How to
Hospital Flip
The short answer
A hospital flip is a half kickflip that your front foot pushes back the way it came, landing grip-up. Set your back foot on the tail like a kickflip, and your front foot a little further back at about 45 degrees, heel hanging off. Flick lightly off the heel-side corner so the board only turns onto its side, then push it back with your front foot's sole and catch it grip-up.
Back foot in the middle of the tail like a kickflip. Front foot a little further back than a kickflip, at about 45° with the heel hanging off the heel side. Give it a light flick off the heel-side corner so the board only turns up on its side, then push it back the way it came with the sole of your front foot and land on it grip-up.
Step by step
Land your
first Hospital Flip.
Each step is a part of the trick Skate AI scores when you film a try.
- 01
Set up
Back foot in the middle of the tail like a kickflip. Front foot a little further back than a kickflip, at about 45 degrees, heel hanging off.
- 02
Pop
Pop straight down off the ball of your back foot, same as a kickflip.
- 03
Flick
Give it a light flick off the heel-side corner, just enough to turn the board up on its side, not a full flip.
- 04
Push
Push the board back the way it came using the sole of your front foot.
- 05
Catch
Catch it grip-up with both feet over the bolts and land.
Troubleshooting
Why you're not
landing it.
It flips all the way over, grip-down
- Why
- The flick is too hard, closer to a full kickflip than a light half-flip.
- Fix
- Soften the flick so the board only turns up on its side before you push it back.
The board doesn't come back toward you
- Why
- You're not pushing it with the sole of your front foot after the flick.
- Fix
- Follow the light flick with a deliberate push back using the flat of your front foot.
You catch it but it's still grip-down
- Why
- You pushed it back too early, before it turned up on its side.
- Fix
- Wait for the board to stand up on its side first, then push.
It slides out from under your front foot
- Why
- You're pushing too hard or at the wrong angle.
- Fix
- Use a controlled push straight back, not a hard shove.
Drill10 hospital flips on flat ground, isolating the light flick from the push so they don't blend into a full kickflip.
Still not
landing it?
Film your hospital 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
Hospital Flip
FAQ
Why is it called a hospital flip?
The name is a common skate joke about how a botched catch can send the board back into your shin.
Should I learn a kickflip before a hospital flip?
Yes, the setup and pop are the same. A hospital flip just replaces the full flick with a lighter flick and a push.
How long does it take to learn a hospital flip?
Once your kickflip is solid, often just a few sessions, since the main new skill is softening the flick and adding the push.
Why does the board flip all the way instead of stopping on its side?
You're flicking too hard, treating it like a regular kickflip. Back off the flick until the board only turns up on edge.