Riding fakie means rolling backward in your normal stance, with your feet in their usual positions but the board traveling tail-first. It’s one of the most useful skills in skateboarding because it’s how you land half the tricks you’ll learn: backside 180s, bigspins, rock to fakie, and every transition trick where you roll back down a ramp. Yet most beginners skip practicing it deliberately. This guide explains how to get comfortable riding fakie and turn it into a strength.
What Does Fakie Mean?
When you ride fakie, your stance stays the same as usual. If you’re regular (left foot forward), your left foot is still toward the front of your body. But the board rolls in the opposite direction, so your back foot is now leading. Think of it as riding backward.
Fakie vs Switch: What’s the Difference?
These two terms get confused all the time:
- Fakie: Normal stance, rolling backward. Your back foot is on the tail, which is now the leading end.
- Switch: Opposite stance, rolling forward. A regular skater rides goofy, with the right foot forward.
Fakie is much easier than switch because your feet and body stay in their familiar positions. If you’re unsure whether you’re regular or goofy in the first place, check our guide to regular vs goofy stance. Once fakie feels natural, learning to skate switch is the logical next challenge.
Step 1: Start Stationary
Stand on your board on a flat, smooth surface in your normal stance, with your back foot on the tail and your front foot near the front bolts. Now look over your back shoulder in the direction you’ll roll. This head position is the biggest adjustment. You need to look where you’re going, which means turning your head toward your back foot.
Step 2: Get Rolling Backward
There are a few ways to start rolling fakie:
- Push off a wall or rail. Stand on the board facing a wall, then gently push off it with your hands.
- Use a slight slope. Roll backward down a very gentle incline.
- Push fakie. Put your back foot on the board over the bolts and push with your front foot. It feels awkward at first but is worth learning.
- Roll back from a ramp. Roll up a small bank or quarter pipe, let the board stop, and roll back down fakie.
Step 3: Find Your Balance
Keep your knees bent and your weight centered between the trucks, not on the tail. New fakie riders tend to lean toward the leading end or stand stiffly. Relax your shoulders, keep your arms loose for balance, and stay low. Your back foot should sit over the back bolts rather than right on the tail tip, or you’ll accidentally lift the tail.
Step 4: Practice Turning Fakie
Turning while riding fakie works the same way as normal: lean toward your toes to turn one way and toward your heels to turn the other. But because you’re traveling backward, the direction feels reversed. Practice gentle, wide turns in both directions. Once comfortable, try carving back and forth in an S shape. This builds the control you’ll need when landing tricks fakie.
Step 5: Stop Safely While Riding Fakie
You can stop fakie by putting your front foot down (which is now your trailing foot) and dragging it lightly, or simply by stepping off when you slow down enough. Tail drags don’t work fakie because the tail is in front. Our full guide on how to stop on a skateboard covers more options.
Drills to Get Comfortable Riding Fakie
- Fakie kickturns. Roll fakie, then do a kickturn to switch back to regular. See our kickturn guide for technique.
- Ramp roll-backs. Roll up a quarter pipe, then roll back down fakie. Repeat until it’s automatic.
- Fakie manuals. Lift the tail (your leading end) slightly while rolling fakie to build balance.
- Fakie pushing. Practice pushing fakie across a car park or basketball court.
Riding Fakie on Ramps and Transitions
Transition skating is where fakie becomes unavoidable. Every time you roll up a quarter pipe or bank without turning, you come back down fakie. Start on a small bank or mini ramp: roll up only a short way, let the board stop naturally, and keep your weight centered as gravity brings you back down. Bend your knees as you pass from the transition onto the flat, because that’s where the board changes speed and angle and most people lose balance. As you get comfortable, roll up higher before coming back. This is also the foundation for tricks like the rock to fakie and the fakie kickturn, and it will make any mini ramp session far more fun.
Your First Fakie Tricks
Once you can roll fakie confidently, these tricks start opening up:
- Fakie ollie: Pop the tail while rolling backward. It feels a lot like a nollie.
- Fakie frontside or backside 180: Turn 180 degrees while rolling fakie and land riding regular.
- Half cab: A fakie frontside 180 ollie, one of the most popular fakie tricks.
- Fakie bigspin: Many skaters find the fakie version of the bigspin easier than the regular one.
Common Mistakes
Not looking where you’re going
Fear keeps many riders looking forward over their front shoulder. Turn your head and look behind you.
Standing on the tail
This lifts the nose and causes you to lose balance. Keep your back foot on the bolts.
Leaning back
Weight toward your front foot (the trailing end) makes the board shoot away. Stay centered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is fakie the same as riding backward?
Yes. Fakie means riding backward in your normal stance, so your feet stay in their usual positions but the board travels tail-first.
Is fakie easier than switch?
Yes, much easier for most skaters. With fakie, your feet and body stay in their familiar positions, whereas switch requires riding in your opposite stance.
What tricks require riding fakie?
Many tricks land fakie, including backside 180s, bigspins, and rock to fakie, and ramp skating constantly involves rolling back down fakie.
How do I push while riding fakie?
Put your back foot over the back bolts and push with your front foot. It feels awkward at first but becomes natural with practice.
Why do I feel unstable riding fakie?
Usually because your weight is too far toward one end or you’re not looking where you’re going. Keep your knees bent, weight centered, and your head turned toward the direction of travel.
