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advanced // flatground

Switch Kickflip

A kickflip performed in switch stance — your non-dominant footing. Every motion is mirrored from your regular kickflip.

The Switch Kickflip is an advanced Flatground trick. Most skaters land their first one within 4-12 months of consistent practice.

S

Spec

Difficulty
advanced
Complexity
Learn time
4-12 monthsⓘ
Category
Flatground
Stance
switch

Your progress

Switch stance

Your weakest stance — more pop, and watch your shoulders and weight.

  • Pop harder: you're popping with your 'wrong' (non-dominant) back foot.
  • Square your shoulders and stay centered — you'll be inclined to over-rotate backward.
  • Treat it like relearning the trick from scratch; reps build the muscle memory.

Variant of Kickflip

Steps

  1. 1

    Build switch ollie foundation

    Switch kickflips require solid switch ollies. Spend significant time there before adding the flip.

    Force
    ●●○○○
    Direction
    centered
    Weight
    centered
    TipIf your switch ollies are inconsistent, switch kickflips will be much more so.
  2. 2

    Mirror your stance

    Mirror your regular kickflip foot placement exactly — same positions, opposite feet.

    Force
    ●○○○○
    Direction
    centered
    Weight
    centered
    TipFilm yourself in regular stance, then intentionally mirror every detail for switch.
  3. 3

    Pop and flick switch

    Pop with your switch-back foot and flick with your switch-front foot.

    Force
    ●●●●○
    Direction
    up
    Weight
    centered
    TipYour switch front foot must flick just as decisively as your regular front foot.
  4. 4

    Catch and land switch

    Catch the flip and land riding in switch stance.

    Force
    ●●●●○
    Direction
    down
    Weight
    centered
    TipYou land riding switch — this is normal.

Common mistakes

No height in switch

What
Switch stance limits ollie height and flip doesn't complete.
Why
Switch pop is weaker than regular pop.
Fix
Spend more time on switch ollies. Switch pop strength comes directly from switch ollie practice.

Flip is off-axis

What
The flip goes at an angle instead of cleanly along the length.
Why
Switch front foot flick isn't as precise as regular.
Fix
Isolate the switch flick motion. Practice just the flick without popping.

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Why this works

The mechanics behind the trick

Board
The board mechanics are identical to a regular kickflip, but your body has to learn entirely new motor patterns from the opposite stance.
Feet
Your normally-back foot now pops, and your normally-front foot now flicks.
Weight
Switch stance often naturally shifts weight differently. Deliberate centering is required.

Frequently asked

How long does it take to learn a Switch Kickflip?
Most skaters land their first switch kickflip within 4-12 months of consistent practice, once you can kickflip and switch ollie consistently.
What should I learn before the Switch Kickflip?
The switch kickflip builds on Kickflip and Switch Ollie. Get those consistent first, since the switch kickflip reuses the same pop, balance, or flick.
What should I learn after the Switch Kickflip?
Once your switch kickflip is consistent, the natural next tricks are Switch Heelflip and Switch Tre Flip.
Is the Switch Kickflip hard to learn?
The switch kickflip is an advanced trick. It gets much easier once you can already kickflip and switch ollie.
Who invented the Switch Kickflip?
The Switch Kickflip was invented by Rodney Mullen in 1983 in California.

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