How to
Frontside Kickturn
The short answer
A frontside kickturn turns you around on the ramp wall with your chest facing the ramp as you turn. Set your back foot across the tail and front foot near the front bolts, then weight the tail to lift the front wheels off the wall. Lead the turn with your head and shoulders, and set the front wheels back down facing into the ramp.
Step by step
Land your
first Frontside Kickturn.
Each step is a part of the trick Skate AI scores when you film a try.
- 01
Ride up
Ride up the transition with your back foot across the tail and front foot near the front bolts.
- 02
Weight tail
Press your back foot down to lift the front wheels off the wall as you reach your highest point.
- 03
Turn
Lead the turn with your head and shoulders, letting your hips and the board follow.
- 04
Set down
Set the front wheels back down on the wall, now facing back into the ramp.
- 05
Roll away
Roll back down the transition with your knees bent.
Troubleshooting
Why you're not
landing it.
The board stalls and won't turn
- Why
- The front wheels never lifted off the wall.
- Fix
- Press your back foot down harder to get the nose up before you try to turn.
You over-rotate and face too far around
- Why
- Your shoulders kept turning past where your board needed to point.
- Fix
- Stop turning your head and shoulders once you're facing back down the ramp.
You lose your balance mid-turn
- Why
- Your weight shifted off the tail too early, before the turn finished.
- Fix
- Keep your weight on the tail through the whole turn, not just the start.
The board slides out from under you
- Why
- You're turning at too low a point on the ramp, where there isn't enough wall angle to hold the turn.
- Fix
- Turn higher up on the transition, closer to where the wall is steeper.
DrillPractice weighting the tail to lift the front wheels without turning first, right where the transition meets flat ground, then add the shoulder turn.
Still not
landing it?
Film your frontside kickturn. 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 Kickturn
FAQ
What's the difference between frontside and backside kickturn?
In a frontside kickturn your chest faces the ramp as you turn; in a backside kickturn your back faces the ramp. The setup and tail weighting are the same either way.
Why won't my front wheels lift?
You're not pressing your back foot down hard enough, or you're too low on the transition where the wall isn't steep enough yet.
Do I need speed to kickturn?
Some speed helps carry you up the transition, but the turn itself is about weighting the tail and leading with your shoulders, not going fast.
What ramp should I learn kickturns on?
A small mini ramp or quarter pipe with mellow transition, so you can ride up slowly and practice the tail weighting without much consequence if you slip.