# How to Varial Kickflip > A varial kickflip combines a kickflip with a backside pop shove-it in one motion. A step-by-step guide from Skate AI (getskateai.com). Canonical: https://getskateai.com/tricks/varial-kickflip Last updated: 2026-10-19 Flat ground · Level 3 of 5 · Learn first: [Kickflip](https://getskateai.com/tricks/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. ## Where your feet go - **Regular:** Ball of the back foot on the tail near the tip, toes at the toe-side edge. Front foot in kickflip position at 45°, heel hanging off the heel side. Scoop back while the front foot flicks off the heel-side corner. - **Goofy:** Ball of the back foot on the tail near the tip, toes at the toe-side edge. Front foot in kickflip position at 45°, heel hanging off the heel side. Scoop back while the front foot flicks off the heel-side corner. ## Step by step Each step is a part of the trick Skate AI scores when you film a try. 1. **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. 2. **Pop:** Pop down while scooping the tail back, the same motion as a pop shove-it. 3. **Flick:** At the same time, flick lightly off the heel-side corner of the nose with your front foot. 4. **Catch:** Watch for the grip tape to spin back around and the flip to finish, then catch it with both feet. 5. **Land:** Land with both feet over the bolts and roll away. ## Troubleshooting ### 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. ## Drill 10 varial kickflips on flat ground, focused on scooping and flicking together rather than one after the other. ## 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. ## What to learn next - Learn first: [Kickflip](https://getskateai.com/tricks/kickflip) - Learn first: [Pop Shove-It](https://getskateai.com/tricks/pop-shove-it) - Next: [360 Flip](https://getskateai.com/tricks/360-flip) App: [Skate AI: Kickflip Ollie Coach on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6814983538) ## Related - [Intermediate tricks, easiest to hardest](https://getskateai.com/intermediate-skateboard-tricks) - [All 21 flip tricks, easiest to hardest](https://getskateai.com/skateboard-flip-tricks) - [Foot placement chart for every flat trick](https://getskateai.com/skateboard-foot-placement-chart) - [All 64 trick guides](https://getskateai.com/tricks)