Kick Turning is one of the basic skills a skateboarder should learn. It might be quite confusing at first, but that’s what practice is for.
Kick Turning is that cool trick when you balance your back wheels for a few seconds, then swing the front in a new direction. It is a good move for when you need to avoid an obstacle or if you’re just showing off — and there is nothing wrong with that. You earned it, then skate it!
This article will give you an overview, and we’ll also teach you how to kickturn on a skateboard.
Table of Contents
What Will You Need
Of course, we cannot begin with our tutorial if you don’t have your board in hand. A Skateboard is a narrow board with two wheels fixed at both ends. It is used in recreation and also sports. Well, it’s basically everything that we’ll need. You can wear protective gear like a helmet and elbow and knee pads. Your safety is still our priority.
But if you don’t have a board yet, worry less because you can still read on and learn how. Treat this as a reference for the future.
How to Kickturn? Step by Step Guide
Step 1: Learn to lift the nose
Get into a low position and try to keep your weight on the back end while making sure that all four wheels are intact with the ground.
And then, swiftly raise and lower the nose. In this part, it is a common mistake for one to try and shift their weight to the back. It might seem hard to turn on a skateboard for beginners, but you have to make sure you are comfortable as you practice.
Tip: It is a good practice to try and turn your board in the direction you are facing.
Step 2: Winding up and unwinding
Before we proceed, it is important right now that you are confident enough to do little kick turns. If not, then there’s no harm in that! Just keep practicing and you’ll get there.
We need to decompress before making the big kickturn skateboard, look at it as your starting phase. The best way to do this is to do the opposite of what you want to do.
Engage your hips, ready to rotate, relax, and then swing your arms and shoulders towards the direction you are intending. You’ll notice that you are starting to create bigger movements now. But! Make sure you are not straining yourself. Do it gradually and again, you’ll get there.
Step 3: Kick turn on banks and quarter-pipes
Now we are upping the game. Doing kick turns skateboarding on quarter pipes might be scary, but it is a good practice obstacle for this skill!
Instead of aiming at the pipe directly, approach it at a forty-five (45) degree angle. Doing this will only require you to make a small kickturn. When you feel like you can do bigger things, then go for it!
Just remember to keep safe and not push yourself too much. We can’t prevent some falling and stumbling, but these will make you feel closer to the ground and the sky you are trying to reach with your board. You must get the right control with yourself and the board.
Step 4: Front side kick turns
This is literally the other way around. It’s still the same procedure; only then try doing it with the other side. Remember regular and goofy? Frontside rotation is counterclockwise for regulars while clockwise for goofy.
Tips in Kick Turning
- You should maintain your weight equally distributed over the board and not put too much pressure on your rear foot.
- Try to elevate your front wheels just a little, so your board’s nose won’t rise up too much, and you won’t slide back and fall.
- Like we said earlier, use your head and shoulders to point your body towards the direction you aim for regardless of your footing. Make sure that your feet are at least a shoulders-length apart while softly swinging your shoulders and pushing the end of your board.
- Also, you can practice kick turning on other smooth surfaces like on grass and carpet.
- Kick Turns aren’t just for changing directions. This is also used to gather up speed and steer the board onto making a new move. It is also important for you to maintain a heel-toe stance and prevent landing onto your toes. You can start with a stationary 360-degree spin before advancing to kick turns.
Improving Your Game
If you are not someone who skates, seeing people who do might look easy. You might even say, “I can do that on the first go!” Well, it’s not that we don’t believe in you, but skateboarding is a lot more complicated than you think.
It requires strength and focus and will exhaust you. But of course, scientists show that skateboarding is a comprehensive exercise that will enhance your cardiovascular endurance.
On muscle talks, it is crucial for a skateboarder to have a consistent core. The obliques and a portion of your back muscles will play a huge role in maintaining the stability and balance of your performance.
Your core strength aids in taking off some of the tension, for example, on your hip flexors and quadriceps that might be stressed on certain moves.
Conclusion
And that concludes our tutorial on how to kickturn on a skateboard! It may sound scary and hard to do right now. Still, with practice and dedication, you will surely be able to execute it someday finally. Gradually incorporate this skill in your normal skateboarding, and you’ll get there.
As you continue practicing, try to do the kick turn while moving. You can also upgrade the challenge by doing one on a ramp or any other obstacle available. Just remember that it is all about practice and getting yourself accustomed to the move for you to execute flawlessly and with confidence.
Read next:
- Detailed Guide to Throw Down Your Skateboard.
- Step by Step to carve on a Skateboard.
Hi, I am Charles Harris. I opened this site to write as much as I can about my biggest passion – skateboarding!
I started as a clumsy yet passionate rookie 10 years ago to now a still passionate yet much better skateboarder! But I have to tell you, the whole journey has always been fun and rewarding, indeed not without hardship.