A backside 180 turns your board (and you) 180 degrees in the air, landing switch from where you started. It looks like a flip trick because of the spin, but it is really a rotation trick, and it opens the door to backside boardslides, backside grinds, and eventually backside flip variations. If you can already ollie consistently, you are ready to learn this one.
What Is a Backside 180?
“Backside” describes the direction of rotation relative to your body: on a backside 180, you rotate with your back leading the turn, spinning away from the obstacle or the direction you are facing. For a regular-footed skater, that means turning clockwise; for goofy-footed skaters, counter-clockwise. The board and rider leave the ground together during an ollie-style pop, rotate a half turn, and land rolling in the opposite direction, in switch stance.
Prerequisites Before You Try It
Do not skip straight to this trick. You need a consistent, straight-popping ollie with good height before adding rotation, otherwise you will be fighting your pop and your spin at the same time. You should also be comfortable rolling and landing in switch stance for a second or two, since that is exactly where a backside 180 puts you down. A basic kickturn is a good confidence-builder too, since it teaches the same backside pivot on your back trucks without leaving the ground.
How to Backside 180 on a Skateboard: Step-by-Step
1. Set Your Stance and Speed
Roll at a comfortable, moderate speed, faster than a standstill ollie but well short of full speed. Position your feet exactly as you would for an ollie: back foot on the tail, front foot slightly angled behind the front bolts. Too much speed makes the rotation feel rushed; too little takes away the pop you need to get around.
2. Wind Up Your Shoulders and Hips
Just before you pop, turn your head and shoulders to look over your back shoulder, in the direction you want to spin. Your hips will naturally follow a beat behind your shoulders. This wind-up is what actually turns the board, not a kick or scoop with your feet. Skaters who try to spin the board with their feet alone almost always spin their body less than the board, and land twisted.
3. Pop and Rotate
Snap the tail down for your ollie pop exactly as normal. As you leave the ground, let your shoulders continue rotating backside, and your hips and legs will bring the board around with you. Keep your front foot dragging slightly up the grip tape during the pop, the same motion as a normal ollie, rather than trying to kick it around separately.
4. Spot Your Landing and Ride Away
Halfway through the rotation, pick a spot on the ground and turn your head to look for it early, this stops over-rotation. Extend your legs to meet the board as it completes the 180, land with your knees bent over both trucks, and roll away in switch stance. Resist the urge to bail early just because the stance feels unfamiliar; a bent-knee landing absorbs way more than people expect.
Common Backside 180 Mistakes (and Fixes)
Spinning the board more than your body: this happens when you scoop with your feet instead of leading with your shoulders. Slow the whole trick down and exaggerate the shoulder wind-up before you even try to pop.
Landing on the tail or nose: under-rotating by 10-20 degrees is common early on. Commit to looking all the way around for your landing spot rather than stopping the spin visually before your body actually gets there.
Losing your pop entirely: if the trick feels like a weak hop instead of a pop, you are probably thinking about the spin before you have popped. Practice the ollie portion in isolation first, then add rotation once the pop is automatic.
Drills to Build Backside 180 Consistency
Start stationary or at a slow walk, since a big backside 180 is really just a small one done with more speed and commitment. Practice the shoulder wind-up on flat ground without popping at all, just to feel the rotation. Then add a small ollie with a quarter turn before attempting the full half rotation. Landing in switch stance will feel strange for the first few sessions; that discomfort fades faster than most riders expect once the motion becomes familiar.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to learn a backside 180?
Most riders who already have a solid ollie can land their first rolling backside 180 within a few sessions, though consistency usually takes a few weeks of regular practice.
Is backside 180 easier than frontside 180?
Most skaters find backside easier to learn first because you can spot your landing earlier in the rotation, since your head turns naturally in the direction of the spin.
Do I need a bigger ollie to land a backside 180?
You need enough height to complete the rotation before your wheels need to touch down, but raw height matters less than a clean, controlled pop paired with a committed shoulder turn.
Why do I keep landing switch instead of riding away normally?
Landing switch is expected and correct for a backside 180. If you want to end up in your regular stance, you would need to follow it with another 180 or ride switch until your next trick.
What tricks should I learn after backside 180?
Backside 180 sets up backside boardslides, backside 50-50 grinds, and eventually backside flip tricks like a backside 180 kickflip once both the spin and the flip feel separately automatic.
