Active Skateboarding Posts

How To: Improve your kickflip on your skateboard

Improve your kickflip with the geeky Melvin. He takes you through the do's and dont's on mastering your kickflip on your skateboard. With several tips on how to safely try your skateboard tricks, like starting on grass before concrete. This a funny instructional two part video on proper placement of feet, your flick out, and front foot to help you perfect a kickflip.

How To: Make your own skateboard deck from scratch

This video, by GC Productions, brings you this segment of "Hammered and Screwed". In this episode, they teach you how to make your own skateboard at home, using materials you may have around the house or may find at your local hardware store. You will need 6 to 9 pieces of wood veneer, cut to 30" by 10", (the amount of pieces you will need depends on the thickness of the veneer, and how much flex you would like in your skateboard), and enough wood glue to coat each piece. Once they have glued...

How To: Kickflip perfectly everytime

This video shows how to do a 'kick flip' on a skateboard. The man instructing begins by getting the things he will need, which are a skateboard and a pair of shoes. He demonstrates where to place your feet, with the left foot on the middle of the board and the right foot on the end. The next step is to kick the board up with your right foot and flick your left foot up and off, then quickly jump back on after the board flips. He shows a real life example of a successful 'kick flip', and then g...

How To: Nail a kickflip

Get that board spinning! Let the guys show you how to nail the perfect kick flip, or as it was formerly know, a magic flip. The kick flip's principles are simple and can be done by anyone who follows this video correctly. It isn't hard to follow this video as each step is broken down and played in slow motion with a detailed and concise explanation. While also showing off their own moves, we see how to avoid common errors and problems we may encounter as we embark on nailing the perfect kick ...

How To: Build a skateboard kicker ramp

This video starts out by showing the tools needed to build a skateboard kicker ramp: saw, drill, jigsaw, screwdriver, and wood. They then begin to cut the pieces of wood and screwing them together in the shape of a ramp. The instructions indicate to wet the ply board so it will bend to fit the shape of the ramp. They demonstrate how to measure the proper position of the board and screws using a string. They end by cutting the ply board at the proper length to allow the skateboard to life off ...

How To: Backside nosepick on a skateboard

First, the landing will be explained and demonstrated. A good tip learned from this video is that practicing landing a trick (in this case starting propped up in the position you would be doing a backside nose pick in) is important, as you can perfect the most difficult and intimidating part of the trick before learning it in its entirety. You will learn tips and tricks on ways to practice this trick, as well as insights of the presenter's own experiences in learning it. At the end of the vid...

How To: Do a magic flip or a kick flip

Start out with your foot on the back of your skateboard where you would flip an ollie. Put the front foot a little bit behind the front vault of the wheels. When you first start, you might want to have your foot back even a little more to make it easier. Pop and slide your foot out as you would with an ollie, however the board will do the flipping motion. Catch your foot on the back and press it back down to the ground. Don't be afraid to land on it and stick it instead of stepping off the side.

How To: Make a cheap grind box

For this project you will need 2 Wooden palettes (long as you can get), angle iron (coping made from steel), Sheet of ply (or any other wood will do fine) and the usual tools like nails, hammer and saw. Stick the two wooden palettes together using glue and make sure they're dry before using them. Cover them on all sides using the ply wood. Next, place the angle iron on the side of the top palettes, for grinding. Leave it all to dry and make sure it doesn't bend or break before using it.

How To: Perform a legit kickflip

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to perform a kick flip on a skateboard. is a skateboarding trick where the skateboarder drags his front foot at an angle up the nose of the skateboard in order to make it flip 360 degrees along the board's axis. Begin with back foot in an ollie position, while front foot is angled. Start by sliding the foot onto the toe kick outwards behind you. After sliding, you will need to jump and keep feet away from the board's spin. As you see the grip tape com...

How To: Kickflip in 2 hours

dark star armor light 9 teaches you how to kick flip in 2 hours or less. You need to know how to Ollie first, before trying to learn how to kick flip. You start off with your back foot on the tail and your front foot, at an angle, pointing towards the front bolts, just behind them. Bend you legs to jump and push down on the tail. Once in the air, slide your front foot forward to make the board spin. Land safely on it and bend your legs again to cushion your fall. Practice will make this trick...

How To: Make a skate grind box

In this six minute video tutorial, viewers will learn a process for which to make a skateboard "grind box." A skateboard grind box is used for skateboarders to perform certain tricks on and to practice. In this tutorial the narrator goes over the different materials that are required for the grind box, the different tools that are required, and the steps for putting the materials together to form the grind box. By completely viewing this video, viewers will have gained an understanding on the...

How To: Ollie better on a skateboard

Impress your friends with your sweet skateboard skills by learning how to ollie like a pro! First and foremost, you need to get yourself up to a comfortable speed. When you've reached a good speed, put your back foot on the tail and squat down to spring back up. Once you're up, kick your back foot down, bouncing the board off the ground and into the air. All you have to do now is stay in the air and land safely! This video will show you the way.

How To: Do beginner skateboarding tricks

For anyone just picking up the skateboard, this video tutorial shows the basics of how to do skateboarding tricks. The first trick is the popshuvit. This requires your feet to be lined up toward the back of the board allowing the foot closest to the end to scoop the board down to pop the front up and then reversing the board from the front to the back. The second trick is the 1-80 - the backside and a front side. This trick is similar to a popshuvit, but your feet remain on the board for the ...

How To: Caveman on a skateboard

Come along with Melvin the Nerd as you learn to do "the caveman" on a skateboard. His charming personality, hilarious mannerisms and speech are fun to watch as well as educational. Learn this simple trick in just a few steps by jumping up with one foot, pulling the board under your feet and quickly leaping onto the skateboard. In just a few minutes you'll impress your friends with your new tricks and have had a great laugh while learning.

How To: Ollie higher on a skateboard

This video shows how to ollie higher on a skateboard. It has demonstrations from Melvin the Nerd, who shows proper technique to ollie. The ollie is done best when your board is pushed backward as you are jumping, then pushed forward as you are elevating. To practice while moving, jump over an upside-down skateboard. Once you can do that, try over an upside-up board until you reach consistency. Keep adding boards or moving the distances until you become better. If you're having trouble, preten...

How To: Varial kickflip on your own skateboard

Remember: a varial kickflip is basically a pop shove-it with a little more ankle action, so set up like you would for a pop shove-it. Hit the tail as you would for a pop shove-it, and as the board starts to snap up, flick your front foot just like a kickflip. That action will cause the board to flip while the shove-it action from your back foot will make the board turn 180 degrees below you. Don't flick the flip too hard or it will flip away from you like a crazy 4th of July firework. Let the...

How To: Perform a kickflip on a street skateboard

Street Skateboarding: Take It to the Streets The guys on the prefab ramps and half-pipes make the X Games headlines, but the real frontier of the skateboarding world is out on the street, where everyday obstacles become the tools of the trade. Find out here how to turn your street into a house of shred. Watch this video tutorial to see how to perform a kickflip on a street skateboard.

How To: Ollie with Tony Hawk

The title says it all. The worlds best skater, Tony Hawk, teaching you how to do the most basic and important skating trick: the ollie. The most important tricks you are going to learn in skating are ollies. The ollie is the act of jumping up using only your feet and the bringing the board up with you without grabbing it. The key elements of the ollie are timing, timing, timing, timing, timing… and your weight distribution and foot placement. Kris Markovich also helps out Tony in this video H...

How To: Do G-turn variations on your skateboard

A tutorial from the folks at Loaded Boards, demonstrating G-turn variations on a steep hillside. The video assumes you already have experience with G-turns. If you're a beginner, it's definitely not suggested you try these moves. In fact, the guy in the video notes at the beginning that the hill he's on is way too steep to be doing this stuff.

How To: Do big stand up slides on your skateboard

Loaded Boards presents this video where skater "Chinchilla" demonstrates how to do big stand up slides on your board. The video assumes you already have a fair amount of experience skateboarding. This definitely isn't something for beginners to try, but if you know what you're doing on your board you can wow the crowds with these moves.

How To: Do tricks on a Razor scooter

Imagine Jack Black riding into town at the head of a gang of leather-jacketed rebels on his A4 razor with a wheelie bar and an extended deck. “What are you razoring against?” demands the town sheriff. “What have you got?” says Jack in the Brando role, turning his back to the law, peeling out and sending a dirt clod and a pebble at the sheriff's shoe in a gesture of fierce defiance.

How To: Do a frontside 180 ollie skateboard maneuver

The Frontside 180 Ollie is a skateboarding maneuver where the rider pops their board into the air and then does a 180-degree turn in mid-flight. Exclaiming “Gnarly!” afterward is totally optional. You will need a skateboard, a flat & dry surface, lots of practice, and courage & stamina. Tip: the lower you bend down, the higher your board will fly into the air.

How To: Practice skateboarding safety

Whether you’re headed for a half-pipe or your driveway, always be safe. Wearing protective gear and taking a few precautions can help prevent you from landing in the ER. Watch this video to learn how to practice skateboarding safety.