beginner // grinds
50-50 Grind
Also known as Fifty-Fifty Grind, Fifty-Fifty
Both trucks lock onto a ledge or rail and you grind forward. The most fundamental grind in skateboarding.
The 50-50 Grind is a beginner Grinds trick. Most skaters land their first one within 2-6 weeks of consistent practice.
Spec
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Complexity
- Learn time
- 2-6 weeksⓘ
- Category
- Grinds
- Stance
- regular
Your progress
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What the tutorials teach
All three tutorials agree that a proper approach angle and clean ollie are more important than any in-trick adjustment: come in at 30-45 degrees frontside so the ollie carries you onto the ledge naturally without forcing the board. VLSkate and Skate IQ both stress locking the wheel edges against the ledge to stay centered. Skate IQ adds the most actionable framing: focus the ollie on getting the back truck on the coping and the front truck will sort itself out. Skate Hacks covers the backside variation, where the key extra step is a tiny shifty during the ollie and looking forward rather than back at the ledge.
- Approach at a steep angle (30-45 degrees) so the ollie places you on the ledge without needing to drag the board sideways
- Lock the wheel edges against the side of the ledge during the grind to stay centered and prevent sliding off
- Prioritize getting the back truck on the coping, the front truck will follow most of the time
- On backside 50-50s, look forward in your direction of travel and use a small shifty to overcome the blind-side feeling
Synthesized from the top video tutorials. Watch them
Steps
- 1
Approach at a slight angle
Approach the ledge at 30–45° from the frontside. A perpendicular approach makes it hard to lock in.
- Force
- ●○○○○
- Direction
- forward
- Weight
- centered
TipA mellow angle is easier to lock in; too parallel and you'll slide off. - 2
Ollie to ledge height
Pop your ollie so that at peak height, both trucks are level with the top of the obstacle.
- Force
- ●●●●○
- Direction
- up
- Weight
- centered
TipOllie slightly before the ledge — you want to come down onto it. - 3
Lock both trucks in
Guide your trucks to land squarely on the ledge. Both trucks should hit at the same time.
- Force
- ●●●○○
- Direction
- down
- Weight
- centered
TipA slight stomp helps lock the trucks in. - 4
Grind forward
Keep your weight centered and balanced. Let momentum carry you through the grind.
- Force
- ●●○○○
- Direction
- forward
- Weight
- centered
TipLook ahead to where you want to exit, not down at the ledge. - 5
Pop or ride out
At the end of the obstacle, pop a small ollie to clear the ledge or ride off the end.
- Force
- ●●●○○
- Direction
- up
- Weight
- centered
TipMost ledges end with a pop-out so you re-engage both wheels simultaneously.
Common mistakes
Stalling out
- What
- You lock in but momentum stops immediately.
- Why
- Speed too low, or locked in at too steep an angle.
- Fix
- Approach with more speed and ensure your approach angle allows forward momentum.
Board slipping out
- What
- The trucks lock in but then slide off the ledge.
- Why
- Approaching too parallel or ledge isn't waxed.
- Fix
- Increase your approach angle and wax the ledge.
Only one truck lands on
- What
- Only the back truck locks in and you accidentally do a 5-0.
- Why
- Leaning back on the ollie-in.
- Fix
- Focus on landing both trucks simultaneously. Aim slightly forward.
Common problems
I always over-ollie and overshoot the rail/ledge
- Why
- You're ollying too high for the obstacle height. Your muscle memory from flatground ollies is too big.
- Fix
- Approach the obstacle and match your ollie height to it. Practice ollying onto a low crack or curb first. The ollie is smaller than you think.
I land on the rail but then slip out
- Why
- Your trucks are landing at an angle to the rail instead of parallel, or you're not equally balanced on both axles.
- Fix
- Approach the obstacle perfectly parallel. Land with even weight on both trucks simultaneously. If you're slipping front or back, you're favoring one truck.
I can't lock into the grind — I just ride over it
- Why
- Not enough lock-in force, or you're not leaning slightly into the obstacle.
- Fix
- Lock in with confidence. When your trucks land on the rail, lean slightly toward the obstacle and apply downward pressure. A hesitant lock-in slides off every time.
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Community clips
How other skaters land the 50-50 Grind. Hype the ones you rate — the most hyped becomes this trick’s cover in the catalog.
Why this works
The mechanics behind the trick
- Board
- Both truck axles must be balanced on the obstacle. The deck hangs between the trucks, and forward momentum keeps you moving through the grind.
- Feet
- Your feet don't do much during the grind itself — it's about the ollie-in and the exit. During the grind, stay centered over the trucks.
- Weight
- Weight should be equal on both trucks. Leaning back puts you on the back truck only (5-0), leaning forward puts you on the nose (nosegrind).
Frequently asked
- How long does it take to learn a 50-50 Grind?
- Most skaters land their first 50-50 grind within 2-6 weeks of consistent practice, once you can ollie consistently.
- What should I learn before the 50-50 Grind?
- The 50-50 grind builds on Ollie. Get that consistent first, since the 50-50 grind reuses the same pop, balance, or flick.
- What should I learn after the 50-50 Grind?
- Once your 50-50 grind is consistent, the natural next tricks are 5-0 Grind and Nosegrind.
- Is the 50-50 Grind hard to learn?
- The 50-50 grind is a beginner trick. It gets much easier once you can already ollie.
- Who invented the 50-50 Grind?
- The 50-50 Grind was invented by Rodney Mullen in 1981 in California.
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