Trick Tips Presented by Vans

Welcome to another edition of our Trick Tips presented by Vans blog section. This week, we revisit a trick we already learned, but in a new stance! You guessed it, we’re going to learn the fakie kickflip.

What is fakie?

Fakie skating is exactly like regular skating, except for the fact that you’ll be rolling backwards instead of forward. It means that instead of going towards what’s in front of you, you’ll be rolling towards what’s behind you, making fakie tricks a little bit harder than regular ones, even if your stance is basically the same.

Know how to Fakie ollie

The fakie kick flip has a lot in common with the fakie ollie, the first maneuver you need to learn when you start skating in this stance. The difference lies in the "kick" and the fact that the board rotates under your feet instead of sticking to it. In order to learn how to do a fakie kickflip, it's important to know how to do a proper fakie ollie. We’re assuming that you already know how to fakie ollie, but if you need a little help, here is the simplified method.

Place your back foot on the tip of your tail and your front foot a little under the bolts at an angle of almost 90 degrees. Bend you knees and prepare to jump. As you take off, apply a strong pressure on the tail of your board and tap it on the ground so the front of the board lifts into the air. Slip your front foot on the grip tape all the way to the nose of the board to level it in the air. Once you are levelled up, let yourself fall back on the ground and absorb the impact by bending your knees. All this while rolling backwards.

Once you get how to do a fakie ollie, it's time to flip your board. First of all, it's important to know that the fakie kickflip's foot placement, though similar to the fakie ollie, is not the same, especially for the front foot. It will be positioned in a slightly more pronounced angle, with the toes pointing slightly forward, which will facilitate your kick when time comes to "flick" your board.

Your back foot, like the ollie, is firmly resting on the tail of the board. Our tip: Do not lean forward too much when popping and make sure your shoulders are aligned with your board for more balance.

The flick is the foot movement that will allow you to make your skateboard rotate. For someone who has never done it, it can look a bit complex, but it's just a simple kick forward. All you need is the right timing.

Get ready to pop up as if you were doing a fakie ollie, but with the kick flip foot placement you learned in the previous step. As you begin to jump, slide your front foot toward the front edge of the board while pointing more and more towards the toes and BANG, kick forward. Make sure the toes of your front foot hit the side of the board in a quick and firm way.

There's two things you need to know. One, when you kick, aim your front foot forward then up, not down. This will allow your two feet to stay above the board in order to land on it and not on the ground. Two, do not try to kick too hard as your board could move away from your feet or flip too much.

Once the skateboard has completed a full rotation under your feet while you are in the air, catch it with your back foot first to stop the rotation. The front foot will get back in its place automatically.

To find out if your skateboard has completed its rotation, you will have to keep your eyes on it while you do your fakie kick flip, which can be difficult. Do your best to find the right timing and try to land with your feet on your skateboard's screws for more style and ease. Our tip: Keep your shoulders aligned with the direction in which you are heading. This will help you keep your balance as you set up for your fakie kick flip.

The moment we've all been waiting for, the landing! After catching your board in the air, stomp it to the ground and don't forget to bend your knees to absorb the impact and for landing style points. This will also allow you to keep better control of your skateboard while you roll away.

You know what's next, PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!