intermediate // flatground
The board rotates 360° along its length in the opposite direction from a kickflip — heel-side. Your front foot kicks outward off the heel edge.
The Heelflip is an intermediate Flatground trick. Most skaters land their first one within 1-4 months of consistent practice.
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Same trick, other stances
All top heelflip tutorials agree that the biggest beginner error is kicking the board sideways off the rail: the correct motion is a diagonal drag-and-flick that rolls off the nose corner, which simultaneously flips the board and levels it out in the air just like an ollie slide does. They consistently stress popping fully before flicking, leaning slightly toward the heel side with weight over the back foot so the board stays under you rather than shooting behind, and extending the front foot straight forward toward the nose (a full-extension, duck-footed commit) rather than cutting the flick short off the rail edge. A secondary consensus point is that the back foot pushes slightly forward during the flip, similar to a front shove, to keep the rear truck from lagging behind.
Synthesized from the top video tutorials. Watch them
Front foot placed slightly forward of kickflip position, with the heel hanging slightly off the heel edge.
Pop the tail and kick your front foot outward and forward simultaneously, with your heel catching the nose edge.
The most common problem with heelflips is the board running away. Keep your shoulders over the board.
Spot the grip tape as the board completes its rotation and catch it with both feet over the bolts.
Shown for regular stance
Common problems
Why this works
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