How to
Inward Heelflip
The short answer
An inward heelflip combines a heelflip with a backside pop shove-it. Set your back foot at the very end of the tail in the toe-side pocket, toes hanging off, and your front foot in heelflip position with your toes off the toe side. Scoop the tail back as you kick the heelflip, flicking your front foot toward the tail rather than forward, so the flip and the spin finish together.
Back foot at the very end of the tail in the toe-side pocket, toes hanging off. Front foot in heelflip position, toes off the toe side. Scoop back while the front foot kicks off toward the tail.
Step by step
Land your
first Inward Heelflip.
Each step is a part of the trick Skate AI scores when you film a try.
- 01
Set up
Back foot at the very end of the tail in the toe-side pocket, toes hanging off. Front foot in heelflip position, toes off the toe side.
- 02
Pop
Pop down while scooping the tail back, the same motion as a backside pop shove-it.
- 03
Kick
Kick your heel toward the tail rather than forward, at the same moment as the scoop.
- 04
Catch
Wait for the grip tape to spin back around and the flip to finish, then catch it with both feet.
- 05
Land
Land with both feet over the bolts and roll away.
Troubleshooting
Why you're not
landing it.
It spins but doesn't flip
- Why
- The heel kick is too weak under the backside scoop.
- Fix
- Commit a real heel kick, just aimed toward the tail instead of forward.
It flips but doesn't spin
- Why
- You're kicking like a normal heelflip without scooping the tail back.
- Fix
- Add the backside scoop first, then layer the heel kick toward the tail on top.
The board flips forward instead of toward you
- Why
- You're kicking forward out of habit from a regular heelflip.
- Fix
- Redirect the kick toward the tail, not out over the nose.
You catch it still spinning
- Why
- You're catching too early, before the shove-it portion finishes.
- Fix
- Wait for the grip tape to fully line up before you catch.
DrillIsolate the backside shove-it scoop first, then add the heel kick toward the tail once the scoop feels automatic.
Still not
landing it?
Film your inward heelflip. 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
Inward Heelflip
FAQ
Should I learn a heelflip and a 360 shove-it first?
A heelflip and a backside pop shove-it are the real building blocks here. Both should be consistent before combining them.
Is an inward heelflip harder than a varial heelflip?
Yes, most skaters find it harder, since the heel kick direction toward the tail is less intuitive than a varial's forward kick.
How long does it take to learn an inward heelflip?
It's an advanced trick, often taking months once you already have the component tricks down.
Why does my board spin the wrong way?
Your back foot placement or scoop direction is off. Recheck that you're scooping backside, the same direction as a regular pop shove-it.