Tricks to master as a beginner to Skateboarding

The Best Tricks to Learn as a Beginner Skateboarder

Skateboarding is all about progression, and for beginner skaters, learning the basics is key to building confidence on your board. While advanced tricks may seem tempting, it’s essential to start with foundational moves that help you master balance, control, and foot placement. Here’s a guide to the best tricks every beginner skateboarder should learn.

1. The Ollie

The ollie is one of the most fundamental tricks in skateboarding. It’s a jumping motion where you pop the board off the ground without using your hands. Mastering the ollie is crucial because it’s the basis for many other tricks.

• How to Practice: Start by practicing your pop (pressing the tail down) and sliding your front foot up. Keep practicing the motion until you get comfortable with the board lifting off the ground.
• Why It’s Important: It helps develop timing, balance, and board control.

2. The Shuvit

The shuvit is a trick where you rotate the skateboard 180 degrees under your feet without jumping or spinning your body. It’s a great beginner trick because it doesn’t require an ollie, and it teaches you to control the board while it moves.

• How to Practice: Stand on your board with your front foot near the middle and your back foot on the tail. Scoop the tail with your back foot to spin the board and land with both feet.
• Why It’s Important: It helps you learn board rotation and develops your foot control.

3. The Manual

A manual, or “wheelie,” involves balancing on your back two wheels while riding. It’s a great way to improve your balance and learn how to shift your weight on the board. Manuals can be practiced on flat ground or over obstacles as you progress.

• How to Practice: Start by rolling at a moderate speed and slightly lifting your front wheels off the ground by shifting your weight to your back foot. Hold the manual as long as possible without scraping the tail.
• Why It’s Important: It strengthens your balance and control while riding.

4. The Kickturn

The kickturn is an essential trick for changing direction while skating. By lifting the front wheels off the ground, you pivot on the back wheels to rotate the board left or right. Kickturns are useful for navigating ramps and transitions.

• How to Practice: Ride slowly, lift the front wheels slightly, and use your back foot to turn in the direction you want to go. Start with small turns and gradually increase the angle as you get more comfortable.
• Why It’s Important: It teaches you how to maneuver and make sharp turns on your board.

5. The Tic-Tac

Tic-tacs involve shifting your weight from side to side, helping you build momentum without pushing. They’re great for learning to control your board and improving your foot coordination.

• How to Practice: While rolling, lift the front wheels slightly off the ground and quickly turn the board left and right using your hips and shoulders. Try to keep the board moving forward as you shift.
• Why It’s Important: It’s a foundational skill for learning more advanced tricks and helps develop your rhythm and flow on the board.

6. The Fakie and Switch Riding

Learning to ride fakie (backward) and switch (your non-dominant foot forward) are important for advancing your overall skateboarding skills. It allows you to approach tricks from different angles and helps with balance.

• How to Practice: Start by riding fakie, which is simply rolling backward with your regular stance. Once you’re comfortable, practice switch by riding with your non-dominant foot forward. Keep practicing until you can ride comfortably in both stances.
• Why It’s Important: It makes you a more versatile skater and prepares you for future tricks.

7. The Pop Shuvit

Once you’ve mastered the basic shuvit, the pop shuvit is the next step. This trick involves popping the board while it rotates 180 degrees in the air, similar to an ollie combined with a shuvit.

• How to Practice: Set up like a regular shuvit, but this time, pop the board into the air by pressing down on the tail and scooping with your back foot. Catch the board with both feet and land smoothly.
• Why It’s Important: It introduces you to more advanced combinations of popping and rotating the board, which are key to many street tricks.

Conclusion

Learning these beginner tricks will give you a solid foundation for progressing in skateboarding. They not only improve your balance and control but also open the door to more advanced maneuvers. Remember, practice makes perfect, and it’s all about having fun while pushing your limits. 

Happy shredding!