The bigspin looks complicated, but it’s really two tricks you probably already know stacked on top of each other: a backside 360 shove-it under your feet while your body turns a backside 180 in the air. The board spins twice as far as you do, which is where the name comes from. If you can land a pop shove-it and a backside 180 with some consistency, the bigspin is well within reach. This guide breaks it down into the parts that matter and covers the mistakes that stop most skaters from landing it.
What Is a Bigspin?
A bigspin is a trick where the board rotates 360 degrees horizontally (a backside 360 shove-it) while the skater rotates 180 degrees in the same direction. You start riding in your regular stance and land riding fakie, facing the opposite direction. Because your body only turns half as much as the board, you have to time your rotation so your feet catch the board exactly as it finishes its full spin.
The trick was popularized by Brian Lotti and Jeron Wilson in the 1990s and has become a staple for street and park skaters. It flows nicely down stairs and gaps once you have it dialed, and variations like the frontside bigspin, fakie bigspin, and bigspin flip build directly on the same motion.
Skills to Have Before You Try It
- A consistent ollie. The bigspin needs pop, not just a scoop. If your ollie is still shaky, work on that first.
- A pop shove-it. You need to already know how the back foot scoops the tail backward. Our pop shove-it guide covers the fundamentals.
- A backside 180. The body rotation in a bigspin is the same as in a backside 180, so being comfortable turning your shoulders and landing fakie matters.
- Comfort riding fakie. You’ll roll away backward, so practice riding fakie until it doesn’t feel strange.
Step 1: Set Your Foot Position
Place your back foot on the tail with your toes hanging slightly off the heel-side edge, more like a shove-it than an ollie. This lets your toes grab the tail and scoop it behind you. Your front foot goes just behind the front bolts, angled a bit, with the ball of your foot near the middle of the board. Some skaters shift the front foot slightly toward the heel edge to help guide the rotation. Keep your knees bent and your weight centered.
Step 2: Wind Up Your Shoulders
Before you pop, turn your shoulders slightly frontside (toward your toes). This pre-wind gives you the stored rotation you’ll release into the backside 180. Don’t overdo it: a small, controlled wind-up is enough. Your head and shoulders will lead the body turn, just like in a backside 180.
Step 3: Pop and Scoop Hard
This is where most of the trick happens. Pop the tail down and immediately scoop it backward and around with your back foot, harder than you would for a regular shove-it. A normal pop shove-it needs only a flick for 180 degrees; a bigspin needs a full 360, so the scoop has to be committed and follow through. Think of dragging your back foot in a curved path behind you as the tail leaves the ground.
At the same moment, release your shoulders and start turning backside. Your front foot lifts up and slightly forward to get out of the board’s way. Unlike an ollie, you don’t slide the front foot up to level the board. You just jump and clear the space.
Step 4: Turn Your Body 180 Degrees
While the board spins beneath you, rotate your body a full 180 degrees backside. Keep your eyes on the board. Watching it lets you see when it has completed the rotation. A common mistake is to spin your body too fast and land before the board comes around, or to not turn enough and land sideways. Aim for a smooth, even turn that finishes as the board finishes.
Step 5: Catch and Land Fakie
When the board completes its 360, bring your feet down over the bolts. Your original back foot is now your front foot. Land with knees bent to absorb the impact and roll away fakie. Keep your weight centered over the board; leaning back is the most common reason for a washout on landing.
Common Bigspin Mistakes and How to Fix Them
The board only spins 180 degrees
Your scoop isn’t strong enough, or you’re flicking instead of scooping. Focus on sweeping the tail all the way around behind you rather than just pushing it back. Practicing 360 shove-its without the body rotation isolates this part.
The board flies out in front of you
You’re kicking the tail forward instead of back and around. Keep your back foot’s motion behind your body, and make sure your toes are over the heel-side edge of the tail.
You land with your body sideways
You’re under-rotating. Commit to the shoulder turn and keep your head turning until you’re facing the other way. Practicing backside 180s on flat ground at the same speed helps build the feel.
Your feet land but the board shoots away
You’re landing with your weight too far back or your feet off the bolts. Look down at the board through the whole trick and land with your weight centered.
Practice Tips
- Start stationary on grass or carpet. This helps you learn the scoop without the board rolling away.
- Break it into parts. Do 360 shove-its alone, then backside 180s alone, then combine them.
- Roll slowly. Once you’re ready to try it moving, go at a gentle rolling speed. Too much speed makes bailing harder.
- Check your setup. Loose trucks can make a spinning board wobble on landing. If your board feels unstable, it may be worth tightening your trucks a little.
- Wear protection. Fakie landings can go wrong. A helmet and wrist guards are worth it while learning.
Where to Go After the Bigspin
Once your bigspin is consistent, the natural next steps are the fakie bigspin (easier for some because the pop feels different), the frontside bigspin (360 frontside shove-it with a frontside 180), and eventually the bigspin flip or bigspin heelflip, which add a flip to the same motion. Each variation builds on the scoop-and-turn timing you’ve learned here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a bigspin harder than a 360 shove-it?
Slightly. A bigspin is a 360 shove-it plus a backside 180 body rotation, so you need the scoop of a 360 shove-it and the timing of a backside 180. Most skaters learn the 360 shove-it first.
Which way does the body turn in a bigspin?
In a standard bigspin, the body turns backside, in the same direction the board spins. You start in your normal stance and land riding fakie.
How long does it take to learn a bigspin?
If you already have consistent pop shove-its and backside 180s, many skaters land their first bigspin within a few sessions. Getting it consistent while rolling usually takes a few weeks of practice.
Do I need to pop for a bigspin?
Yes. Unlike a basic shove-it, a bigspin needs real pop so the board has enough air time to complete a full 360 rotation while your body turns.
What is the difference between a bigspin and a big flip?
A bigspin has no flip. The board only spins horizontally. A big flip (bigspin flip) adds a kickflip to the bigspin, so the board flips and spins 360 while the body turns 180.
