Varial Kickflip on a Skateboard

The varial kickflip combines the techniques of the pop shove it and the kickflip. This means that you'll still need to use your back foot to pop up the board as you would in a pop shove it, except the board would have to flip over, instead of around, before you catch it. If you already know how to do the pop shove it and the kickflip, then you should be on your way to doing the varial kickflip. If you want to know how to do a varial kickflip, then see Step 1 to get started.

Steps

1. Get some momentum going. While you will need speed for this trick, too much speed will result in a bad landing. On the other hand, lack of speed will make the trick almost impossible to do (the board will either go too far away or will not spin enough). If you're really new to this trick, though, you can try it from a stationary position if you want to get all the steps down.
2. Position your feet correctly. Place your back foot on the topside of the tail, just as you would during a pop shove it. Your front foot should be placed on the heelside of the board, near the front bolts. If you're new to this trick and want to be a bit more steady, you can move your front foot a bit closer to your back foot. Before you attempt the varial kickflip, make sure you're comfortable enough on the board to do a pop shove it and a kickflip. This is not a trick for absolute beginners.
   • To get a faster spin, you can move your front foot a bit farther back.
3. Crouch down. Bend your knees and move your hands down near them to help you get a lower center of gravity going. Keep your shoulders in line with the board so you don't lose control of it. Remember that you'll need to generate enough height to be up in the air long enough for your board to flip over completely, so it's important to get some spring in your knees to help you get up high.
   • Just make sure not to bend your knees too much, or you won't have enough height to get above the board.
4. Pop the board up with your back foot. Just as you would do for a shove it, use your back foot to pop the board straight down, shoving a little so the board rotates as it would in a shove it, getting direction from the topside of the tail. Don't pop the tail as you would for an ollie, or the board will go in a different direction.
5. Tap the heelside of the board with your front foot. This is what you'll need to do to make the board flip. Remember that you'll have to do this very quickly, almost as soon as you pop up the board with your back foot. You can think of this as doing a slight and swift kick it without applying too much force to the board. Just try to flick the board with your front foot the exact same way you would do it in a kickflip.
6. Maintain height above the board. You have to jump up as high as you can to give your board enough time to flip over. Lift up your arms along with the rest of your body to help you stay up above the board long enough for it to finish flipping over. When you're in the air, make sure to follow the board.
   • Keep an eye on your ankles. The board can spin and hit you in the ankles if you're not up high enough.
7. Catch the board. Wait until the board has flipped over and is at the top of its height before you try to catch it with your feet. Keep your front foot out to catch the board just as you would in a pop shove it, placing it down on the board when it's done spinning. Land both of your feet on the trucks, with your back foot near the tail of the board and your front foot near the front. Bend your knees as you do this to help you get your balance and to absorb some of the shock from the board. Catch the board just as you would catch it after a shove it.
   • Try to land evenly on both feet. If you come down too hard on the tail, the board could flip up.
8. Ride away. Keep your balance on your board, your shoulders over the board, and your arms at your sides as you roll away clean.
9. Keep practicing. If you're having trouble getting this trick down, you can work on perfecting your kickflip and your pop shove it, and then bringing them together. You can practice with different levels of speed to see when it's easiest for you to get the trick down. Don't be frustrated if you don't get it right away; with enough time and hard work, you'll get there.
   • If you feel confident about your varial kickflip, you can even do a 360 shove it with this trick, spinning the board 360 degrees as it flips over.

Tips

• This trick can be learned very quickly and is simple to do, but it looks complex. It is a very good crowd pleaser.
• If you cannot get this trick down correctly in a matter of days then learn the pop shove-it and kick flip separately.
• You do not need to know how to do a pop shove-it and a kick flip before trying to put them both together.
• Don't bend down too much or lean too high or you won't have enough power or won't jump high enough.

Warnings

• Watch out for your ankles. The board may spin and hit you in the lower legs.
• Just like pop shove-its one footed landings could cause the other foot to get slammed under either your trucks.
• If you come down too hard on the tail, it could fly up and hit your face, so be careful where you land!

Related Articles

• Ollie on a Snowboard
• Ollie
• Kickflip on a Skateboard
• Kickflip Frontside Boardslide on a Skateboard
• Nollie on a Skateboard
• Varial Doubleflip on a Skateboard

Sources and Citations

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=gEJlz-vhOdo
• http://www.how2skate.com/tricks/varial_kickflip.htm
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aPXkbtqbms

See also

• Kickflip on a Skateboard
• Execute a 360 Flip on a Skateboard
• Do a Heelflip on a Skateboard
• Do a Hardflip on a Skateboard

What links here

• Do Skateboard Tricks
• Do a Heelflip on a Skateboard
• Kickflip on a Skateboard
• Use a Wave Board