10 Skateboarding Tricks to Try This Weekend Skateboarding is a continuous journey of progression, patience, and persistence. Whether you are stepping onto a board for the first time or looking to break out of a skill plateau, updating your trick repertoire keeps the session exciting. Trying a mix of classic fundamentals and creative variations can completely reshape the way you view local spots or skatepark obstacles. This weekend offers the perfect opportunity to grab your board, hit the asphalt, and add ten engaging maneuvers to your skillset. The Essential Fundamentals
Every skateboarder needs a rock-solid foundation, and mastering control begins with the classic ollie. The ollie is the gateway to almost every modern street trick. To execute it, snap the tail of the board against the ground while simultaneously dragging your front foot up toward the nose. This motion levels out the board in mid-air. Dedicating a weekend session to leveling out your ollies will immediately improve your height and style, making future obstacle navigation much smoother.
Once the ollie feels natural, shifting your weight in the opposite direction opens up the nollie. A nollie requires you to pop the board using your front foot on the nose while your back foot guides the board into the air. It forces you to develop muscle memory in your non-dominant popping foot. Practicing nollies helps build exceptional balance and spatial awareness, breaking the habit of only relying on your comfortable stance. Creative Board Manipulations
If you want to give your popping foot a brief rest while still learning something impressive, the shuv-it is the ideal candidate. This trick rotates the board 180 degrees beneath your feet without any vertical pop. By scooping your back foot across the tail, the board spins like a helicopter blade. Keeping your feet hovering directly above the grip tape allows you to catch the board cleanly. It is a low-impact maneuver that builds incredible foot coordination.
Taking that rotation a step further brings you to the pop shuv-it. This variation combines the scoop of a standard shuv-it with a sharp vertical snap of the tail. The board lofts into the air as it spins, requiring a higher jump and more precise timing. Mastering the pop shuv-it teaches you how to catch the board at the peak of its flight, which is a crucial skill for advanced flip tricks down the line. Stepping Into Flip Tricks
The kickflip remains the ultimate benchmark for intermediate skateboarders. It introduces the concept of flipping the board along its horizontal axis. After initiating a standard ollie pop, flick your front foot diagonally off the pocket of the nose. This causes the board to spin toward your heel side. Visualizing the rotation and staying centered over the hardware ensures a clean, two-footed landing that feels incredibly rewarding.
For a different visual dynamic, the heelflip flips the board in the exact opposite direction. Instead of flicking with your toes, you use your front heel to push the board away from your body. Many skaters find the heelflip more natural than the kickflip because the kicking motion extends straight out. Spending a weekend dialing in the timing of your heel flick can unlock a remarkably stylish addition to your flatground arsenal. Altering Your Stance
Stepping out of your comfort zone is essential for growth, and riding switch is the ultimate test of adaptability. Skating switch means rolling with your opposite foot forward, effectively mirroring your natural stance. Dedicating time to just pushing, turning, and maintaining speed in switch stance rewires your brain. It balances out your muscle development and makes you a far more versatile rider on any terrain.
Building upon that backwards momentum leads directly to the fakie ollie. Rolling backward in your normal stance and popping off the nose mimics the motion of a regular ollie, but the physics feel completely unique. Because your momentum carries you in the direction of the pop, fakie ollies often loft higher with less effort. They serve as an excellent confidence builder for transition and ramp riding. Ramp and Transition Classics
For those spending the weekend at a skatepark, the rock to fakie is a mandatory transition milestone. Approach a quarterpipe with enough speed to push your front trucks over the coping, letting the middle of your deck rest briefly on the edge. The real challenge lies in lifting your front wheels over the coping as you roll backward down the ramp. It teaches you how to manage weight distribution on steep transitions.
Alternatively, the axle stall allows you to lock into the top of the ramp rather than just leaning over it. Pivot your board at the lip of the quarterpipe to place both trucks directly on top of the coping. Pausing in this balanced position gives you a view of the entire park before dropping back into the curve. It builds the necessary control for longer grinds and sophisticated transition combos.
Progress in skateboarding relies entirely on breaking down complex movements into repeatable steps. Each of these ten tricks challenges a different aspect of your balance, agility, and mental focus. By dedicating your weekend to practicing these specific motions, you will expand your capabilities and discover new ways to enjoy the ride.
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