How to actually learn a trick

Everyone's had that trick. The one you've been trying for weeks, and it just won't stick. Here's how most of us end up getting it, without making it a whole science project.

Break it into pieces

Every trick is a few smaller moves stacked together. A kickflip is a pop, a flick, catching the board and landing over the bolts. If you try the whole thing every time, you can't tell which part is failing.

So practice the pieces:

• Just the pop. Can you ollie clean and level, every time?
• Just the flick. Stationary on grass or carpet, feel how the board reacts.
• Just the catch and the landing. Get your feet back over the bolts.

When each piece feels normal, put them back together.

Film yourself

This is the big one. What you think you're doing and what you're actually doing are usually two different things. Prop your phone on a shoe or a bag, film a few tries, and watch them back.

Look at:

• Your shoulders. Are they turning when they shouldn't?
• Your back foot. Is it actually popping, or kind of sliding?
• Your landing. Are your feet on the bolts, or one on the nose?

Five minutes of watching yourself can fix something you've been doing wrong for a month.

Learn in a sensible order

Tricks build on each other. Solid ollies make pretty much everything else easier. Shuvs help with flip tricks. Rolling stuff is way easier once it's dialed stationary. If a trick feels impossible, it's often because something it depends on isn't solid yet.

The tricks library on skatelabs.app has 505 tricks, each with what it is, how it works and video lessons from creators. Worth a look when you want to see what comes before the one you're stuck on.

Fix the usual mistakes

A few that show up for almost everyone:

• Leaning back. Your weight drifts toward the tail and the board shoots out. Keep your shoulders over the board.
• Looking at your feet the whole time. Look at where you want to land.
• Bailing early. Committing is half the trick. Pads if you need them.
• Trying it 200 times in a row tired. Your form gets worse, not better.

Sleep on it

Real thing: a lot of tricks click the next session, not the one you were grinding. Your body keeps working on it after you go home. If it's not happening today, skate something fun and come back tomorrow.

Then put it in a game

Once you can land it more than you miss it, set it in a game of SKATE. Pressure is different. One official take, your friend watching, a letter on the line. That's when you find out if you really have it. How to play SKATE with a friend anywhere (Global SKATE 101) has the rundown.

A worked example: the kickflip that wouldn't stick

Sam has been throwing kickflips for three weeks. The board flips, but he lands with one foot on the nose and it shoots out. He props his phone on his bag and films five tries. Watching back, it's obvious: his front shoulder opens up as he flicks, so his body turns and his front foot drifts forward. He spends ten minutes on just the catch, stationary on grass, keeping his shoulders parallel to the board. Next session he lands two out of fifteen rolling, then four. A week later he puts it in a game of SKATE with a friend and lands it on the official take.

Quick recap

• Break the trick into pieces and practice each one
• Film yourself and actually watch it
• Learn in an order where each trick builds on the last
• Watch for leaning back, looking down and bailing early
• Rest, and come back to it
• Set it in a game when it's close

What trick are you stuck on right now?

FAQ

How many tries should I give a trick in one session?

There's no magic number. Stop when your form gets sloppy, and come back fresh.

Should I learn tricks stationary first?

For flip tricks, a few stationary tries on grass or carpet help you feel the flick. Then take it rolling, slowly.

Do I need pads?

They help a lot with committing, especially on new tricks. A helmet is always a good idea.

When is a trick "landed"?

When you roll away clean, feet on the bolts. Landing it more than you miss is a good sign it's ready for a game.

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Join the testers at skatelabs.app/testers. Global SKATE is a free Game of SKATE played by video, in testing on iPhone and Android, for skaters 18+. You never need a wallet or $SESH to play.