HOW TO KICKTURN - Frontside & Backside, on Flat & Ramps with Steve Caballero

What this video teaches

Skatepark Lessons runs the most complete progression, starting from a stationary backside kickturn on flat and building to banks, quarter pipes and the half cab. The stance is feet shoulder width apart, back foot on the tail, front foot just behind the front bolts, with heels and toes matching for stability. He teaches winding the shoulders like holding a baseball bat, swinging them, then locking the body and pressing the tail at the moment the shoulders match the feet, with the head over the back truck as the balance point before leaning it over the front foot to land. He is emphatic that frontside kickturns must stay on the heels, and warns against pitching to the toes after landing because it becomes a bad habit.

Key tips

• 1Stance: feet shoulder width apart, back foot on the tail, front foot just behind the front bolts, heels and toes matching
• 2Wind the shoulders like a baseball bat, swing them, and press the tail exactly when the shoulders line up with your feet
• 3Your head is your balance point: keep it over the back truck during the turn, then lean it over the front foot and stomp into a gentle press to land
• 4On banks, start at about a 45 degree angle with a gentle toeside carve, then tighten the entry over time until you are going straight up and down
• 5Turn just before you come to a complete stop and keep your head pointed where you want to ride, because the body follows the head
• 6Frontside kickturns lean back onto the back heel wheel; stay on your heels through the turn and pump out on the heels, never pitching to the toes
• 7On a quarter pipe the steeper wall pulls you down faster, so the higher you go the less shoulder swing you need; let the ramp time the turn

Summarized from the video transcript.