Heelflip
How to heelflip on a fingerboard
A heelflip flips the board the other way from a kickflip. Pop the tail with your middle finger the same way, but flick your index finger off the far edge of the nose, away from you. The board flips away. Wait until the grip faces up again, then catch and land all four wheels. Your ollie should already be consistent, and many people learn the kickflip first because the flick goes the opposite way.
Step by step
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Set your fingers
Index behind the front bolts, angled toward the far edge
Middle finger on the tail, the same as an ollie. Index just behind the front bolts, but curved toward the far edge of the nose — the opposite side from a kickflip. Test a small flick without popping: if the fingertip would leave off that far edge, you are in heelflip position.
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Pop and flick away
Snap the tail and flick the index off the far edge
Pop the tail with your middle finger and, in the same motion, flick your index finger down off the far edge of the nose, away from you. That is the opposite of a kickflip, which flicks toward you off the near edge.
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The board flips away from you
Lift your fingers; the underside comes into view first
After the flick, the board flips away from you. The graphic side comes into view first. Raise your fingers slightly so it can rotate, and do not reach down early.
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Wait for the grip
At halfway the graphic is up and the wheels are up
Same as a kickflip: mid-flip you will see the underside. Do not catch here. Wait until the grip faces up again.
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Catch
Both fingers over the bolts when the grip is back
When the flip has finished and the grip is up, catch with both fingers over the bolts to stop the rotation.
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Land and roll away
All four wheels together, then roll away
Bring the board down so all four wheels touch the table at the same time, then roll away.
Common mistakes
- Flicking toward you, like a kickflip, so the board flips the wrong way.
- Not reaching the far edge, so the board under-rotates or flips off-axis.
- Catching too early and landing on the trucks.
- A weak pop, so there is not enough air for a full flip.
- Starting heelflips before the ollie — or the kickflip, for many people — is consistent, so the two flick directions get mixed up.
Session tips
- Get the ollie consistent first. Many people also get comfortable with kickflips before heelflips, because the flick goes the other way.
- Think of curling the index finger toward the far edge, then flicking away from you.
- Practice pop-and-flick without catching until the board completes a full flip away from you.
- Wait until the grip faces up again before you reach down, the same as a kickflip.