TRICK TIPS PRESENTED BY VANS - THE NOLLIE HEELFLIP
TRICK TIPS PRESENTED BY VANS - THE NOLLIE HEELFLIP
In order to do this trick with power, you need to nollie as high as you can first and then kick out with your back foot’s heel to flip the board after you’ve left the ground. As we told you a million times already, practice makes perfect. Keep reading to understand the technique for a great nollie heel.
The technique of the nollie heelflip mixes the regular nollie and the heelflip as you might expect. Go check out our nollie and heelflip trick tips at the links below to make sure you understand the mechanics of both tricks before you get to the actual nollie heel.
CHECK OUT OUR HEELFLIP TRICK TIPS → CHECK OUT OUR NOLLIE TRICK TIPS →
HOW TO PLACE YOUR FEET
Once you’re comfortable rolling around with your front foot on the nose of the board and can easily pop in nollie stance, it’s time to get the proper foot placement for the nollie heel. The front foot placement is not that different from the nollie. It should be placed nice and steady on the back pocket of the board’s nose, meaning the pocket that’s closer to your heels. Dig your front foot’s toes as solid as you can into the back pocket of the nose so you feel like its anchored sturdily enough to snap the nose on the ground when you get to the pop.
Your back foot should be placed flat in the middle of the board just a few inches below the back bolts. The back foot is placed a lot like the nollie, but your toes need to hang a little more on the side of the board and your heel must be almost entirely touching the surface of the board. This will allow your heel to grip to the board before flicking it. Some say to place your feet at a very precise angle, but we say place your feet however you feel most comfortable. There’s a lot of different techniques for this trick, but as long as your front foot allows you to pop a good nollie and your back foot allows a solid flick of the heel, you should be good to go.
THE ROLL UP AND THE POP
Once your foot positioning is good and sturdy and that you’re comfortable rolling in the nollie stance, you can start to try the actual trick. The process is pretty simple. Roll forward in nollie stance and bend your knees to gather pop. Keep your shoulders parallel to your board or a bit open forward. Unfold your knees, snap the nose on the ground as hard as you can and jump in the air in the nollie motion.
Remember that for nollie tricks, you’ll want to push your front foot in front of you as much as you can so the board stays under your feet while you’re in the air. This one is very important for the nollie heel as you don’t want your board to be flipping behind you. Push that board forward and flick!
THE FLICK
Snap your nose to the ground by kicking down with your front foot, but after kicking down, extend the motion of your front foot by bringing it in front of you and push as far as you can forward without getting your front foot off the board! Once you start to get up in the air, your board’s tail should be pointing up. That’s your cue to kick that thing with your back foot’s heel.
While you jump up with your board under you, move your back foot towards the tail of the board by scratching your heel on your grip tape. Once your foot reached the tail side of the board, give a kick the side of the board with your back heel and start transfering your weight towards the back of your board. This will allow your board to get back parallel to the ground. Don't forget to lift those legs so the board has enough room to flip freely.
THE CATCH AND ROLL AWAY
The difficult part of this trick. If your pop and flick aren’t done properly, the nollie heel catch will always be hard for you. That being said, the nollie heel is also a trick that will get back under your feet like a magnet if popped and flicked the right way. Remember to push the board forward when you pop, to flick as hard as you can with your back foot’s heel and to distribute your weight to the back while flicking. If you do that, your board should suck right back under to your feet after flipping.
Try to catch the board with both feet as close as possible from the bolts and start the descend. Once you hit the ground, bend your knees to absorb the impact, roll away and do it again until you feel like your nollie heels are solid!
Next step: Take it to a gap or do it before a grind or a slide! In the meantime, take a look at our slow-motion videos, grab that board, go outside and learn something new!
***About the shoe***
The Paradoxxx is a shoe that was designed by iconic surfer and Vans athlete Dane Reynolds and represents the perfect combination of flow and structure. Resistant enough to withstand the abuse caused by skateboarding, but with a smooth and fluid style influenced by the water. One thing that stood out for us is the shape of toe part of the shoe, which is surprisingly perfect for flip tricks.
Featuring a new durable and supportive rubber cupsole with knurled sidewall texture details, combined with an UltraCush Lite drop-in sockliner for elevated comfort and support, the Paradoxxx is the perfect shoe from one of the most influential surfers in or out of the water. Last but not least, it is made with water-based inks and glues.