While a skateboard can get you from here to there, most kids want to get there in style. For many skateboard riders, there's no "there"---it's just about tricks and stunts. If you'd like to join the fun of stunt boarding, learn a few basic tricks--as well as some tips to make the tricks easier--and help prevent wipeouts.
Ollie
The Ollie is one of the first moves you should learn, as it is the move that begins many other tricks. An Ollie is simply jumping off the ground with your board and landing safely. Once you learn to do this, you can jump over and off objects.
To begin, start rolling with your back foot on the back of the deck and your front foot in the middle.
Bend your knees down and press the tail of your board down with your back foot. This will make the nose come up. As you do this, slide your front foot to the front of the deck. This combination of back foot/front foot action will make the board jump into the air. Get up into the air by bending your knees and tucking them in. Level out in the air so you can land on both sets of wheels evenly---don't keep the nose up and land on the tail.
Tip: Kick the back of the board down quickly to raise the nose, rather than pinning the back of the board on the ground with a heavy downward push. Think of the initial move as a quick tap or bump, not a hard push.
50/50 Grind
A 50/50 grind lets you slide along a curb or rail with half of your wheels on and half off. It's a basic grind to learn, because using only half the board to slide provides stability. For these instructions, you will ride with the curb on your right-hand side.
Start riding alongside a curb, preparing to do an Ollie. Ollie into the air, landing on the curb with the right side of your wheels on the curb, and the left hanging off. Get off the curb with an Ollie.
Tip: When you Ollie onto the curb or rail, turn your nose slightly toward the curb and let the front wheels land first. Don't turn too far, or you'll end up with your entire front on the curb.
Slappy Nose Slide
Sliding is another common trick in skateboarding, and has the rider sliding along an curb or rail on the deck, not the wheels. A nose slide is a good way to learn sliding, since you'll only be using a small portion of the board at first. The Slappy version of the nose slide doesn't even require an Ollie to get off the ground. For these instructions, you will ride with the curb on your right-hand side.
Begin riding alongside a curb, with your feet toward the front and back of the deck. Kick the back of your deck down as if you were going to perform an Ollie, but don't jump off the ground, just turn the nose of your deck to the right, high enough to get it on the curb. When your nose is on the curb, put your weight on your front foot and raise your back foot off the ground, sliding along the curb as long as you can.
Tip: In the beginning, approach the curb closer to 45-degree angle, pivoting to your desired sliding position of a 90-degree angle to the curb by pulling the back of the board forward with your back foot. Work toward hitting your landing at a 90-degree angle as you get the hang of it.
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