For many skaters, tricks are a way to make board riding both more interesting and enjoyable. However, for a variety of reasons, many skateboarders find the hardest part of completing tricks is in trying to land them correctly.
Step 1
Start thinking about the landing right at the build up. Generate as much pop in your ollies and work on carrying as much force into your tricks as possible. Generating extra height corresponds directly to allowing you extra time to position yourself in the air.
Step 2
Visualize how you are going to land the trick in your mind. Many tricks fail because skaters simply do not give adequate consideration to the ending of a trick. Think about where you will land the trick and work out which part of the board is going to land first. Plan where you need to place your weight and feet around this.
Step 3
Fully commit to landing your tricks. After the take-off section do not switch off and let yourself think that the hard part has been completed. Focus your attention totally on the landing. Put the dangers of the trick at the back of your mind as pulling out of tricks and half committing through fear of failure is a main reason for bad landings.
Step 4
Time your exit point carefully. Too many skaters exit their tricks too early or too late. Watch the board traveling through the air. For flip tricks, watch rotations carefully and try to assess the speed and flight of the board. As soon as the board reaches the top of its trajectory it will level out before falling. It is when the board levels out that you want to reconnect with it.
Step 5
To land the trick, make sure you push your feet back onto the board with force. Focus on placing your feet in a wide stance and distributing your weight evenly across the deck. As you force the board back onto the landing surface, bend your knees to absorb any aftershocks.
Things You'll Need
- Skateboard
- Pads
- Helmet
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