How to Kickflip on a Tech Deck

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 29, 2024

Learning how to do a kickflip on your fingerboard is a solid trick to have in your back pocket. The kickflip's foundation comes from a trick called the ollie, so it may be helpful to review and practice how to do an ollie.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Learning the Basics

Download Article

Many tricks begin with the index finger placed right behind the front wheels and the middle finger slightly behind the back wheels. Become comfortable with your fingers in this position as it will be the standard finger position for most tricks, such as the Ollie, Kickflip, Heelflip and Impossible.
This will be the direction that you will go to do the kickflip. Roll the board back and forth at different speeds. Go slowly at first so that you can get comfortable with the board's movement. Ideally, you want some speed in order to get your board into the air but first you need to make sure your fingers have a good control of the board when it's in motion.

Advertisement
As you roll the board, press down with your middle finger on the tail to hit it against the table. This brings the nose of the board into the air. Continue to roll the board back and forth but now practice adding the pop. Keep practicing these basic movements at a slower speed and gradually get faster. You want these first steps to be fluid so that you can concentrate next on flipping the board.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Flipping Your Board

Download Article

The board should be a few inches off of the table so that there is room for the board to rotate. These inches of air will give you time and space to complete the flip. With each practice run, bring your hand a little higher each time to pull the board up higher into the air. ^{[1]
X
Research source}
As your board moves through the air to the left your index finger will also move to the left. You want to transition smoothly with your index finger because a harsh flick can cause you to lose control of the board. Also, aim your finger toward the pocket of the nose. The "pockets" of the nose and tail are the indentations on the board where it begins to bend upwards. Aiming for this spot every time you practice a kickflip will help you become more consistent and accurate.
This slight pressure with your index finger on the edge of the board will cause it to twist toward you while in the air. This is the key step to completing the kickflip. The slight pressure from your index finger is what controls the rotation of the board. If you flick too hard the board will spin out of control and if you're touch is too light then the board will not flip at all.^{[2]
X
Research source}

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Nailing the Landing

Download Article

After the board rotates, place both fingers on the board to stop its rotation mid-air. Focus on the board itself so that you can land your fingers on the top of the deck. You can either let the board rotate once and then catch it or you can master flipping the board several times within the kickflip for a more impressive trick.^{[3]
X
Research source}
You don't have to let gravity bring the board back to the table. In fact, you want to use your fingers to direct the board back down rather than letting it drop. This requires more practice but will keep you in control of the board from start to finish.
You'll want to get into the habit of following through with your tricks. Don't just stop short after completing the trick but keep the board moving afterwards. This will train you to be able to link tricks one after another so that you have an impressive repertoire of fingerboard moves.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Improving Your Technique

Download Article

Trying to blow through the steps at the beginning might cause you to lose control of the board. Take the time to pace yourself. Going slowly at first will help you develop good technique with the board.
The best way to become good at something is to build muscle memory. This will require you to spend time doing the same thing over and over. However, practicing the same thing over and over is athletes and skilled musicians become professionals, and you can apply this technique to your fingerboarding skills. Practicing over and over will also help you develop good habits for this trick rather than sloppy habits.^{[4]
X
Research source}
Now that you are comfortable going slowly, you can gradually go faster and faster with the kickflip. It's best to practice going a little faster each time you try the trick rather than going fast right away. Your fingers will become used to going faster this way and you will be more accurate doing a kickflip at any speed.

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Tips

When popping the tail, make sure that your finger stays squarely in the middle of the tail and doesn't creep toward either edge of the board. Staying in the center of the board keeps it from spinning out of control while in the air.^{[5]
X
Research source}

Thanks
Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
Practice each step individually and then build them on to each other. Think of the steps as building blocks. You want to have a solid foundation of each step before going on to the next.

Thanks
Helpful 26 Not Helpful 16
If you still have problems with the board over rotating, try using a small board width.

Thanks
Helpful 11 Not Helpful 18

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

When practicing the kickflip, try performing it on your lap. This will give you more air time, helping you complete the flip.
When you're mid-air spread your index and middle finger apart hard, as if you were going to flick your fingers.

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!