How to
Frontside Flip
The short answer
A frontside flip is a kickflip with a frontside 180: you and the board turn together, facing forward first, while it flips once. You roll away fakie. Put the ball of your back foot about 2 cm from the tail tip and your front foot about 8 cm behind the front bolts at about 50 degrees, heel hanging off the heel side. Pop and push the tail forward, round in front of you, then flick out and slightly back and turn with it.
Ball of the back foot about 2 cm from the tail tip, heel over the heel side. Front foot about 8 cm behind the front bolts at about 50°, heel hanging off the heel side. Pop and push the tail forward, round in front of you, flick out and slightly back, and turn with it.
Step by step
Land your
first Frontside Flip.
Each step is a part of the trick Skate AI scores when you film a try.
- 01
Set up
Ball of the back foot about 2 cm from the tail tip, heel over the heel side. Front foot about 8 cm behind the front bolts at about 50 degrees, heel hanging off the heel side.
- 02
Pop
Throw your shoulders frontside as you pop, and push the tail forward, round in front of you.
- 03
Flick
Flick out and slightly back off the heel-side corner of the nose, not over the nose like a straight kickflip.
- 04
Catch
Catch the board halfway round and finish the turn so you and the board face the same way.
- 05
Land
Land with both feet over the bolts, knees bent, and roll away fakie.
Troubleshooting
Why you're not
landing it.
It turns but never flips
- Why
- The turn is doing all the work and the flick gets forgotten.
- Fix
- Flick off the heel-side corner of the nose as the board rises, the same flick as your kickflip, just out and slightly back.
It flips but you land facing the wrong way
- Why
- Your shoulders stopped before the turn finished, or the pop did not push the tail forward.
- Fix
- Throw your shoulders frontside at the pop and keep turning until you have caught it halfway round.
The board flips out in front of you
- Why
- You are flicking over the nose like a normal kickflip.
- Fix
- Flick out and slightly back so the board turns with you.
You catch it and slide out
- Why
- You are reaching for the board before it has finished turning.
- Fix
- Wait for the board to come round, then catch it over the bolts.
Drill5 frontside 180s, then 5 kickflips, repeated. Once both feel automatic, put them together on flat ground.
Not sure which one is yours? Film a try with Skate AI and it names the one fix that matters most.
Still not
landing it?
Film your frontside flip. Skate AI shows you which part went wrong and the one fix for your next try.
On a computer? Point your iPhone camera here.
FAQ
Frontside Flip
FAQ
Which way does a frontside flip turn?
Frontside, toward your heel side with your chest leading, the same turn as a frontside 180. You roll away fakie.
What is the difference between a frontside flip and a hardflip?
In a frontside flip you and the board turn together. A hardflip is a kickflip with a frontside pop shove-it, so the board spins under you and flips up between your legs while your body stays facing forward.
What should I learn before a frontside flip?
The frontside 180 and the kickflip. The turn comes from the 180 and the flip from the kickflip.
Is a frontside flip harder than a kickflip?
Yes. It is level 4 of 5 in our guides because the turn and the flick have to happen together.