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Kickturn

Lifting the front wheels and pivoting on the back wheels to change direction, the basis of ramp riding.

The Kickturn is a beginner Transitions trick.

K

Spec

Difficulty
beginner
Complexity
Category
Transitions
Stance
regular

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What the tutorials teach

All three tutorials agree on the same core mechanic: press the tail with the back foot to lift the nose just enough to balance on the back wheels, and steer with the upper body rather than the feet alone. Foot placement is consistent across the videos, with the back foot on the tail and the front foot at or just behind the front bolts. Shoulder lead is universal, though the emphasis differs: Skatepark Lessons times the tail press to the moment the shoulders line up with the feet, SIKANA English says the pivot comes from the arms, and The Skate School has you swing the shoulders opposite to the direction the front foot pushes. Weight distribution is where the advice splits by context. On flat ground The Skate School insists you keep weight over the front of the board so the tail does not drag you down, while on transition Skatepark Lessons wants the head over the back truck through the turn and only then over the front foot to land. Everyone recommends learning it stationary or at very slow speed first: SIKANA suggests gravel so the board cannot roll, The Skate School builds up from tiny wheelies, and Skatepark Lessons starts from a full stop before moving to banks and quarter pipes. The single most repeated correction is about frontside turns, where Skatepark Lessons stresses staying on your heels rather than pitching onto your toes on landing.

  • Back foot on the tail, front foot at or just behind the front bolts, heels and toes lined up for stability
  • Lift the nose only enough to balance on the back wheels, never so far that the tail scrapes
  • Lead the turn with the shoulders and let the head point where you want to go, because the body follows the head
  • Learn it stationary or very slow first, whether on gravel or from a stop, before taking it into a roll or up a ramp
  • On frontside turns stay on your heels and pump out on the heels, rather than pitching onto your toes as you land
  • On banks and quarter pipes start the turn just before you stop rolling, and use less shoulder swing the higher you go

Synthesized from the top video tutorials. Watch them

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Frequently asked

Is the Kickturn hard to learn?
The kickturn is a beginner trick.

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