How to
Varial Kickflip
The short answer
A varial kickflip combines a kickflip with a backside pop shove-it in one motion. Set your back foot on the tail with your toes hanging off, like a shove-it, and your front foot in kickflip position. Scoop the tail back while your front foot flicks off the heel-side corner of the nose, using a lighter flick than a normal kickflip, then catch it as the grip tape comes back around.
Back foot on the tail with the toes hanging off, like a shove-it. Front foot in kickflip position. Scoop back while the front foot flicks off the heel-side corner.
Step by step
Land your
first Varial Kickflip.
Each step is a part of the trick Skate AI scores when you film a try.
- 01
Set up
Back foot on the tail with toes hanging off, like a pop shove-it. Front foot in kickflip position, angled at the heel-side edge.
- 02
Pop
Pop down while scooping the tail back, the same motion as a pop shove-it.
- 03
Flick
At the same time, flick lightly off the heel-side corner of the nose with your front foot.
- 04
Catch
Watch 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 flips all the way but doesn't spin
- Why
- You flicked like a normal kickflip without scooping the tail back.
- Fix
- Scoop the tail back like a shove-it first, then add a lighter flick on top.
It spins but doesn't flip
- Why
- The flick is too light or missing entirely under the scoop.
- Fix
- Keep a real flick off the heel-side corner, just softer than your normal kickflip.
The flip and spin finish at different times
- Why
- You're popping the scoop and the flick as two separate motions instead of together.
- Fix
- Scoop and flick at the same moment off the same pop.
You catch it but it's still spinning
- Why
- You're catching before the shove-it portion has fully come around.
- Fix
- Wait an extra beat for the grip tape to line up before you catch.
Drill10 varial kickflips on flat ground, focused on scooping and flicking together rather than one after the other.
Still not
landing it?
Film your varial kickflip. 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 Kickflip
FAQ
Should I learn a kickflip and pop shove-it before a varial kickflip?
Yes. Both motions need to be solid on their own before combining them into one pop.
Is a varial kickflip harder than a regular kickflip?
Yes, because it adds the shove-it spin on top of the flip, so timing both together takes extra practice.
Why does my board spin more than a normal shove-it?
The flick can add extra rotation on top of the scoop. Use a lighter flick than your normal kickflip.
How long does it take to learn a varial kickflip?
Once you have both a kickflip and a pop shove-it, it often takes a few weeks to combine the two motions.