The road from newbie to pro is a tough one…full of trial, error, slams, sacks, and bruises. Here are some skateboard trick tips to get you started.

Skateboard Trick Tip #1- The Ollie: One of the classic moves is the ollie, which is the name for a set of jumping tricks. The goal is basically to jump as high and far as possible without wiping out. Clearing an obstacle is a dramatic way to demonstrate your ollie skills. A successful ollie depends on having proper foot placement. The front foot should be about two-thirds of the way up the board. To trigger the ollie, kick down with the rear foot and go into a crouch to streamline. Happy flying!

Skateboard Trick Tip #2- The Frontside Grind: The best place to practice this skateboard trick is a backyard pool (you’ll want to make sure it’s empty first!) Do a frontside kick turn until you get closer and closer to the edge, get your speed up and get your truck on the ledge to make it a grind. Be sure to put your weight on your feet, push, and hug the rim of the pool.

Skateboard Trick Tip #3- The Pivot-Fakie: The goal here is the same as a regular pivot, but instead of following through on the landing, freeze your weight and reverse the motion. Start by perfecting the classic pivot on a mini-ramp or quarter-pipe and then practice this , letting your lower leg guide the board to offset your weight for balance.

Skateboard Trick Tip #4- The Kick-Flip: The standard parking-lot curb is a great place to perfect the flat-land kick-flip. The essence of this skateboard trick is a hard step to the tail of the deck with your back foot, as you raise your front foot into the air and position it near the nose, in case you need to use it to guide your board through the full side-spin. You also need to be ready to land back on your front foot once the flip is complete, so keep your rear foot positioned near the back-kick of the deck to maintain your balance during landing.

Skateboard Trick Tip #5- The 360 Kick-Flip: This trick can go down anywhere, but works best on flat surfaces at first. Point your front foot at a 45° angle about halfway down the board, with your back foot hanging off the side of the rear kick. Give a hard step to the rear kick of the board with your back foot for momentum giving a spin scoop to the tail. You will use your front foot as a guide to give the board the proper flip and to keep your body oriented to match the board. Throw your front foot forward to get it out of the way. Spread your legs wide and hang in the air while your board is rolling over. The key to this skateboard trick is it doesn’t work unless the board lands on its wheels-and the skater lands on the board.

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