

flatground

Sigma Flip

Pressure flip variation with unique rotation axis

Pressure applied → Unusual flip rotation

Very rare, definition varies by region

flatground

Chaos Flip

Extremely complex flip combination with multiple rotations

Multiple flip axes combined

Trick name and exact execution varies - generally refers to wild, chaotic flip tricks

flatground

Nerd Flip

Nollie pressure flip combined with nollie backside shuvit and hardflip motion

Nollie pressure flip + BS shuv + hardflip rotation = underflip with scoop

Extremely complex and rare trick. The board flips underneath you with a unique scooping motion. Sometimes called "Gazelle Nerdflip" with added spins.

flatground

Bullflip

aka: Nollie 720 Gazelle Nerdflip

720° body rotation + gazelle flip + nerdflip motion

Nollie → 720° body spin → Gazelle nerdflip

One of the most difficult and rarely landed tricks in skateboarding

flatground

Haslem Flip

Late heelflip variation with specific foot motion

Pop → Late heel motion → Specific catch

Named after a specific skater's style of late heelflip

flatground

Berner Flip

Obscure flip variation

Regional trick name, definition varies

flatground

Kale Flip

Flip trick variant

Obscure naming, not widely standardized

flatground

Kiwi Flip

Flip trick variant

Regional trick name from New Zealand scene

flatground

Heaven Flip

Flip trick variation with vertical axis

Obscure trick, exact definition contested

flatground

Semi Flip

Half-rotation flip trick

Incomplete flip motion → Catch mid-rotation

flatground

Miracle Whip

Complex flip combination

Playful name for a particularly difficult flip trick variant

flatground

Satan Flip

Gnarly flip combination

Named for difficulty - "devilishly hard"

flatground

Muska Flip

Frontside flip with extreme vertical flip axis

Named after Chad Muska's unique style

Lazer Heelflip

Note: Different from "Laser Flip"

Heelflip with extreme horizontal rotation

Spelling variant differentiates from Laser Flip

flatground

Godzilla Railflip

Primo position flip variation on rail

Board on edge → Flip while on rail

Extremely rare and technical rail trick

ledge

Gay Twist

aka: Early-Grab Caballerial

Fakie 360 with early mute or indy grab on vert

Fakie → Grab early → 360° rotation → Land forward

Named by Lance Mountain. Early-grabbed version of a caballerial. transition

vert transition grab

Shecklair

Named trick variation after Ryan Sheckler

Specific style of trick popularized by Ryan Sheckler

flatground

Sidewinder

Rotation trick with unique body motion

Regional trick name, exact execution varies

flatground

Samoan Slant

Obscure trick variation

Regional name, not widely documented

flatground

Toeflip

Flip initiated primarily with toe motion

Toe flicks board → Flip rotation

Related to pressure flips but distinct execution

flatground

50-50 Saran Wrap

50-50 grind with board wrapping around obstacle

50-50 → Board wraps → Continue grind

Obscure grind variation, rarely seen

ledge

Judo Air

Grab board with hand, kick front foot forward mid-air

Pop → Grab → Front foot kick → Land

gap

gap grab transition style

Ollie North

Front foot kicks forward off the nose mid-air

Pop → Front foot extends north → Return → Land

flatground gap transition

Classic style trick, named because foot goes "north" toward nose

Ollie Nosebone

Front foot kicks forward, back hand grabs tail

Pop → Front foot extends → Grab tail → Return

flatground gap transition

Combination of ollie north motion with tail grab

One Foot Ollie

Ollie with one foot completely off the board

Pop → One foot off → Ollie with other foot → Return

flatground gap transition

Can be done with either foot off, front foot version is more common

Benihana

Back foot off, kick behind, grab rail

Pop → Back foot off and behind → Grab → Return

Camel Back

One-footed ollie, back arched, tweaked grab

Old school grab trick, rarely seen in modern skating

gap

gap grab oldschool style

Airwalk

Both feet off board mid-air, "walking" motion

Pop → Both feet off → Walking motion → Catch

gap

gap grab transition style

Christ Air

Crucifixion pose mid-air on vert ramp

Invented by Christian Hosoi

Backside Boneless

Plant front foot, pop with back foot, 180 backside

Front foot plant → Back foot pop → BS 180

No Comply

Front foot plants, pop with back, 180 frontside

Front foot off and plant → Back foot pops → FS rotation

Bertslide

Laying down carve slide on transition

Named after Larry Bertlemann (surfing origin)

Slob Air

aka: Sloaf

Slob grab (back hand, between feet, heel edge)

"Sloaf" = slob + oaf

VERT & TRANSITION SPECIFIC [-]

Rock to Fakie

Roll up, stall on coping with wheels over, roll back

Pump up → Rock on coping → Roll back fakie

One of the first tricks learned on transition. Essential building block for vert skating.

transition

bank fundamental technical transition vert

Axle Stall

Both trucks stall on coping

Pop up → Both axles on coping → Reenter

transition

bank fundamental transition vert

Acid Drop

Dropping off ledge/obstacle without ollie, free-falling and landing

Roll off edge → Free fall → Land and absorb impact → Roll away

No pop, just ride off and drop. Can be sketchy depending on height. Commitment and landing with bent knees is key.

gap

gap transition

Disaster

180° air to fakie, land on coping backward

Air 180° → Land fakie on coping → Roll back

transition

bank transition vert

Invert

Handplant on coping, body vertical, one hand

Hand plants → Body inverts → Reenter

Classic vert trick from the 1970s-80s. Foundation for all handplant variations.

transition

bank transition vert

Eggplant

One-handed invert, backside rotation, grab

BS approach → One-hand plant → Invert with grab

Invented by Eddie "El Gato" Elguera

Named by Steve Caballero after Eddie Elguera's bald head. One of the most stylish inverts. Elguera first landed it at Upland Skatepark in 1981.

transition

bank transition vert

Andrecht Invert

Frontside handplant, back arched

Named after Dave Andrecht

Signature trick of Dave Andrecht in the 1980s. Known for the distinctive arched back position.

transition

bank transition vert

Sadplant

One-handed plant, backside, no grab

BS one-hand plant → Invert → Reenter

transition

bank transition vert

Layback Grind

Backside grind, hand dragging on wall

BS grind + lean back + hand drag

Style originated from surfing. Eddie Elguera and Neil Blender made it iconic in the 1980s.

transition

bank transition vert

Frontside Grind

Grinding coping while facing forward

FS approach → Grind facing direction of travel

transition

bank transition vert

Backside Grind

Grinding coping with back to direction

BS approach → Grind with back facing travel direction

transition

bank transition vert

McTwist

aka: 540 McTwist

540° backside rotation in the air (inverted)

Invented by Mike McGill

Mike McGill first landed it at a skate park in Sweden in 1984. Revolutionary trick that changed vert skating. Named "McTwist" by combining McGill's name with "Mute" (the grab used).

First Ever:

Mike McGill - First McTwist (1984)

transition

advanced bank transition vert

720

aka: Ollie 7, Double Cab

Two full 360° rotations in the air

Pop → 720° rotation → Land

Tony Hawk first landed it on a vert ramp in 1985. First 720 on street (double cab) was landed by Gui Khury in 2024. Extremely rare even among pros.

transition

advanced bank transition vert rare

Alley-Oop

Rotating opposite direction of momentum

Travel direction vs rotation direction opposite

Originally transition (FS air on BS wall), but applies to street: BS 180 to switch nosegrind, cab nosegrind, etc. Any rotation counter to natural approach direction.

transition

bank transition vert ledge rail

Lien Air

Frontside air, back hand grabs heelside

Named after Neil Blender (Neil = Lien backward)

Neil Blender's signature move from the 1980s. The name is literally "Neil" spelled backward.

transition

bank grab transition vert

Madonna

One-footed lien air variant

FS air → Back foot off → Lien grab → Return

bank grab transition vert

transition

SLAPPYS, BONKS & WALLRIDES [-]

Slappy

aka: Roll-On Grind

Grind onto curb/ledge without ollie, slapping trucks on

Approach → Slap trucks onto edge → Grind

Classic street technique, requires perfect speed and angle

Emerged from early street skating in the 1980s when skaters would hit curbs without ollying. Mark Gonzales popularized technical slappy variations.

ledge

Slappy Crooks

Slappy into crooked grind position

Slap front truck → Crooked grind angle

ledge

Slappy Nosegrind

Slappy into nosegrind without popping

Approach → Slap front truck onto ledge → Nosegrind

ledge

fundamental ledge

Slappy 50-50

Slap both trucks onto curb simultaneously

Perfect angle → Both trucks slap on → 50-50 grind

ledge

Bonk

Hitting wall/object mid-air with board's tail or nose

Air → Hit object with tail/nose → Bounce off

gap

gap ledge

Wallride

Riding up and along a wall vertically

Approach → Ride up wall → Come back down

Vertical wall skating became popular in the 1980s. Steve Caballero was known for massive wallrides.

gap

gap ledge

Wallie

aka: Wall Ollie

Ollie off a wall while riding parallel to it

Ride alongside wall → Pop off wall → Air out

gap

gap ledge

Wallride Flip

Kickflip while riding on wall

Wallride → Flip board on wall → Land back on wall

gap

gap ledge

Pole Jam

Riding up and over a bent pole or rail using it like a quarter pipe

Approach pole → Ride up with trucks → Launch over top → Land on other side

Creative street obstacle use. Can add flips or 180s off the top. Requires keeping feet centered and using knee power to get up and over.

gap

gap ledge

Boneless

Plant front foot, pop board with back, grab rail

Front foot plants → Grab rail → Pop with back foot → Air

Popularized in the 1980s by Garry Scott Davis and the Bones Brigade. Essential transition trick.

flatground

flatground gap transition

Fastplant

Back foot plants, front foot stays on, quick air

Back foot plants → Front foot rides board up → Quick air

flatground

flatground gap transition

Hippy Jump

aka: Hippie Jump

Jump off board over obstacle, board rolls under

Jump off → Board rolls under obstacle → Land back on

gap

gap ledge

No-Handed Hippy Jump

Hippy jump without touching board with hands

Jump straight up → Board rolls through → Land back on

gap

gap ledge

GRABS & AIR TRICKS [-]

Indy

Back hand grabs toeside between feet mid-air

Air → Back hand grabs toe edge between bindings

Most common grab in skateboarding

transition

gap grab transition vert

Melon

Front hand grabs heelside between feet

Air → Front hand grabs heel edge between feet

Mute

Front hand grabs toeside between feet

Air → Front hand grabs toe edge

Stalefish

Back hand grabs heelside between feet behind back leg

Air → Back hand reaches behind → Grabs heel edge

Named by Tony Hawk at a Swedish skate camp in 1985 - a friend mistook his complaint about stale fish at dinner for the name of his new grab trick.

transition

vert transition grab

Rocket Air

Both hands grab nose, board pointed forward

Air → Grab nose with both hands → Point board forward

Method

Back hand melon grab, arched back, knees bent

Air → Melon grab → Arch back → Style

Roast Beef

Back hand grabs heelside between legs

Air → Back hand between legs → Grabs heel edge

Seatbelt

Front hand reaches across body to grab heelside

Air → Front hand crosses body → Heelside grab

Tailgrab

Back hand grabs tail

Air → Back hand grabs tail

Nosegrab

Front hand grabs nose

Air → Front hand grabs nose

Crail Grab

Back hand grabs nose (opposite of typical)

Air → Back hand reaches forward → Grabs nose

Japan Air

Front hand grabs toeside, tweaked with knees bent forward

Air → Mute grab → Tweak forward with bent knees

Canadian Bacon

Front hand between legs grabbing toeside

Air → Front hand through legs → Toe edge grab

Sacktap

Back hand reaches between legs from behind

Air → Back hand through legs from behind

Crossbone

Front hand grabs tail (crossing body)

Air → Front hand crosses → Grabs tail

transition

Gatair

Mute grab variation with specific tweak

Air → Mute grab with body twisted

Named grab variation with specific style

transition

Frisby

Both hands grab toeside rail

Air → Both hands grab toe edge

ADVANCED FLIP VARIATIONS [-]

Big Heelflip

Heelflip + 360 shuv

Heelflip + 360° shuv rotation

Varial Flip

Already covered but worth noting

Pop shuv 180 + kickflip

BS pop shuv + kickflip combined

Beta Flip

Heelflip shuv-it variation (terminology varies)

Regional name, not universally recognized

Alpha Flip

Frontside 180 + backside flip (terminology varies)

Obscure naming, rarely used

Scissor Flip

Late flip with legs scissoring

Pop → Scissor legs → Late flip motion

Forward Flip

Board flips end-over-end (like a cartwheel)

Forward scoop → Board rotates lengthwise forward

Extremely rare, circus-like trick

Grape Flip

Casper flip variation (definition contested)

Etymology and exact execution unclear

Merlin Twist

Switch frontside 180 combined with late front-foot impossible

Switch FS 180 → Front foot wraps board 540° → Late impossible motion

Very difficult "weird" trick. Board spins 540° while wrapped around front foot. Popularized by Corey Kennedy in 2010s.

flatground

advanced flatground rare

Jackknife

Revert combined with flip trick (various interpretations)

Often refers to flip into revert on transition

Body Jar

Body rotation without board rotation

Pop → Body spins → Land same stance

Reemo Flip

Underflip variation, board flips under feet

Pop → Board flips underneath → Catch

LEDGE & RAIL VARIATIONS [-]

K-Grind

Same as Crooked Grind

Alternative name for crooked grind

ledge

Noseblunt to Lipslide

Noseblunt position transitioning to lipslide out

Noseblunt → Rotate → Exit as lipslide

Bluntslide to Fakie

Bluntslide exiting backward

Bluntslide → Exit fakie

Switch Crook

Crooked grind in switch stance

Switch approach → Crooked grind position

Big Spin Boardslide

Bigspin into boardslide

180° body + 360° board → Boardslide

Lipslide Pretzel

Lipslide with 270 out in same direction

Lipslide → 270° rotation out

Hurricane to Fakie

Hurricane grind exiting backward

Hurricane position → Exit fakie

Dark Slide

Sliding on griptape (board upside down)

Flip board → Land on griptape → Slide → Flip back

Popularized by Rodney Mullen

Casper Slide

Sliding in casper position

Casper position → Slide on tail

Schwack

Boardslide with back truck hitting obstacle

Boardslide → Back truck slaps ledge/rail

BOWL / POOL SPECIFIC [-]

Carve Grind

Grinding while carving on pool coping

bank transition

Pump → Grind on coping → Carve through

Pivot Fakie

Tail stall with 180 pivot to fakie

Tail stall → Pivot 180° → Roll fakie

Bean Plant

Back hand plants on coping, air out forward

Approach → Back hand plant → Air forward

Egg Plant

Different from Eggplant (combined word)

Hand plant variation

Layback Air

Backside air with hand dragging wall

BS air → Lay back → Hand drags

Frontside Tail Slide

Tail slide on coping, frontside direction

FS approach → Tail slide on coping

Ho-Ho

Handplant with both hands

Both hands plant → Invert → Reenter

Miller Flip

Frontside handplant to fakie

FS handplant → 180° → Fakie reentry

Named after Darren Navarette

Frigid Air

Method grab with extreme tweak

Air → Method → Extreme style tweak

Sweeper

Backside air with hand sweep on coping

BS air → Hand sweeps along coping

KOOK STUFF (Don't Do These) [-]

Mall Grab

Carrying your board by the trucks instead of proper grip

Holding board with grip tape against your palm, trucks in hand

Universal sign of a non-skater. Board should be carried by the nose/tail or under your arm with wheels against your body. Mall grab gets your hand dirty and looks ridiculous.

Term emerged in the 1990s from posers at shopping malls who carried boards but didn't skate.

Pushing Mongo

Pushing with front foot (already covered in nomenclature)

See "Mongo" in Technical Nomenclature section

Not illegal, just generally frowned upon. Makes you look uncertain and off-balance.

Razor Tail

When your tail is completely worn down to a sharp edge from dragging

Excessive tail dragging → Wood splinters → Sharp dangerous edge

Sign you're not popping your ollies properly or you're dragging your tail constantly. Makes tricks harder and ruins boards faster.

Pressure Cracks

Cracks in the board from landing primo or board getting run over

Board stressed on edge → Ply separation → Cracking → Dead board

Board is basically toast once you get serious pressure cracks. Time for a new deck.

Credit Card

Landing with board completely on edge (primo position) violently

Failed landing → Board lands on edge → Instant pressure cracks

Called "credit carding" because it snaps the board like breaking a credit card. Usually means your board is done.

Wheel Bite

Wheels touching deck during turns, causing sudden stop

Trucks too loose OR wheels too big → Hard turn → Wheel hits deck → You eat shit

Fixed by tightening trucks, using riser pads, or getting smaller wheels. Beginners often set trucks too loose.

Mobbed

aka: Mob Flip

Flip trick with almost vertical rotation, tail stays low

Poor pop → Board flips vertically like propeller → Awkward catch

Happens when you don't ollie first before flipping - the board rotates vertical instead of horizontal. Considered sloppy execution, though some legendary skaters (Mark Gonzales) made it look stylish.

Stinkbug

Grabbing toe-side between feet with knees bowed out and butt sticking out

Air → Grab toe edge between feet → Knees bow outward → Butt sticks out

Widely considered bad style and uncool. Often results from lack of proper technique. Named because the position resembles a stink bug.

Sketchy

Landing a trick but barely - off balance, not clean, almost ate it

Complete the trick → Wobble/flail → Somehow ride away

Not necessarily bad - sketchy make still counts! But you know you got lucky.

Bail

Intentionally jumping off your board to avoid a worse crash

Realize trick won't land → Jump off board → Run it out or roll

Safety exit. Better to bail early than commit to a slam. Not kooky when done right - it's smart survival.

Claim

Celebrating a trick too hard, especially when it wasn't that impressive

Land trick → Excessive celebration/pointing/yelling for basic trick

Fine for genuinely gnarly tricks, but claiming a basic kickflip looks kooky. Stay humble.

Primo Slide (Accidental)

Accidentally landing on the rail/edge of your board

Failed trick → Board lands on edge → You slide/fall → Possibly credit card

Different from the intentional freestyle primo tricks. This is just eating shit in a weird way.

Snake

Cutting someone off or dropping in when it's not your turn

Someone's lined up → You drop in front of them → Everyone hates you

Major skatepark etiquette violation. Good way to get yelled at or worse. Wait your turn, don't be a snake.

Poser

Someone who looks like a skater but can't actually skate

Skate clothes + pristine board + mall grab + can't ollie = poser

Nothing wrong with being a beginner, but pretending you're good when you're not is universally despised.

Fruit Boots

Derogatory term for rollerblades/inline skates

Classic skater vs. rollerblader rivalry from the 90s-00s. Mostly a joke now but the term persists. Also see: "Rollerbladers are failed skateboarders."

Scooter Kid

The bane of every skatepark's existence

Small child on scooter → No park awareness → Sitting on obstacles → Snaking everyone → Chaos

Not all scooter riders are bad, but the stereotype exists for a reason. The worst ones have zero spatial awareness and parents who don't supervise.