If you follow pro skateboarders like Tony Hawk and Rodney Mullen, you’ll notice that they’re not just working on basic tricks. Pros also look for variations of different tricks like board flips and grinds. One such freestyle trick is the underflip, originally created by Mullen in the early 1980s. This skateboarding trick has received numerous overhauls such as the kickflip underflip, board spins, and the 360 underflip. But now, we’re going to look at how to underflip, an advanced trick that needs skill, effort, and patience to perform
Things You Need for This Tutorial
Just like any other skateboarding trick, you need the following to learn how to do underflips:
- Good quality skateboard – use a sturdy, well-maintained skateboard. It would help if you checked the board first before learning any trick like the underflip.
- Proper skateboard apparel and footwear – Wear loose clothing, something that won’t restrict your movement. Wear grippy footwear so you can remain steady and safe on the board while performing tricks.
- Good grip tape – use a good quality grip tape to enhance the grippiness of the surface of the board.
- Safety skateboarding gear – wear a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards as you practice and perform tricks. If you’re learning this trick at night, use reflectors to keep you safe.
- Flat area for practice – the kickflip underflip is an advanced skateboarding trick. You must train for this trick in a safe, flat, and smooth area.
Instructions
Learning to make the kickflip underflip may take time so don’t worry if you can’t do it right away. Regular practice is the key to mastering advanced skateboarding tricks like the underlip.
1 Wear proper attire and safety gear.
Start your training by wearing the correct skateboarding attire. Choose something comfortable, easy to move in. But don’t wear complicated clothing and accessories especially footwear which can affect the way you perform this trick.
Wear good quality grippy skating footwear which can enhance traction and help you practice safely. Don’t forget to wear proper safety gear.
2 Observe proper foot placement
Before starting this tutorial, it’s important to remember that kickflip underflip is a variation of a kickflip so we’ll need to review the steps to perform this trick. Only when you’ve mastered the flip will you be able to move on to the more advanced underflip.
So, place your foot correctly on the board. The front foot must be behind the truck bolts. Your foot must be pointing towards the front of the board at 45 degrees. If this is the first time to do it, place your foot lower so it’s much easier to flip the board.
The ball of the back foot or left foot must be placed on the board’s tail. Avoid hunching or bending forwards. Always keep your shoulders level with your skateboard even when you’re in a stationary position.
3 Do the ollie
It’s time to do the old school trick, the ollie. Bend from the front knee and place your weight on the ball of your foot. You will notice that the front of the skateboard will rise as the back hits the ground. The board will eventually bounce up after the back pops the ground. The secret is to ollie higher so you’ll have plenty of room and time to kickflip and eventually, the kickflip underflip.
4 Kick the board with your front foot
Now, your front foot will flick the board. Do this by sliding the front foot to the heel-side front edge of your skateboard. Kick with your leg open, flick the edge of the deck using your smallest toe. Your board eventually switch directions, flip, or spin.
As you kick, flick up from the nose rather than flicking down so your front foot can return to its previous position.
Kick your leg out and up and not out and down. If you don’t do this your foot will be at the bottom of the board and landing will become difficult. Avoid kicking too hard as this will make your board spin away. Jump higher so the back foot will come off your board.
5 Catch your skateboard.
After the skateboard has rotated completely while in the air, catch it using your back foot and allow it to pop the ground. Your back foot will eventually hit the board and afterward, the front foot as well.
Keep your eyes on your skateboard to check if it has completed a full rotation. It can be hard at first but you’ll soon be able to orchestrate this move flawlessly. The timing must be right in order to land your feet just above the truck bolts. Also, your shoulders must be level throughout the trick and faced in the direction that you’re moving. Doing so will help you balance when you land.
6 Perform the kickflip-underflip
Now that you’re set to kickflip, you can incorporate the foot underflip at the end. The kickflip underflip is an advanced trick that needs a lot of practice. As the board completes a rotation while you kickflip, flick the board back to the opposite direction using the toe.
As you flick the board, it will move the board at the opposite direction so you can land steadily right after the flick. Some riders flick the board with the ball of their feet. For this, you need to ollie higher and jump wider for the ball of your foot to move into position.
7 Land by bending your knees.
Bend your knees to absorb shock. Doing this will also give you better control of the board. For another round, ride and slide on your board beforehand.
8 Keep on practicing
It’s okay if you don’t get this freestyle trick right away. Just keep on practicing until you’re better. Just remember to look at the board, maintain your balance and keep your shoulders level.
Embed YouTube
VL Skate shows us how to perform the underflip in this tutorial video. VL skate is a California native skater who claims he’s not really good but wants to improve his skills. He wants to complete 365 tricks and in his YouTube videos, he keeps things real and fun.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to underflip you may now work on other more complicated variations of the board flips like a double kickflip, varial kickflip, frontside pop shuvit, heelflip, triple kickflip, a kickflip body varial, and a kickflip indy. Always warm-up before you start a tick.
What do you think about this underflip tutorial? Tell us in the comments section below. If you like this tutorial, share it with anyone who wants to learn how to underflip on a skateboard.