1. Begin by placing your fingers on the board in the starting position.
Many tricks begin with the index finger placed right behind the front wheels and the middle finger slightly behind the back wheels. Become comfortable with your fingers in this position as it will be the standard finger position for most tricks, such as the Ollie, Kickflip, Heelflip and Impossible.
2. Start by rolling the board to your left.
This will be the direction that you will go to do the kickflip. Roll the board back and forth at different speeds. Go slowly at first so that you can get comfortable with the board’s movement. Ideally, you want some speed in order to get your board into the air but first you need to make sure your fingers have a good control of the board when it’s in motion.
3. Pop the tail of the board down onto the table.
As you roll the board, press down with your middle finger on the tail to hit it against the table. This brings the nose of the board into the air. Continue to roll the board back and forth but now practice adding the pop. Keep practicing these basic movements at a slower speed and gradually get faster. You want these first steps to be fluid so that you can concentrate next on flipping the board.
Flipping Your Board
1. Roll the board to your left and pop the nose down to get your board into the air.
The board should be a few inches off of the table so that there is room for the board to rotate. These inches of air will give you time and space to complete the flip. With each practice run, bring your hand a little higher each time to pull the board up higher into the air.
2. Slide your index finger toward the nose of the board when it’s in the air.
As your board moves through the air to the left your index finger will also move to the left. You want to transition smoothly with your index finger because a harsh flick can cause you to lose control of the board. Also, aim your finger toward the pocket of the nose. The “pockets” of the nose and tail are the indentations on the board where it begins to bend upwards. Aiming for this spot every time you practice a kickflip will help you become more consistent and accurate.
3. Put pressure on the side of the board closest to you while sliding toward the nose.
This slight pressure with your index finger on the edge of the board will cause it to twist toward you while in the air. This is the key step to completing the kickflip. The slight pressure from your index finger is what controls the rotation of the board. If you flick too hard the board will spin out of control and if you’re touch is too light then the board will not flip at all.
