# How to Nose Manual on a Skateboard

> A nose manual is rolling on just your front wheels with the tail held up. A step-by-step guide from Skate AI (getskateai.com).

Canonical: https://getskateai.com/tricks/nose-manual
Last updated: 2026-10-19

Flat ground · Level 2 of 5 · Learn first: [Manual](https://getskateai.com/tricks/manual)

## The short answer

A nose manual is rolling on just your front wheels with the tail held up. Set your front foot in the curve of the nose, heel over the edge and turned slightly inward, with your back foot on or just behind the back bolts. Shift your weight forward to lift the tail, then hold the balance with small corrections from your back foot.

## Where your feet go

- **Regular:** Front foot on the flat of the nose, just in front of the front bolts, turned slightly toward the nose. Back foot over the back bolts. Shift your weight forward to lift the tail.
- **Goofy:** Front foot on the flat of the nose, just in front of the front bolts, turned slightly toward the nose. Back foot over the back bolts. Shift your weight forward to lift the tail.

## Step by step

Each step is a part of the trick Skate AI scores when you film a try.

1. **Set up:** Front foot in the curve of the nose, heel hanging over the edge and turned slightly inward. Back foot on or just behind the back bolts.
2. **Shift:** Shift your weight forward onto the front foot to lift the tail off the ground.
3. **Balance:** Stay low and loose through your knees, letting your back foot make the small corrections that hold the balance point.
4. **Hold:** Keep your weight mostly on the front foot and roll it out.
5. **Set down:** Shift your weight back slightly to ease the tail back down.

## Troubleshooting

### The tail won't come up at all

**Why:** You're not committing enough weight forward onto the front foot.

**Fix:** Shift more of your weight onto the nose. It takes more commitment than a regular manual.

### You pitch forward off the nose

**Why:** You shifted your weight too far forward past the balance point.

**Fix:** Stay low and loose, and ease into the weight shift instead of lunging forward.

### The board wobbles side to side

**Why:** Your back foot is stiff instead of making small steering corrections.

**Fix:** Let your back foot make tiny left-right adjustments to keep it tracking straight.

### Your front foot slips off the nose

**Why:** Your heel isn't set over the edge, so there's nothing locking your foot in place.

**Fix:** Turn your front foot slightly inward with your heel hanging off the nose's edge.

## Drill

Practice the forward weight shift while barely rolling, then work up to 5 nose manuals across a parking lot.

## FAQ

### Is a nose manual harder than a manual?

Most skaters find it harder, since your front foot has less board to balance on and the weight shift feels less natural.

### Should I learn a manual before a nose manual?

It helps. A regular manual teaches the balance point concept, which carries over to the nose manual's forward version.

### Why does my board dive off the nose?

You're shifting too much weight forward too fast. Ease into the balance point instead of committing all at once.

### How long does a nose manual take to learn?

Usually longer than a regular manual, often weeks of short sessions, since balancing over the smaller nose area takes more precise weight control.

## What to learn next

- Learn first: [Manual](https://getskateai.com/tricks/manual)
- Next: [Nosegrind](https://getskateai.com/tricks/nosegrind)

App: [Skate AI: Kickflip Ollie Coach on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6814983538)

## Related

- [Foot placement chart for every flat trick](https://getskateai.com/skateboard-foot-placement-chart)
- [All 64 trick guides](https://getskateai.com/tricks)