How To Identify Skateboarding Tricks

You should first be able to recognize different stances. The normal stance is self-explanatory; it is how a rider stands on his or her skateboard. There are, however, two normal stances: "goofy" (with the right foot at the front of the board) and "regular" (with the left foot at the front). A switch stance is determined by the rider's regular stance. If a rider regularly rides "regular" then his or her switch is "goofy," and vice versa. A "fakie" is when a rider is riding in his or her normal stance but backwards. Finally, a "nollie" stance is when a rider is riding with his or her front foot on the nose of the skateboard and his or her back foot on the middle of the board.

A lot of the basic tricks in skateboarding are done on flat land without needing to jump off of any structure. One of the tricks that is very common is an "ollie," which is a flat land jump. The rider, in a regular stance at the back of his or her board, shifts weight to pop the nose of the board up; his or her front foot then slides toward the nose of the board to land the jump. Another basic move that is slightly more advanced is the "kickflip." A kickflip is a flat land jump where the rider pops the board into the air and spins it 360-degrees lengthwise before landing on it with both feet. There are a number of moves that can look similar to the kickflip for beginners. Similar moves include "heelflips," "twisted flips," "pressure flips," double flips and any geographically specific moves as well. Focus first on learning to recognize the basic move and then try to learn more specialized terminology.

There are a number of different grabs in skateboarding as well; many require more "air" (a higher jump with a longer hang time before landing) and so are performed after a rider jumps off of a set structure. A few of the more common ones are "indys," "methods" and "nosegrabs." An indy grab is performed when a rider reaches down between his or her feet to grab the board by bending forward at the waist. A method requires the rider to grab the board with his or her front hand on the heel side of the skateboard, typically toward the front foot. All grabs can also be altered if the rider grabs the board early in the jump or uses the grab to twist (sometimes called "tweak") the board to the side as well.

Stalls are another trick that skateboards can use to enhance their rides. Completed on set structures (such as stairs, curbs, etc.), stalls are easily recognizable and fairly self-explanatory. The rider jumps (does an ollie) onto the structure, landing with a set part of his or her board (the nose is common, though other parts distinguish new tricks); the rider then holds the stall temporarily before jumping off and riding away. The standard stall, a "nose stall," is a basic move; it can be made more advanced by the rider's movement on the board during the stall or by causing the board to twist during the stall.

There are also a range of other skateboarding moves. Basic slides and grinds can be altered with jumps, twists and other movements. Advanced grabs and half-pipe moves are also possible for experienced riders. The best way, however to learn about skateboarding tricks is to start at the beginning by getting a firm grasp on the basics. More advanced moves will always rely on the basic, beginning jumps and grabs; the combination of beginning moves helps to create many of the more sophisticated ones. Practice learning to identify skateboarding moves by teaming up with a more experienced rider and asking for help. Also, check online to watch videos of skateboarders teaching or breaking down more sophisticated moves.

Remember, skateboarding takes time and patience to master. Be safe and keep trying.