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Posted February 27, 2010 by Ryan
360 Spin
'70s skate competitions would often have an event to see who could do the most consecutive 360 spins on a skateboard. The current official world record is 163 full rotations performed by Russ Howell in 1977 at the Long Beach World Championship. Variations include Nose spins, One Footed Spins, Hang Ten Spins, etc.
50/50
The 50/50 is the name of a stance that is similar to a Casper with the board upside-down, but the back foot is standing on the back truck rather than the back Tail. The 50/50 is done with a hand holding the Nose of the board, or it can be done with the front foot holding up the Nose with no hand holding the board up. In this case it is called a No Handed 50/50. This trick can be done from Tailstop or while moving. You can also spin in 360s while in a No Handed 50/50. The name of this stance collides with the common Streetstyle skateboarding trick, the 50-50 Grind. While this stance had the name first, other riders use the name Truckstand to distinguish between the two.
Anti-Casper
Contrary to popular belief, the Anti-Casper is not just a Nose/Switch Casper. It is not considered an Anti-Casper unless half of an Ollie Impossible is performed into a Nose/Switch Casper. This is usually done by popping the Tail, which would begin the half Impossible or half vertical flip, and jumping. Once the board flips half of an Ollie Impossible, it comes down into Switch Casper, and is caught with the front foot on top of the Nose and the back foot on the underside of the board in a Nose/Switch Casper.
Beanplant
Like a Boneless, but the rider grabs the Nose or grabs Lien (Heelside of the Nose) with the front hand.
Boneless
This trick was originally conceived during a snowstorm in Cincinnati, Ohio back in the winter of 1979-1980. Desperate for any kind of skateboarding activity, Robert Hamrick and Garry Scott Davis were lying on the living room floor with their skateboards against the couch, pretending that the cushions were a lip. Garry came up with the idea of planting the front foot and grabbing with the trailing hand in order to catch air. About two months later, when the snow finally melted, Robert Hamrick and Mark Mounts were skating at a local skate spot called the D.O. when Robert remembered the “impossible” trick. Mark Mounts tried it, and found that it was incredibly simple. By the end of the day, all three were bouncing around the D.O. like disturbed pogo sticks. After much debate on what to name this incredibly easy and fun trick--it was simply called the front-footed frontside footplant at first--Mark suggested that it be named after one of Robert's childhood toys, a puppet named “Harry the Boneless One.”
Broken Fingers
This is a Half Truckhook Impossible caught in a 50/50. The rider starts in Tailstop, puts their front foot near the truck and then starts to jump backwards. This will causing the board to flip over and get upside-down and the rider catches the Tail of the board and lands with the foot he used to hook the board on the truck. There is also a No Handed version of this trick which has not really a name. It's a "Crossfoot Half Truckhook Impossible To No Handed 50/50". It works like the version with grab, except you start crossfooted and catch it in a No Handed 50/50. The reason why this trick got the name "Broken Fingers" is because how dangerous it can be. If you don't jump high enough and want to catch the board you are going to crush your own fingers.
Butter lip
This trick was invented by Keith Butterfield. To do the Butter Flip, you stand in Heelside Railstand, and hop both feet to one side of the board. Both feet are side by side with no gap larger than an inch or two between them. The rider puts pressure onto the end of the board, using the foot that is not on the wheel. It pops the board up and you grab it with your hand on the same side of your body as the foot that was on the wheel. This trick is the method used to go from Heelside Railstand to a Pogo or 50/50. You can catch the board with your foot as well rather than your hand making it a Butter Flip to a No Handed 50/50.
Calf Wrap, Flamingo
A trick where the skater using one foot wraps the board around their other leg which is planted on the ground, then unwraps it to land back in a riding position. This trick is called a Flamingo by the Professional Skateboarder Mike Vallely who helped bring popularity to the trick. Invented by Derek Belen, made popular by Rey Gregorio, then perfected by Dorian Tucker, and Kris Markovich. Variations of this trick include Flamingo 180's, Anti-Flamingo (When the board wraps around the opposite way) and Flamingo to Fakie's on banks.
Casper
The Casper is the name of a stance that was invented by Bobby "Casper" Boyden. In a Casper, the board is griptape side down, with the back foot on top of the tail and the front foot under the board near the nose. The only point of contact between the board and the ground is the tip of the Tail. There are a many ways to get into Casper. There are many ways to exit the trick, usually through a half Impossible or rolling a Flip. Caspers can branch into Railstands, 50/50's, etc. Skaters can also spin in 360's while in a casper. Another variation is the Hand Casper with one foot on the Tail and the nose holded in the hand.
Casper Disaster
Also invented by Bobby "Casper" Boyden, this trick has nothing to do with the Casper stance. While rolling Fakie or Nollie, enter a Heelside Railstand One Footed. The foot that's not touching the wheel will point down and nudge the griptape side of the Skateboard while the rider spins 180 degrees towards the direction the of trucks. After the board and rider have rotated 180 degrees, the feet work together to nudge the Skateboard down into a rolling position.
Carousel
This is a specific Truck-To-Truck Transfer. Think of it as a half Impossible from a 50-50 to a switch 50-50 - still standing on the back foot. You start from a 50-50, "throw" the board in "Semi-Circular" Motion but at the same time bend up your foot so the board wraps around it and you land on the truck and catch the nose of your board.
Coco Wheelie, Coco Slide
A Coco Wheelie or Coco Slide is like a Primo Slide but the Deck never touches the ground, so you hold it in a Wheelie on the side. If you can't do the trick standing on the wheels then try to stand on the grip tape, which is much easier.
Daffy
This trick is done with two boards, one foot in a Manual on one board and another foot on the second. This trick was seen in the Girl Skateboards video Yeah Right! and the Lords of Dogtown movie. The Tony Hawk's Underground game calls this a "Yeah Right Manual".
End-Over
A series of 180 degree Pivots. Can be done both ways but both start on the nose (or on the Tail while rolling Fakie). While rolling forward, pressure is placed on the Nose just enough to lift the back wheels. Once the back wheels are lifted, the rider turns either Frontside or Backside 180 degrees with the Nose acting as a Pivot point. This is all done quickly, you do not stall on any part. When the 180 Pivot is done, you quickly do another in reverse. If you originally did a 180 Frontside Pivot, you will now do a 180 Backside Pivot. When these 180 Pivots are done in consecutive lines, they are considered End-Overs (End Over End). It is not uncommon for Freestyle Skateboarders to throw in harder Pivots in to the mix of 180 Pivots. A rider may do a string of 180 Pivots where every two 180 Pivots he follows with one 360 Pivot.
Fan Flip
Fan Flip is the name when you do Pogo Fingerflip back to Pogo. This can be done in Handed or No Handed Pogos. You start to do a Pogo and once you got balance, do a Fingerflip, jump up and kick your legs to the side. After the board fliped you catch it into another Pogo.
Finger Flip
A Finger Flip can be considered an umbrella term for a series of tricks involving the use of the hand to flip the Skateboard. The rider rolls forward, grabs the Nose of the board with the front hand and flips the board while simultaneously jumping up in the air. The rider will come down on the board or catch the board in mid-air. Many variations have been done including the Double Finger Flip, Varial Finger Flip, Backhand Finger Flips, and 360 Finger Flips. There are Fakie versions of all the Finger Flips. An Ollie Finger Flip is considered the hardest variation of a Finger Flip because the rider must Ollie first before initiating the Finger Flip. Professional Darryl Grogan is known for his Ollie 360 Finger Flip. Rodney Mullen is known to use an Ollie Varial Finger Flip in many of his runs and video footage.
Gymnast Plant
A One Handed Handstand, where one hand is planted on the floor and the other hand holds the board in the air. To do the trick you can start from Tailstop or Railstand. With this trick are many variations possible, because you can do every kind of Fingerflip with your other hand. You can also do "Gymnast Plant Varials" by grabbing the wheel of your board and spin it. You can land the trick Straight, in Tailstop, in a Railstand, in a Casper or even in a 50/50.
Gingersnap
While in a Hang Ten position, the skater pops down on the Nose, causing the board to do a Nollie Hardflip motion, traveling vertically between the riders legs and landing back in normal position. If the half flip is done with a Nosegrab, the trick is referred to as a Hazze Flip, named for Hazze Lindgren.
Godzilla Flip
This trick involves standing on the board in Tailstop with just one foot and spinning the board in an Impossible around that foot with your lead or back hand. You can use either foot and either hand. The foot must not touch the ground. Basically a hand use one footed version of the Nosehook Impossible. Not to be confused with the Godzilla Railflip, which is a Triple Varial Railflip with a Body Varial.
Handstand
Basically doing a Handstand on Skateboard. Many variations evolved from this, including One Handed Handstands, Headstands, Frogstands, Handstand Wheelies, Handstand Pivots, and Handstand Handflips/Fingerflips. The Handstand was taken to the other stances too such as Railstand Handstands, with the Single, Double, Varial, 360 Flips out of them and Flips landed in Railstands again. Also TV Stands which are Handstands done in 50/50s.
Helipop
A Backside 360 Nollie which was invented by Rodney Mullen. It's done by placing your front foot on the Nose of the board and your back foot in Nollie Heelflip position. Then right before you begin the Nollie start to pivot just a little. Then begin your Nollie. If you can't get a full Nollie 360, try landing it in a 270 and pivot the rest of the way. Once you learned it good enough going 270, then go for the full 360. If you want to pivot at the end, never pivot on the Nose, always do it on the back wheels.
Impossible
A trick originally invented by Rodney Mullen where the board is "scooped" up by the back foot and wraps over the back foot in a 360 degree rotation and is then landed. There are many variations of the Impossible or "Ollie" Impossible that have been created over the years. Darryl Grogan is known for doing many different variations. He was the first to land Impossibles Crossfooted, Halfcab, and to one foot landing. Rodney Mullen has done many variations off the Nose, also known as "Nollie" Impossibles.
Kickback
The Kickback is a really old Freestyle trick. It's a half flip backwards and then a full flip back forwards. It's done by placing your front foot on the front bolts and your backfoot only with your toes in the middle of your board. You start pushing down on your toes and when the board catches your toes, you jump, give the board a flick and after the board fliped you catchit and land back on the griptape.
Manual
A trick similar to a bicycle Wheelie where the rider balances with the front or back wheels off and without the Tail or Nose on the ground. Manuals can be done with both feet, with one foot or on one wheel. In One Foot Manuals the rider places one foot parallel to the board and balances on the Nose or Tail. A Manual in which both feet are straight on the Nose is a Hang Ten; its Tail counterpart is called a Heelie. The rider can also do English Manuals, by keeping the backfoot somewhere where the back bolts are and the front foot underneath the Nose and hooks the board up until he manuals. The most difficult variation is the Swedish Manual, most likely named after Swedish pro Stefan "Lillis" Akesson. This is the same as the English Manual, except you place your front foot on the Nose pointing forward and use your back toes to hook the board up until you Nose manual. Another difficult variation, mastered by Kyle Caster, is the One Foot Tail to One Foot Nose a.k.a Caster Manual (it isn't a Caster unless over four switch-ups are done.)
M-80
Flip an Old School Kickflip, but as soon as it's done flipping, instead of landing on the board with all 4 wheels touching down on the ground, land on it with more weight on the Nose for a split second Nose Manual before you Pivot on the Nose. If you did the Old School Kickflip and landed in Fakie, you would pivot out to forward. If you did it out to forward, you would pivot into Fakie. The M-80 can be used as a compensator if you don't like the direction you end up in when you do Kickflips because you can only do them to fakie, or only do them to forward. Kevin Harris did his Old School Kickflips into multiple 360 Spins on one foot.
Monster Walk
Another type of End-Over. Rather than a rider doing a 180 Pivot on the Nose Frontside and then doing one Backside or doing one Backside first and then Frontside after, the rider Pivots Backside and Backside or Frontside and Frontside giving the rider the appearance that he/she is taking very large steps forward or backward. The Frontside variation has the rider always facing forward, and for the Fakie version the rider always twists blind or Backside.
No Comply
In this trick the front foot slides off the side of the board, with the body weight on the back foot over the tail, the board 'snaps' up and can be guided with the back leg/knee. To ride away the rider jumps with his/her front foot back on. The No Comply was commonly used by street skaters in the mid to late 80's, most commonly being done off parking blocks by bumping the tail off them. This trick has many variations, including 180, 360, Varials, Flips, Fingerflips, Impossibles, etc. Ray Barbee is noted as a master of No Comply variations to many who have watched the earlier Powell videos.
Nosehook Impossible
A trick that flips in the same fashion as the Ollie Impossible, but done with the assistance of the other foot. To do it, the rider starts in Tailstop. Then hooks their front foot under the Nose of the board, and pulls it to the side as they jump on the back foot. Causing the board to flip over their other foot. This can be done Cross Footed, out of Swedish Wheelies and Truckhooked. Which means that your front foot is near the truck rather then the Nose (Truckhook Impossible).
Old School Kickflip
Originally just called the Kickflip, this trick is thought to be invented by Kurt Lindgren. You stand in the middle of your board, feet close together, pointed towards the Nose. Hook the foot you're most comfortable flipping with under the board and turn your body. That puts your foot under the board. From there you give a kick, jump, turn side ways, and land when the board is done flipping. There were many variations such as Double Flips, Varial Flips, 360 Flips and M-80s. Your feet should never touch the ground in the trick.
Ollie
Considered the trick of all tricks, this trick was what allowed Flatland Skateboarding to reach a vertical height and gave rise to the merge of Freestyle to Street obstacles creating an entirely new style of skateboard. Streetstyle Skateboarding. Streetstyle Skateboarding became possible when Freestyle tricks were allowed to be done on Street obstacles and the Ollie was the trick that allowed this to become possible. The Ollie was developed by Alan "Ollie" Gelfand on vert. This was done by simply scooping the board up into the air. The Flat ground version of the ollie was then invented by Rodney Mullen. He figured out that with proper foot positioning you could pop the board into the air.
The Footwork in question was one that the rider did to go from stationary into Switch Tailstop. While in stationary the rider pops the board down on the tail with the back foot and the front foot drags up the board all the way to the tip of the nose and all weight is put on the front foot as the rider comes down in Switch Tailstop with his front foot now on top of the Nose of the skateboard which is touching the ground.
The rider stands stationary or rolls forward and pops down hard on the Tail with the back foot. When the Nose of the skateboard starts to point up the rider drags the front foot up the skateboard which causes the skateboard to drag up and get higher. The rider lifts the back foot and eventually the rider stops the drag while the skateboard stops its vertical ascent and the back of the skateboard rises up to the same level as the other side of the skateboard is at with the back of the skateboard meeting the back foot. The skateboard has now "Leveled Out" and the rider braces for impact on all four wheels, rolling away. This trick can be done in staggering amounts of variations including all kinds of combinations of rotations, flips and body rotations combined which truly makes it the most versatile trick in the existence of skateboarding.
Ollie Airwalk
This trick involves the combination of an Ollie with an Airwalk. The rider initiates an Ollie and grabs the board with the front hand. While this is being done the rider kicks the front foot forward and kicks the back foot backwards. This was one of Rodney Mullen's signature tricks.
Pogo
Done with the board straight up and down, this move uses the Skateboard as a Pogo Stick. One foot is on the bottom truck, and the other usually presses on the grip tape side of the board for grip. An easier variation involves one foot off with the rider grabbing the Nose. The skater can also do this with both feet on the truck, or crossfooted.
Pressure Flip
Pressure Flips were invented before Ollies. They are basically a flip only with your backfoot and you never use your front foot. Pressure Flips can be done Nollie or Fakie and 360, what means that you can do a 360 Flip only with your backfoot. There are many different types of Pressure Flips which flip like an Ollie Flip. A Pressure Flip flips like an Inward Heelflip, a Pressure Hardflip flips like a Hardflip and Toeflip (Pressure Varial Flip) like a Varial Kickflip.
Primo Slide
This is a Railstand but done while moving, so you slide along the ground on the side of your board. Invented by Primo Desiderio. For added style you can turn the board 90 degrees while sliding doing sort of a Primo Power Slide from there you can do any trick you want to get out of it, flips, spins etc.
Railflip
Any trick where you flip out of a Railstand.
Railstand
A Railstand is when one edge of your board is on the ground and you are standing on the other, usually with your feet also on the wheels. From this position you can do many tricks, including Flips, 180s, 360 Spins and combinations of the above (landing into another railstand if you wish), landing into Casper, into 50/50, etc. A Heelside Railstand is to stand on the board in Railstand, with your griptape facing your back, and Toeside is the reverse. There are several ways to get into Heelside Railstand as opposed to the limited ways, if not just one way of getting into Toeside Railstand. A common variation of a Railstand is a Cooperstand, which is a Railstand with one foot on a wheel, and the other on the Nose. While in Railstand, the limit to what you can do is almost non existent. You do not have to just flip. You can varial the board under you so it spins without flipping, you can stand on one wheel, on one foot and kick the board forwards or backwards so it spins around the one wheel.
Sal Flip
Invented by Salvador Lucas Barbier. In motion this trick mimics a Fingerflip and a 360 Pop Shove It. While riding forward, the rider mildly hits the Tail like a Pop Shove It. At about 45 degrees into the rotation with the leading hand, catch the Nose with the palmside of the hand touching the grip tape (thumb underneath) with an elbow motion, flare the board forward and outward for the rest of the rotation (315 degrees) with the feet up and out of the way until the rotation is complete. depending on air time the feet may catch the board in mid-air or casing the trick at touchdown. On flat ground this trick may not 'flare' as much and may look similar to a (palmside) Fingerflip that 'pirouettes' vertically using more of a wrist motion as opposed to an elbow motion. The higher the rider goes the more exaggerated the movement can be, IE instead of a wrist or elbow rotation the rider can actually 'flare' the board with a shoulder motion.
San Francisco Flip
The San Francisco flip is a type of a Truck-To-Transfer, where the rider enters a No-Handed 50/50 does a "No-Handed Carousel" to a "Crossfoot No-Handed 50/50".
Saran Wrap, Wrap Around
This trick was invented by Rodney Mullen. Usually done from a Pogo or a 50/50. This trick involves the front leg tracing a circle around the Nose of the board not touching the ground when in Pogo or a 50/50. Experienced skaters can do several Saran Wraps continuously.
Shove It
A Shove It or Varial rotation is regarded as a 180 degree spin (instead of a flip) of the board. Which direction it spins is usually described in the name, such as Frontside or Backside. When called just a Shove It, it is assumed it is only a Varial 180 degree Shove It. If it is any higher in degrees, it is stated. For example, a 360 Shove It must have the 360 stated or it should be assumed to only be 180 degrees of spin.
The Shove It was always a Freestyle trick as was every other skateboarding trick used in Streetstyle skateboarding. It was done with the front foot facing forward towards the nose, on the nose of the board and your back foot would be used to throw the board. In today's modern Streetstyle skateboarding, the Shove It is either done Frontside or Backside and the point of action originates from the tail of the board. Only when the rider pushes down and forward or down and backward can the board spin 180 degrees Frontside or Backside. The back foot begins the trick and the front foot either assists in the spin by influencing the board or just jumps if the back foot influenced it enough. In the Shove It done off the nose, this is done in reverse. The front foot assumes the role of the back foot in that it pushes down and initiates the action, and the back foot either jumps or assists in the spin. It can be done both Frontside and Backside from this way. This is considered the Freestyle and pre Streetstyle era Shove It. Contrary to popular belief, Frontside or Backside of any kind of Shove It is not harder than the other if you learn both at the same time. Learning one and not the other may give you the illusion that it is hard to do the other. This would not make sense because another skateboarder may find the harder version easier and your version harder provided he/she learned the opposite Shove It first. This also applies to the Ollie Kickflip and the Ollie Heelflip. For one who has learned the Ollie Kickflip before the Ollie Heelflip, it may seem harder, same applies vice versa.
Jaywalk
Set up with your stance foot, or your front foot, on the Tail of the board, put your back foot on the Nose of the board. Two things will happen now, and both must be done at the same time. Pressure is applied to the Nose and you pivot 180 degrees on the Tail to the side your front foot's heel was facing. Your front foot is also removed prior to the 180 degree pivot and brought to where your board will end up after the 180 degree pivot. It is an advanced version of the End-Over or 180 pivot on the Nose or Tail because your foot is detached from the board.
Spacewalk
Another kind of "Walk" in Freestyle skateboarding. The rider enters a Manual on the back wheels and swings the Nose of the board around. The wider the swing the better the Spacewalk looks. The front wheels cannot touch the ground while the Spacewalk is being done. Many variations exist including Nose Spacewalks, Hang Ten Spacewalks, Backward Spacewalks and many more.
Street Plant
An Old School Handplant trick in which one holds the board in one hand, gets a running start, does a One Handed Handstand, puts the board under the feet, then comes back down. It is used as a fancy way to get onto one's board. This is like an Invert on Vert, but done on flatground. This trick was one of the first "Street" tricks.
Switch Foot Pogo
A trick invented by Rodney Mullen. To do the trick, get into a Handed Pogo and then continouisly switch your feet from the truck and pogo little to keep your balance. The trick should look like you were "walking" on the truck.
TV Stand
A Handstand done in a 50/50. While in a 50/50 or Pogo the rider grabs the bottom truck (the one with the backfoot on) hops up into a Handstand with the other hand holding the Nose of the board. Land the trick by doing a half flip out of it. If you grab the top truck it's called a "Jawbreaker", which was invented by Primo Desiderio. It isn't a TV Stand or Jawbreaker if your legs aren't at least horizontally.
Walk The Dog
Freestyle Footwork in which you put one foot in the middle of the board, step to the Nose with the back foot, and bring the Nose to the back, spinning the board 180 around the center foot. With practice this move can be done quite fast and many times in a row or even backwards. Although it's better to do it slower, maintain balance to create an illusion of speed as suggested by Bob Loftin. It's very hard trick.
YoYo Plant
Considered one of the most difficult of challenging tricks, it was invented by Joachim "YoYo" Schulz in the early 1980s. This is the same as the Street Plant but done without the feet touching the ground. Usually done by rolling Fakie and with one hand planted on the ground as the other is grabbing the board. Schulz has invented numerous variations of this trick.
YoHo Plant
Terry Synnott is seen doing this trick which is a cross between the YoYo Plant invented by Joachim "YoYo" Schulz and the HoHo Plant. The HoHo Plant involves a Handstand with both hands, and only your feet in the air holding the board up as if you were upside down. The rider starts to roll Fakie into the YoYo Plant with one hand on the ground and one on the board but once in the YoYo Plant, the rider's legs go off the board and does a normal handstand on the ground.
'70s skate competitions would often have an event to see who could do the most consecutive 360 spins on a skateboard. The current official world record is 163 full rotations performed by Russ Howell in 1977 at the Long Beach World Championship. Variations include Nose spins, One Footed Spins, Hang Ten Spins, etc.
50/50
The 50/50 is the name of a stance that is similar to a Casper with the board upside-down, but the back foot is standing on the back truck rather than the back Tail. The 50/50 is done with a hand holding the Nose of the board, or it can be done with the front foot holding up the Nose with no hand holding the board up. In this case it is called a No Handed 50/50. This trick can be done from Tailstop or while moving. You can also spin in 360s while in a No Handed 50/50. The name of this stance collides with the common Streetstyle skateboarding trick, the 50-50 Grind. While this stance had the name first, other riders use the name Truckstand to distinguish between the two.
Anti-Casper
Contrary to popular belief, the Anti-Casper is not just a Nose/Switch Casper. It is not considered an Anti-Casper unless half of an Ollie Impossible is performed into a Nose/Switch Casper. This is usually done by popping the Tail, which would begin the half Impossible or half vertical flip, and jumping. Once the board flips half of an Ollie Impossible, it comes down into Switch Casper, and is caught with the front foot on top of the Nose and the back foot on the underside of the board in a Nose/Switch Casper.
Beanplant
Like a Boneless, but the rider grabs the Nose or grabs Lien (Heelside of the Nose) with the front hand.
Boneless
This trick was originally conceived during a snowstorm in Cincinnati, Ohio back in the winter of 1979-1980. Desperate for any kind of skateboarding activity, Robert Hamrick and Garry Scott Davis were lying on the living room floor with their skateboards against the couch, pretending that the cushions were a lip. Garry came up with the idea of planting the front foot and grabbing with the trailing hand in order to catch air. About two months later, when the snow finally melted, Robert Hamrick and Mark Mounts were skating at a local skate spot called the D.O. when Robert remembered the “impossible” trick. Mark Mounts tried it, and found that it was incredibly simple. By the end of the day, all three were bouncing around the D.O. like disturbed pogo sticks. After much debate on what to name this incredibly easy and fun trick--it was simply called the front-footed frontside footplant at first--Mark suggested that it be named after one of Robert's childhood toys, a puppet named “Harry the Boneless One.”
Broken Fingers
This is a Half Truckhook Impossible caught in a 50/50. The rider starts in Tailstop, puts their front foot near the truck and then starts to jump backwards. This will causing the board to flip over and get upside-down and the rider catches the Tail of the board and lands with the foot he used to hook the board on the truck. There is also a No Handed version of this trick which has not really a name. It's a "Crossfoot Half Truckhook Impossible To No Handed 50/50". It works like the version with grab, except you start crossfooted and catch it in a No Handed 50/50. The reason why this trick got the name "Broken Fingers" is because how dangerous it can be. If you don't jump high enough and want to catch the board you are going to crush your own fingers.
Butter lip
This trick was invented by Keith Butterfield. To do the Butter Flip, you stand in Heelside Railstand, and hop both feet to one side of the board. Both feet are side by side with no gap larger than an inch or two between them. The rider puts pressure onto the end of the board, using the foot that is not on the wheel. It pops the board up and you grab it with your hand on the same side of your body as the foot that was on the wheel. This trick is the method used to go from Heelside Railstand to a Pogo or 50/50. You can catch the board with your foot as well rather than your hand making it a Butter Flip to a No Handed 50/50.
Calf Wrap, Flamingo
A trick where the skater using one foot wraps the board around their other leg which is planted on the ground, then unwraps it to land back in a riding position. This trick is called a Flamingo by the Professional Skateboarder Mike Vallely who helped bring popularity to the trick. Invented by Derek Belen, made popular by Rey Gregorio, then perfected by Dorian Tucker, and Kris Markovich. Variations of this trick include Flamingo 180's, Anti-Flamingo (When the board wraps around the opposite way) and Flamingo to Fakie's on banks.
Casper
The Casper is the name of a stance that was invented by Bobby "Casper" Boyden. In a Casper, the board is griptape side down, with the back foot on top of the tail and the front foot under the board near the nose. The only point of contact between the board and the ground is the tip of the Tail. There are a many ways to get into Casper. There are many ways to exit the trick, usually through a half Impossible or rolling a Flip. Caspers can branch into Railstands, 50/50's, etc. Skaters can also spin in 360's while in a casper. Another variation is the Hand Casper with one foot on the Tail and the nose holded in the hand.
Casper Disaster
Also invented by Bobby "Casper" Boyden, this trick has nothing to do with the Casper stance. While rolling Fakie or Nollie, enter a Heelside Railstand One Footed. The foot that's not touching the wheel will point down and nudge the griptape side of the Skateboard while the rider spins 180 degrees towards the direction the of trucks. After the board and rider have rotated 180 degrees, the feet work together to nudge the Skateboard down into a rolling position.
Carousel
This is a specific Truck-To-Truck Transfer. Think of it as a half Impossible from a 50-50 to a switch 50-50 - still standing on the back foot. You start from a 50-50, "throw" the board in "Semi-Circular" Motion but at the same time bend up your foot so the board wraps around it and you land on the truck and catch the nose of your board.
Coco Wheelie, Coco Slide
A Coco Wheelie or Coco Slide is like a Primo Slide but the Deck never touches the ground, so you hold it in a Wheelie on the side. If you can't do the trick standing on the wheels then try to stand on the grip tape, which is much easier.
Daffy
This trick is done with two boards, one foot in a Manual on one board and another foot on the second. This trick was seen in the Girl Skateboards video Yeah Right! and the Lords of Dogtown movie. The Tony Hawk's Underground game calls this a "Yeah Right Manual".
End-Over
A series of 180 degree Pivots. Can be done both ways but both start on the nose (or on the Tail while rolling Fakie). While rolling forward, pressure is placed on the Nose just enough to lift the back wheels. Once the back wheels are lifted, the rider turns either Frontside or Backside 180 degrees with the Nose acting as a Pivot point. This is all done quickly, you do not stall on any part. When the 180 Pivot is done, you quickly do another in reverse. If you originally did a 180 Frontside Pivot, you will now do a 180 Backside Pivot. When these 180 Pivots are done in consecutive lines, they are considered End-Overs (End Over End). It is not uncommon for Freestyle Skateboarders to throw in harder Pivots in to the mix of 180 Pivots. A rider may do a string of 180 Pivots where every two 180 Pivots he follows with one 360 Pivot.
Fan Flip
Fan Flip is the name when you do Pogo Fingerflip back to Pogo. This can be done in Handed or No Handed Pogos. You start to do a Pogo and once you got balance, do a Fingerflip, jump up and kick your legs to the side. After the board fliped you catch it into another Pogo.
Finger Flip
A Finger Flip can be considered an umbrella term for a series of tricks involving the use of the hand to flip the Skateboard. The rider rolls forward, grabs the Nose of the board with the front hand and flips the board while simultaneously jumping up in the air. The rider will come down on the board or catch the board in mid-air. Many variations have been done including the Double Finger Flip, Varial Finger Flip, Backhand Finger Flips, and 360 Finger Flips. There are Fakie versions of all the Finger Flips. An Ollie Finger Flip is considered the hardest variation of a Finger Flip because the rider must Ollie first before initiating the Finger Flip. Professional Darryl Grogan is known for his Ollie 360 Finger Flip. Rodney Mullen is known to use an Ollie Varial Finger Flip in many of his runs and video footage.
Gymnast Plant
A One Handed Handstand, where one hand is planted on the floor and the other hand holds the board in the air. To do the trick you can start from Tailstop or Railstand. With this trick are many variations possible, because you can do every kind of Fingerflip with your other hand. You can also do "Gymnast Plant Varials" by grabbing the wheel of your board and spin it. You can land the trick Straight, in Tailstop, in a Railstand, in a Casper or even in a 50/50.
Gingersnap
While in a Hang Ten position, the skater pops down on the Nose, causing the board to do a Nollie Hardflip motion, traveling vertically between the riders legs and landing back in normal position. If the half flip is done with a Nosegrab, the trick is referred to as a Hazze Flip, named for Hazze Lindgren.
Godzilla Flip
This trick involves standing on the board in Tailstop with just one foot and spinning the board in an Impossible around that foot with your lead or back hand. You can use either foot and either hand. The foot must not touch the ground. Basically a hand use one footed version of the Nosehook Impossible. Not to be confused with the Godzilla Railflip, which is a Triple Varial Railflip with a Body Varial.
Handstand
Basically doing a Handstand on Skateboard. Many variations evolved from this, including One Handed Handstands, Headstands, Frogstands, Handstand Wheelies, Handstand Pivots, and Handstand Handflips/Fingerflips. The Handstand was taken to the other stances too such as Railstand Handstands, with the Single, Double, Varial, 360 Flips out of them and Flips landed in Railstands again. Also TV Stands which are Handstands done in 50/50s.
Helipop
A Backside 360 Nollie which was invented by Rodney Mullen. It's done by placing your front foot on the Nose of the board and your back foot in Nollie Heelflip position. Then right before you begin the Nollie start to pivot just a little. Then begin your Nollie. If you can't get a full Nollie 360, try landing it in a 270 and pivot the rest of the way. Once you learned it good enough going 270, then go for the full 360. If you want to pivot at the end, never pivot on the Nose, always do it on the back wheels.
Impossible
A trick originally invented by Rodney Mullen where the board is "scooped" up by the back foot and wraps over the back foot in a 360 degree rotation and is then landed. There are many variations of the Impossible or "Ollie" Impossible that have been created over the years. Darryl Grogan is known for doing many different variations. He was the first to land Impossibles Crossfooted, Halfcab, and to one foot landing. Rodney Mullen has done many variations off the Nose, also known as "Nollie" Impossibles.
Kickback
The Kickback is a really old Freestyle trick. It's a half flip backwards and then a full flip back forwards. It's done by placing your front foot on the front bolts and your backfoot only with your toes in the middle of your board. You start pushing down on your toes and when the board catches your toes, you jump, give the board a flick and after the board fliped you catchit and land back on the griptape.
Manual
A trick similar to a bicycle Wheelie where the rider balances with the front or back wheels off and without the Tail or Nose on the ground. Manuals can be done with both feet, with one foot or on one wheel. In One Foot Manuals the rider places one foot parallel to the board and balances on the Nose or Tail. A Manual in which both feet are straight on the Nose is a Hang Ten; its Tail counterpart is called a Heelie. The rider can also do English Manuals, by keeping the backfoot somewhere where the back bolts are and the front foot underneath the Nose and hooks the board up until he manuals. The most difficult variation is the Swedish Manual, most likely named after Swedish pro Stefan "Lillis" Akesson. This is the same as the English Manual, except you place your front foot on the Nose pointing forward and use your back toes to hook the board up until you Nose manual. Another difficult variation, mastered by Kyle Caster, is the One Foot Tail to One Foot Nose a.k.a Caster Manual (it isn't a Caster unless over four switch-ups are done.)
M-80
Flip an Old School Kickflip, but as soon as it's done flipping, instead of landing on the board with all 4 wheels touching down on the ground, land on it with more weight on the Nose for a split second Nose Manual before you Pivot on the Nose. If you did the Old School Kickflip and landed in Fakie, you would pivot out to forward. If you did it out to forward, you would pivot into Fakie. The M-80 can be used as a compensator if you don't like the direction you end up in when you do Kickflips because you can only do them to fakie, or only do them to forward. Kevin Harris did his Old School Kickflips into multiple 360 Spins on one foot.
Monster Walk
Another type of End-Over. Rather than a rider doing a 180 Pivot on the Nose Frontside and then doing one Backside or doing one Backside first and then Frontside after, the rider Pivots Backside and Backside or Frontside and Frontside giving the rider the appearance that he/she is taking very large steps forward or backward. The Frontside variation has the rider always facing forward, and for the Fakie version the rider always twists blind or Backside.
No Comply
In this trick the front foot slides off the side of the board, with the body weight on the back foot over the tail, the board 'snaps' up and can be guided with the back leg/knee. To ride away the rider jumps with his/her front foot back on. The No Comply was commonly used by street skaters in the mid to late 80's, most commonly being done off parking blocks by bumping the tail off them. This trick has many variations, including 180, 360, Varials, Flips, Fingerflips, Impossibles, etc. Ray Barbee is noted as a master of No Comply variations to many who have watched the earlier Powell videos.
Nosehook Impossible
A trick that flips in the same fashion as the Ollie Impossible, but done with the assistance of the other foot. To do it, the rider starts in Tailstop. Then hooks their front foot under the Nose of the board, and pulls it to the side as they jump on the back foot. Causing the board to flip over their other foot. This can be done Cross Footed, out of Swedish Wheelies and Truckhooked. Which means that your front foot is near the truck rather then the Nose (Truckhook Impossible).
Old School Kickflip
Originally just called the Kickflip, this trick is thought to be invented by Kurt Lindgren. You stand in the middle of your board, feet close together, pointed towards the Nose. Hook the foot you're most comfortable flipping with under the board and turn your body. That puts your foot under the board. From there you give a kick, jump, turn side ways, and land when the board is done flipping. There were many variations such as Double Flips, Varial Flips, 360 Flips and M-80s. Your feet should never touch the ground in the trick.
Ollie
Considered the trick of all tricks, this trick was what allowed Flatland Skateboarding to reach a vertical height and gave rise to the merge of Freestyle to Street obstacles creating an entirely new style of skateboard. Streetstyle Skateboarding. Streetstyle Skateboarding became possible when Freestyle tricks were allowed to be done on Street obstacles and the Ollie was the trick that allowed this to become possible. The Ollie was developed by Alan "Ollie" Gelfand on vert. This was done by simply scooping the board up into the air. The Flat ground version of the ollie was then invented by Rodney Mullen. He figured out that with proper foot positioning you could pop the board into the air.
The Footwork in question was one that the rider did to go from stationary into Switch Tailstop. While in stationary the rider pops the board down on the tail with the back foot and the front foot drags up the board all the way to the tip of the nose and all weight is put on the front foot as the rider comes down in Switch Tailstop with his front foot now on top of the Nose of the skateboard which is touching the ground.
The rider stands stationary or rolls forward and pops down hard on the Tail with the back foot. When the Nose of the skateboard starts to point up the rider drags the front foot up the skateboard which causes the skateboard to drag up and get higher. The rider lifts the back foot and eventually the rider stops the drag while the skateboard stops its vertical ascent and the back of the skateboard rises up to the same level as the other side of the skateboard is at with the back of the skateboard meeting the back foot. The skateboard has now "Leveled Out" and the rider braces for impact on all four wheels, rolling away. This trick can be done in staggering amounts of variations including all kinds of combinations of rotations, flips and body rotations combined which truly makes it the most versatile trick in the existence of skateboarding.
Ollie Airwalk
This trick involves the combination of an Ollie with an Airwalk. The rider initiates an Ollie and grabs the board with the front hand. While this is being done the rider kicks the front foot forward and kicks the back foot backwards. This was one of Rodney Mullen's signature tricks.
Pogo
Done with the board straight up and down, this move uses the Skateboard as a Pogo Stick. One foot is on the bottom truck, and the other usually presses on the grip tape side of the board for grip. An easier variation involves one foot off with the rider grabbing the Nose. The skater can also do this with both feet on the truck, or crossfooted.
Pressure Flip
Pressure Flips were invented before Ollies. They are basically a flip only with your backfoot and you never use your front foot. Pressure Flips can be done Nollie or Fakie and 360, what means that you can do a 360 Flip only with your backfoot. There are many different types of Pressure Flips which flip like an Ollie Flip. A Pressure Flip flips like an Inward Heelflip, a Pressure Hardflip flips like a Hardflip and Toeflip (Pressure Varial Flip) like a Varial Kickflip.
Primo Slide
This is a Railstand but done while moving, so you slide along the ground on the side of your board. Invented by Primo Desiderio. For added style you can turn the board 90 degrees while sliding doing sort of a Primo Power Slide from there you can do any trick you want to get out of it, flips, spins etc.
Railflip
Any trick where you flip out of a Railstand.
Railstand
A Railstand is when one edge of your board is on the ground and you are standing on the other, usually with your feet also on the wheels. From this position you can do many tricks, including Flips, 180s, 360 Spins and combinations of the above (landing into another railstand if you wish), landing into Casper, into 50/50, etc. A Heelside Railstand is to stand on the board in Railstand, with your griptape facing your back, and Toeside is the reverse. There are several ways to get into Heelside Railstand as opposed to the limited ways, if not just one way of getting into Toeside Railstand. A common variation of a Railstand is a Cooperstand, which is a Railstand with one foot on a wheel, and the other on the Nose. While in Railstand, the limit to what you can do is almost non existent. You do not have to just flip. You can varial the board under you so it spins without flipping, you can stand on one wheel, on one foot and kick the board forwards or backwards so it spins around the one wheel.
Sal Flip
Invented by Salvador Lucas Barbier. In motion this trick mimics a Fingerflip and a 360 Pop Shove It. While riding forward, the rider mildly hits the Tail like a Pop Shove It. At about 45 degrees into the rotation with the leading hand, catch the Nose with the palmside of the hand touching the grip tape (thumb underneath) with an elbow motion, flare the board forward and outward for the rest of the rotation (315 degrees) with the feet up and out of the way until the rotation is complete. depending on air time the feet may catch the board in mid-air or casing the trick at touchdown. On flat ground this trick may not 'flare' as much and may look similar to a (palmside) Fingerflip that 'pirouettes' vertically using more of a wrist motion as opposed to an elbow motion. The higher the rider goes the more exaggerated the movement can be, IE instead of a wrist or elbow rotation the rider can actually 'flare' the board with a shoulder motion.
San Francisco Flip
The San Francisco flip is a type of a Truck-To-Transfer, where the rider enters a No-Handed 50/50 does a "No-Handed Carousel" to a "Crossfoot No-Handed 50/50".
Saran Wrap, Wrap Around
This trick was invented by Rodney Mullen. Usually done from a Pogo or a 50/50. This trick involves the front leg tracing a circle around the Nose of the board not touching the ground when in Pogo or a 50/50. Experienced skaters can do several Saran Wraps continuously.
Shove It
A Shove It or Varial rotation is regarded as a 180 degree spin (instead of a flip) of the board. Which direction it spins is usually described in the name, such as Frontside or Backside. When called just a Shove It, it is assumed it is only a Varial 180 degree Shove It. If it is any higher in degrees, it is stated. For example, a 360 Shove It must have the 360 stated or it should be assumed to only be 180 degrees of spin.
The Shove It was always a Freestyle trick as was every other skateboarding trick used in Streetstyle skateboarding. It was done with the front foot facing forward towards the nose, on the nose of the board and your back foot would be used to throw the board. In today's modern Streetstyle skateboarding, the Shove It is either done Frontside or Backside and the point of action originates from the tail of the board. Only when the rider pushes down and forward or down and backward can the board spin 180 degrees Frontside or Backside. The back foot begins the trick and the front foot either assists in the spin by influencing the board or just jumps if the back foot influenced it enough. In the Shove It done off the nose, this is done in reverse. The front foot assumes the role of the back foot in that it pushes down and initiates the action, and the back foot either jumps or assists in the spin. It can be done both Frontside and Backside from this way. This is considered the Freestyle and pre Streetstyle era Shove It. Contrary to popular belief, Frontside or Backside of any kind of Shove It is not harder than the other if you learn both at the same time. Learning one and not the other may give you the illusion that it is hard to do the other. This would not make sense because another skateboarder may find the harder version easier and your version harder provided he/she learned the opposite Shove It first. This also applies to the Ollie Kickflip and the Ollie Heelflip. For one who has learned the Ollie Kickflip before the Ollie Heelflip, it may seem harder, same applies vice versa.
Jaywalk
Set up with your stance foot, or your front foot, on the Tail of the board, put your back foot on the Nose of the board. Two things will happen now, and both must be done at the same time. Pressure is applied to the Nose and you pivot 180 degrees on the Tail to the side your front foot's heel was facing. Your front foot is also removed prior to the 180 degree pivot and brought to where your board will end up after the 180 degree pivot. It is an advanced version of the End-Over or 180 pivot on the Nose or Tail because your foot is detached from the board.
Spacewalk
Another kind of "Walk" in Freestyle skateboarding. The rider enters a Manual on the back wheels and swings the Nose of the board around. The wider the swing the better the Spacewalk looks. The front wheels cannot touch the ground while the Spacewalk is being done. Many variations exist including Nose Spacewalks, Hang Ten Spacewalks, Backward Spacewalks and many more.
Street Plant
An Old School Handplant trick in which one holds the board in one hand, gets a running start, does a One Handed Handstand, puts the board under the feet, then comes back down. It is used as a fancy way to get onto one's board. This is like an Invert on Vert, but done on flatground. This trick was one of the first "Street" tricks.
Switch Foot Pogo
A trick invented by Rodney Mullen. To do the trick, get into a Handed Pogo and then continouisly switch your feet from the truck and pogo little to keep your balance. The trick should look like you were "walking" on the truck.
TV Stand
A Handstand done in a 50/50. While in a 50/50 or Pogo the rider grabs the bottom truck (the one with the backfoot on) hops up into a Handstand with the other hand holding the Nose of the board. Land the trick by doing a half flip out of it. If you grab the top truck it's called a "Jawbreaker", which was invented by Primo Desiderio. It isn't a TV Stand or Jawbreaker if your legs aren't at least horizontally.
Walk The Dog
Freestyle Footwork in which you put one foot in the middle of the board, step to the Nose with the back foot, and bring the Nose to the back, spinning the board 180 around the center foot. With practice this move can be done quite fast and many times in a row or even backwards. Although it's better to do it slower, maintain balance to create an illusion of speed as suggested by Bob Loftin. It's very hard trick.
YoYo Plant
Considered one of the most difficult of challenging tricks, it was invented by Joachim "YoYo" Schulz in the early 1980s. This is the same as the Street Plant but done without the feet touching the ground. Usually done by rolling Fakie and with one hand planted on the ground as the other is grabbing the board. Schulz has invented numerous variations of this trick.
YoHo Plant
Terry Synnott is seen doing this trick which is a cross between the YoYo Plant invented by Joachim "YoYo" Schulz and the HoHo Plant. The HoHo Plant involves a Handstand with both hands, and only your feet in the air holding the board up as if you were upside down. The rider starts to roll Fakie into the YoYo Plant with one hand on the ground and one on the board but once in the YoYo Plant, the rider's legs go off the board and does a normal handstand on the ground.
