The pressure flip is one of skateboarding’s odd ones out. Unlike a kickflip or heelflip, you don’t pop the tail and flick with your front foot. Instead, your back foot pushes down and scoops the tail so the board pops up, flips, and spins underneath you all at once. It was a staple of early-’90s street skating, and today it’s a fun trick to learn because it trains board feel in a completely different way. Here’s how to do it step by step.
What Is a Pressure Flip?
A pressure flip is a flip trick where the back foot does all the work. You place your back foot on the heel-side or toe-side edge of the tail, then press and scoop so the board pops into the air while flipping and rotating like a varial flip. Your front foot doesn’t flick; it simply lifts out of the way.
There are two common versions:
- Heelside (backside) pressure flip: Back foot on the heel edge of the tail. The board flips like a kickflip while spinning backside, similar to a varial kickflip.
- Toeside (frontside) pressure flip: Back foot on the toe edge of the tail. The board flips like a heelflip while spinning frontside.
Most skaters start with the heelside version, which is what this guide covers.
Before You Start
You don’t need a high ollie for this trick, but you should be comfortable with a pop shove-it, because the scooping motion is similar. Being able to catch flip tricks, such as a varial kickflip, also helps because the board rotates in a similar way.
Start stationary on grass or carpet so the board doesn’t roll away, then progress to slow rolling on smooth ground.
Step 1: Set Your Back Foot
Place the ball of your back foot on the very edge of the tail on the heel side, with your toes hanging slightly off the board’s toe-side edge. Some skaters prefer the back foot almost in the tail’s pocket at an angle. The key is that you want to be able to press the heel-side edge down and push it backward in one motion.
Step 2: Set Your Front Foot
Your front foot sits lightly behind the front bolts, roughly in the middle of the board. Keep very little weight on it. Its only job is to stay out of the way and then catch the board later. If you put too much weight on the front foot, the board won’t lift.
Step 3: Crouch and Prepare
Bend your knees and keep your shoulders parallel to the board. Keep most of your weight over the back foot. Unlike an ollie, you won’t snap the tail straight down, so don’t load up in the same way.
Step 4: Press and Scoop
This is the heart of the trick. Push down hard with the edge of your back foot, then scoop it backward and slightly sideways in a single fluid motion. The pressure on the edge makes the board flip, and the backward scoop makes it spin. At the same time, jump straight up off both feet so your front foot leaves the board.
Think of it as “squeezing” the board out from under you rather than kicking it. It feels unnatural at first, so expect lots of attempts where the board just squirts out sideways.
Step 5: Watch the Board and Catch It
Keep your eyes on the board as it flips and spins. Once it has rotated (usually a 180 spin and one flip), catch it with your back foot first, then bring your front foot down over the bolts. Catching with the back foot first helps you control the rotation.
Step 6: Land and Roll Away
Land with your feet over the bolts, knees bent to absorb the impact, and your weight centered. Once you’re landing it stationary, try it at slow rolling speed and gradually build up.
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
- The board doesn’t leave the ground: You’re not pressing hard enough on the edge, or your front foot is holding the board down. Put more pressure through the back foot and lighten your front foot.
- The board shoots out sideways: Your scoop is too far to the side. Push more backward and less outward.
- Only spinning, no flip: Your foot isn’t on the edge. Move it further toward the heel-side edge so you’re pressing the edge, not the middle of the tail.
- Only flipping, no spin: You’re pressing down without scooping. Add the backward push.
- Landing off the bolts: You’re jumping forward or backward. Jump straight up and keep shoulders level.
Pressure Flip vs. Varial Kickflip
From the outside, a heelside pressure flip and a varial kickflip look similar because both flip and spin the board. The difference is entirely in the technique. A varial kickflip uses an ollie pop and a front-foot flick, while a pressure flip uses only the back foot’s pressure and scoop. Pressure flips often look floatier and slower, and they don’t need much pop at all.
Practice Tips
- Learn on a board with fairly loose trucks and fresh grip tape for better foot traction.
- Practice the scoop motion on its own while stationary until the board flips and spins consistently, even if you don’t land on it.
- Film yourself to see whether your foot is on the edge or in the middle of the tail.
- Be patient. Pressure flips are notoriously awkward, and most skaters need a few sessions before the motion clicks.
Once you’ve got it, try it fakie, try the toeside version, or work it into lines. Our tips for getting better at skateboarding cover how to structure practice sessions so new tricks stick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a pressure flip hard to learn?
It’s considered an intermediate trick. It doesn’t require a big ollie, but the back-foot-only technique feels unusual, so it can take longer to learn than a kickflip.
Do you need to ollie for a pressure flip?
No. A pressure flip doesn’t use a traditional ollie pop. The board leaves the ground because of the downward pressure and scoop of your back foot.
Why is it called a pressure flip?
It’s named for the way you apply pressure to the edge of the tail with your back foot to make the board flip, rather than flicking it with your front foot.
What is the difference between a heelside and toeside pressure flip?
On a heelside pressure flip, your back foot presses the heel edge and the board flips like a kickflip. On a toeside pressure flip, it presses the toe edge and the board flips like a heelflip.
Are pressure flips still done today?
Yes. They were most popular in the early 1990s, but many modern street and flatground skaters still do them for their distinctive, floaty look.
