How to
Varial Heelflip
The short answer
A varial heelflip combines a heelflip with a frontside pop shove-it in one motion. Set your back foot in the heel-side pocket of the tail, heel hanging off, and your front foot just before the front bolts with your toes hanging off the toe side. Scoop the tail forward while your front foot kicks off the toe-side corner, staying over the board, and catch it level once the spin comes around.
Back foot in the heel-side pocket of the tail, heel hanging off. Front foot just before the front bolts, toes hanging off the toe side. Scoop forward while the front foot kicks off the toe-side corner.
Step by step
Land your
first Varial Heelflip.
Each step is a part of the trick Skate AI scores when you film a try.
- 01
Set up
Back foot in the heel-side pocket of the tail, heel hanging off. Front foot just before the front bolts, toes hanging off the toe side.
- 02
Pop
Pop down while scooping the tail forward, the same motion as a frontside pop shove-it.
- 03
Kick
At the same time, kick your heel forward off the toe-side corner of the nose.
- 04
Catch
Stay over the board and catch it level once the grip tape lines back up.
- 05
Land
Land with both feet over the bolts and roll away.
Troubleshooting
Why you're not
landing it.
It flips but doesn't spin
- Why
- You kicked the heelflip without scooping the tail forward.
- Fix
- Add the frontside scoop first, then layer the heel kick on top of it.
It spins but stays flat, no flip
- Why
- The heel kick is too light or missing under the scoop.
- Fix
- Keep a real heel kick off the toe-side corner, just lighter than your normal heelflip.
You lean back and miss the catch
- Why
- You're leaning away from the board instead of staying centered over it.
- Fix
- Stay stacked over the board through the pop instead of leaning back.
The flip and spin land out of sync
- Why
- You're timing the scoop and the kick as separate motions.
- Fix
- Pop, scoop, and kick all at the same moment.
Drill10 varial heelflips on flat ground, focused on staying centered over the board through the spin.
Still not
landing it?
Film your varial 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
Varial Heelflip
FAQ
Should I learn a heelflip and frontside pop shove-it first?
Yes, both need to be consistent on their own before you combine them into one pop.
Is a varial heelflip harder than a varial kickflip?
Many skaters find it harder, since it pairs a heelflip with the less common frontside shove-it direction.
Why does my board undershoot the spin?
The scoop isn't forceful enough. Commit more to the frontside scoop, not just the heel kick.
How long does it take to learn a varial heelflip?
Once you have both component tricks, expect a few weeks of combining practice, often longer than a varial kickflip.