help with kickflip

the german · Ollie Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 60

so yeah, i just started skateboarding a lil while ago and want to land a kickflip now.. YEAH RIGHT... thats exactly my problem haha... so i started trying (even though i don't really know how to properly do it) and i got to a point where i can flip it but the board kinda seems to be in front of me or so and i have no idea how to land on the board... maybe im doing it entirely wrong.
any help would be appreciated!
Thanks

el · Backside 180 Joined: 07 Oct 2003 Posts: 1739 City: The Sea

I'm just starting to learn some Deutsch (I still suck), and I'm planning on going to Die Schweiz in November and staying in Europe for a while...

But those kickflips... I find that watching other people with good kickflips helped me a lot. This video is pretty good... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaD-BZNjyLk

But one problem I had when learning (and still sometimes, because kickflips can still be awkward for me sometimes), was leaning too far over when I would try them. So make sure and stand up just a little straighter when you're flipping. Also make sure and flick out with your front foot, not down on the edge...

The main thing is being willing to try them, over and over, and not get too frustrated.

electricsnow · cassette Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 10752 City: Jefferton

The german, I would say to make sure that you're ready for them. I started trying them a long time ago and I've realized that I was probably trying them well before I was ready. If you're not ready, you're not going to trust yourself and fully commit, and you'll probably be landing (quite often) with one foot on, one foot off.

One other thing I've learned is that you can tell someone how to do a trick over and over again, but until you actually figure out that feeling for yourself...instruction will only do so much. But at any rate, one thing that helps me keep kickflips and heelflips underneath me is when I'm smacking the tail down, I'm also directing that pressure behind me, if that makes sense. That helps me stay over the board, as opposed to me kicking it forward or whatever.

anyway, that's the biggest deal for me....then the more you do it, the better they'll feel and you'll find a bit more style and pop them higher, flick them better, etc. After that, it's all about trusting yourself and not being afraid to land primo every now and again, because it will happen.

the german · Ollie Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 60

hey thanks guys, i think i might wait another 2 weeks or so and improve my ollie before i try it again

mead_hall · Pop Shuvit Joined: 06 Apr 2007 Posts: 176 City: Orlando

el, that vid really helped out, thanks for the tips folks.

Paul · Posted: May 04, 2007 5:10 pm Post subject:

el, "Die Schweiz" = "Switerzerland" ! I live in this very small country...
We have 3 different languages here in Switzerland : german, french and italian.
Schweiz -> German
Suisse -> French
Svizzera -> Italian
It depends on the geographical area