The frontside flip, often shortened to “frontside flip” or “front flip,” combines a kickflip with a frontside 180. Your body and board turn together toward the front, the board flips once, and you land rolling fakie. It’s one of the most stylish flip tricks in street skating, but the timing between the flick and the body rotation takes practice. This guide breaks it down step by step.
What Is a Frontside Flip?
A frontside flip is a kickflip done while you and the board rotate 180 degrees frontside (your chest opens toward the direction you’re traveling). You start rolling in your regular stance and land rolling fakie. Because the rotation and the flip happen at the same time, the trick feels different from simply doing a kickflip and turning afterwards.
Before You Start
You should have two tricks dialed before attempting this one:
- A consistent kickflip. If your flips are still hit-or-miss, revisit our guide on how to kickflip on a skateboard.
- A solid frontside 180 ollie. You need to be comfortable turning your shoulders and landing fakie. Our frontside 180 guide covers the body rotation in detail.
Comfort riding fakie also helps, since that’s how you’ll roll away.
Step 1: Foot Placement
Set your feet much like a kickflip. Your back foot goes on the tail with your toes in the middle or slightly toward the heel side. Your front foot sits just behind the front bolts, angled slightly so your toes point toward the nose. Many skaters move their front foot a touch further back than for a regular kickflip so they can flick more easily while turning.
Step 2: Wind Up Your Shoulders
Before you pop, turn your shoulders slightly backside (toward your heels). This wind-up stores energy so you can unwind into the frontside rotation. The bigger the wind-up, the easier the 180 becomes. Keep your knees bent and your weight centered over the board.
Step 3: Pop and Start the Rotation
Snap the tail down as you would for an ollie and at the same moment unwind your shoulders frontside. Your hips and legs follow your shoulders, so lead the rotation with your upper body. Don’t wait to turn until you’re already in the air; the turn should start as you pop.
Step 4: Flick the Kickflip
As your front foot slides up the board, flick off the heel-side edge of the nose like a kickflip. Because you’re rotating frontside, the flick tends to go slightly forward and across the nose rather than straight out to the side. Many skaters find a smaller, quicker flick works better than an exaggerated one, because it keeps the board under them during the turn.
Step 5: Keep Turning and Catch It
Keep your shoulders rotating so your body completes the full 180. Watch the board flip beneath you and catch it with your back foot (which becomes the front of the board as you turn). Bring your other foot down over the bolts.
Step 6: Land Fakie
Land with your knees bent and your weight centered. You’ll be rolling fakie, so look in your new direction of travel and keep your shoulders square to the board to avoid over-rotating.
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
- Under-rotating: You land at 90 degrees. Wind up more before the pop and commit your shoulders through the full turn.
- The board flips away from you: Your flick is too strong or too far out to the side. Use a lighter flick angled more toward the nose.
- The board doesn’t flip fully: You’re focusing so much on the turn that you forget the flick. Practice stationary to coordinate both motions.
- Landing with your weight on the heels: You’re leaning back as you turn. Keep your weight over the board and shoulders level.
- Turning before popping: If your shoulders are already fully open before the pop, the board just slides out. Turn and pop together.
Frontside Flip vs. Backside Flip
A backside flip is a kickflip with a backside 180, where your back faces the direction of travel during the turn. Many skaters find the backside flip easier because you can see your landing for longer. Others prefer the frontside flip because the shoulder rotation feels more natural. It’s worth learning both eventually, but choose whichever 180 you’re already better at.
A Progression Plan for Learning the Frontside Flip
Breaking the trick into stages makes it far less frustrating. Work through these in order, and only move on when the current stage feels comfortable:
- Stationary frontside 180 ollies on grass. Focus purely on the shoulder wind-up and the full rotation.
- Stationary kickflips with a quarter turn. Flick the board while turning about 90 degrees so you feel how the flick angle changes as you rotate.
- Rolling frontside 180s at walking pace. Get used to landing fakie and rolling away smoothly.
- Rolling frontside flips, landing anywhere. At first, don’t worry about catching cleanly. Just aim to get the board flipping while you complete the 180.
- Clean catches and roll-aways. Once the flip and turn sync up, focus on catching with your back foot over the bolts and riding away.
Expect plenty of attempts where you land 90 degrees or the board flips away. That’s normal; the timing usually clicks suddenly after a few sessions of consistent practice.
Practice Tips
- Practice the full motion stationary on grass to get the timing between the turn and flick.
- Try a frontside 180 with a tiny flick first, then gradually increase the flick until the board flips.
- Ride slowly at first; speed makes landing fakie harder to control.
- Use the same spot each time so you can focus on technique, not terrain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a frontside flip harder than a kickflip?
Yes. A frontside flip adds a 180-degree body rotation to a kickflip, so it requires more coordination and is usually learned after the kickflip and frontside 180 are consistent.
Do you land fakie after a frontside flip?
Yes. Because you and the board rotate 180 degrees, you start in your normal stance and land rolling fakie.
Is a frontside flip the same as a frontside kickflip?
Yes. “Frontside flip” is the common shortened name for a frontside 180 kickflip.
Should I learn the frontside flip or backside flip first?
Learn the version that matches your stronger 180. If your frontside 180 is better, start with the frontside flip.
How long does it take to learn a frontside flip?
If you have a consistent kickflip and frontside 180, many skaters learn it in a few weeks of regular practice, though timing varies a lot.
