How To: Heelflip

What this video teaches

Standalone heelflip tutorial with no rotation — kept here for its foot-placement and kick-mechanics detail, since the same flick has to be layered onto the frontside 180 spin for the combo trick. Places the back foot in the heel-side pocket and the front foot about halfway up the board, and stresses that the heelflip kick is more of a straight kicking motion than a flicking one compared to a kickflip.

Key tips

• 1Different trick (standalone heelflip, no rotation) — kept only for foot placement and kick mechanics
• 2Place your back foot in the heel-side pocket and your front foot about halfway up the board with roughly an inch of toe hanging off
• 3Moving your front foot further back gives an easier spin feel while learning; moving it further up the board gives a higher pop once you're consistent
• 4The heelflip kick is more of a straight kicking motion forward and to the side than a snapping flick, because you're using the side of your foot and heel
• 5Practice the kick standing still first to isolate the flip motion before adding the jump
• 6If the board kicks away or behind you while practicing stationary, give yourself a slow rolling push instead
• 7Keep your shoulders straight, not twisted, since this version has no rotation to layer on
• 8Focus on getting the board rotating cleanly and landing on it before worrying about how clean the catch looks

Summarized from the video transcript.