Easy Skateboard Tricks for Beginners: 10 Tricks to Learn First

Whether you’re brand new to skateboarding or getting back into it after a few years, learning new tricks is one of the most rewarding parts of riding.

If you’re just starting out, it can be tempting to jump straight into skateboard flips and advanced tricks. But the best way to build confidence is to start with easy skateboard moves, develop your skateboarding skills, and work your way up from there.

And if you’re getting back into skateboarding and need a refresher, start here. Even experienced skaters can benefit from revisiting skateboarding fundamentals before working on new tricks.

This guide covers 10 beginner-friendly skateboarding tricks, along with tips for building a consistent skateboarding practice routine and improving your skills over time.

What to Learn Before Trying Skateboarding Tricks

Before working through a skateboard trick list, make sure you’re comfortable riding your board.

You should be able to:

• Find your natural stance
• Push with control
• Ride in a straight line
• Turn in both directions
• Stop safely
• Shift your weight without losing balance
• Ride over smooth, predictable surfaces
• Step on and off your board confidently

These basic skateboarding techniques will make learning tricks easier and help you avoid developing bad habits.

If you’re returning to skateboarding after time away, spend a few sessions simply riding. Your balance, timing, and confidence may take a little while to come back, and that’s normal.

Once riding feels comfortable again, you can start adding easy skateboard moves to your practice sessions.

1. Tic-Tac

Tic-tacs are one of the easiest skateboard moves to learn and a great way to practice turning, balance, and board control.

A tic-tac involves lifting the front wheels slightly and moving the nose of the board from side to side. You use your shoulders, hips, and upper body to help guide the board.

How to practice tic-tacs

1. Start rolling slowly on a flat surface.
2. Keep your knees slightly bent.
3. Shift your weight toward the back of the board.
4. Lift the front wheels slightly.
5. Turn the nose from side to side.
6. Keep your movements small and controlled.

Tic-tacs can help you build confidence with shifting your weight and controlling the direction of your board.

2. Kickturn

A kickturn is another useful beginner trick that teaches you how to change direction quickly.

Instead of making a wide turn, you briefly lift the front wheels and pivot the board in a new direction.

How to practice a kickturn

1. Start at a slow speed.
2. Bend your knees.
3. Shift your weight toward the tail.
4. Lift the front wheels slightly.
5. Turn your shoulders in the direction you want to go.
6. Set the front wheels back down smoothly.

Start with small kickturns before trying to rotate farther. You can practice them on flat ground or on a gentle bank once you feel comfortable.

3. Manual

A manual is similar to a wheelie on a bicycle. You ride on the back two wheels while keeping the front wheels off the ground.

Manuals are great for improving balance and learning how small weight shifts affect your board.

How to practice a manual

1. Start rolling at a comfortable speed.
2. Keep your knees bent.
3. Shift your weight slightly toward the tail.
4. Lift the front wheels off the ground.
5. Keep your arms out for balance.
6. Lower the front wheels before you lose control.

Start by holding a manual for just a second or two. As your balance improves, you can gradually increase the distance.

4. Nose Manual

A nose manual is the opposite of a regular manual. Instead of balancing on the back wheels, you shift your weight forward and lift the back wheels off the ground. For easier practice, choose a board with a kicktail on the nose, sometimes called a nose kick. A board with kicktails on both ends is also known as a double-kick deck.

This move requires more control than a standard manual, so it may take some extra practice.

Tips for nose manuals

• Practice at a slow speed.
• Keep your knees bent.
• Shift your weight forward gradually.
• Avoid leaning too far over the nose.
• Practice on smooth, flat ground.

Nose manuals are a good next step once you feel comfortable with regular manuals.

5. Shuvit

A shuvit is a beginner-friendly trick where the board spins 180 degrees beneath your feet while your body stays mostly facing forward.

Unlike a pop shuvit, the board does not need to leave the ground very high.

How to practice a shuvit

1. Start with your feet in a comfortable riding position.
2. Bend your knees.
3. Use your back foot to scoop the tail around.
4. Let the board rotate beneath you.
5. Keep your body centered over the board.
6. Catch the board with both feet.

Start by practicing the motion slowly. You can also practice the scoop while holding onto a rail or fence if you need extra balance.

6. Pop Shuvit

A pop shuvit is similar to a regular shuvit, but the board pops off the ground as it rotates.

This trick introduces more timing and board control, making it a useful step toward more advanced skateboarding tricks.

How to practice a pop shuvit

1. Bend your knees.
2. Pop the tail against the ground.
3. Scoop the board around with your back foot.
4. Keep your shoulders relatively centered.
5. Watch the board as it rotates.
6. Land with both feet over the bolts.

Practice the motion on flat ground before trying to add more height or speed.

7. Ollie

The ollie is one of the most important skateboarding tricks to learn. It allows you and your board to jump into the air together without holding onto anything.

Learning how to ollie takes time, but it creates the foundation for many advanced tricks, including skateboard flips and other aerial moves.

How to practice an ollie

1. Start on flat ground.
2. Place your front foot near the middle of the board.
3. Place your back foot on the tail.
4. Bend your knees.
5. Pop the tail down with your back foot.
6. Slide your front foot toward the nose.
7. Bring your knees up.
8. Land with both feet over the bolts.

Start by practicing the movement without worrying about height. A small, controlled ollie is more useful than a high ollie you cannot land consistently.

8. Fakie Riding

Fakie riding means moving backward while keeping your normal stance on the board. Your feet stay in the same position, but the board travels in the opposite direction.

This is a useful skill for learning transitions, improving board control, and preparing for more advanced tricks.

How to practice fakie riding

1. Start on a smooth, flat surface.
2. Roll slowly in your normal stance.
3. Practice riding backward for a short distance.
4. Keep your knees bent.
5. Look in the direction you’re traveling.
6. Practice turning and stopping while riding fakie.

Start with short distances and gradually build your comfort level.

9. Revert

A revert is a controlled 180-degree rotation of the board and your body while the wheels stay on the ground.

Reverts can be performed while riding forward, after a kickturn, or after landing certain tricks.

How to practice a revert

1. Start rolling slowly.
2. Bend your knees.
3. Shift your weight slightly.
4. Turn your shoulders in the direction of the rotation.
5. Allow the board to rotate beneath you.
6. Keep your feet over the bolts.
7. Ride away with control.

Practice on a smooth surface where your wheels can rotate easily without catching.

10. Caveman

The caveman is a fun beginner trick that involves holding the board in your hand, running or stepping forward, and jumping onto it while it rolls.

It’s a good way to practice timing, confidence, and landing with your feet positioned over the board.

How to practice a caveman

1. Hold the board by the nose or side.
2. Start moving forward slowly.
3. Drop the board onto the ground.
4. Jump onto the board with both feet.
5. Land with your knees bent.
6. Ride away with control.

Start at a slow speed and use a smooth, open area. A helmet is especially important when practicing tricks that involve jumping onto a moving board.

What to Learn Before Flip Tricks

Flip tricks are more advanced than the basic moves in this guide. If you want to learn skateboard flips, a skateboard flip, or your first kickflip, you’ll want to spend time mastering the basics first.

Before trying flip tricks, make sure you can comfortably:

• Ride and push without thinking about every movement
• Turn and kickturn with control
• Stop safely
• Maintain your balance while shifting your weight
• Perform a consistent ollie
• Land with both feet over the board
• Keep your body centered over the board

The ollie is especially important because it teaches you how to control the board while it leaves the ground. Once you understand that movement, you’ll have a stronger foundation for learning flip tricks.

What about grinds?

A grind is another advanced skateboarding technique that involves sliding part of your truck or board along a rail, ledge, or other surface.

Grinds require strong board control, balance, and an understanding of how to approach and land the trick safely. They’re best learned after you’ve developed solid skateboarding fundamentals and feel comfortable with ollies.

There’s no need to rush into flip tricks or grinds. Build your skills gradually and focus on landing the basics consistently first.

Tips for Improving Your Skateboarding Skills

Practice one trick at a time

Trying to learn too many tricks at once can make it difficult to understand what needs work. Choose one trick and spend several sessions practicing it.

Start on flat ground

Flat ground gives you more control and makes it easier to focus on your balance and technique.

Use small challenges

Create simple skateboarding challenges to keep your practice interesting:

• Ride farther without stepping off.
• Practice smoother turns.
• Hold a manual for one second longer.
• Land five controlled kickturns in a row.
• Practice riding fakie.
• Land a shuvit consistently.
• Work toward a small, controlled ollie.

Small goals make skateboarding improvement easier to track.

Build a skateboarding practice routine

A simple skateboarding practice routine might look like this:

1. Warm up for 5–10 minutes
   Ride around, push, turn, and get comfortable on your board.
2. Practice fundamentals for 10 minutes
   Work on balance, stopping, kickturns, and riding in both directions.
3. Focus on one trick for 15–20 minutes
   Choose one move and repeat it without rushing.
4. Finish with something familiar
   Ride around and practice a trick you already know.
5. Take notes on your progress
   Remember what felt better, what felt difficult, and what you want to practice next time.

Wear protective gear

A helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads can help reduce injuries while you learn. Skate shoes with a flat, supportive sole can also make it easier to control the board.

Don’t rush the progression

Skateboarding is a skill-based sport. Some tricks may click quickly, while others take weeks or months.

If you’re getting back into skateboarding, give yourself time to rebuild your confidence. You don’t have to skate at your old level immediately. Start where you are and work forward from there.

Skateboarding FAQs

What is the easiest skateboard trick to learn?

Tic-tacs, kickturns, manuals, and shuvits are all good beginner-friendly options. The easiest trick for you will depend on your balance, comfort level, and previous skateboarding experience.

What skateboard trick should I learn first?

Start with basic riding skills, then try tic-tacs or kickturns. Once you feel comfortable controlling your board, you can work toward manuals, shuvits, and eventually ollies.

Is the ollie hard to learn?

The ollie can take time because it combines several movements, including popping the tail, sliding the front foot, jumping, and landing. Start small and focus on control rather than height.

Should I learn an ollie before flip tricks?

Yes. The ollie is an important foundation for many flip tricks. Learning how to control the board in the air will make it easier to understand the timing needed for skateboard flips.

Are flip tricks beginner tricks?

Flip tricks are generally more advanced than basic skateboarding moves. It’s best to master riding, balance, turning, stopping, and ollies before trying tricks such as kickflips.

When should I learn grinds?

Grinds are best learned after you have strong board control and can consistently perform basic tricks. Start with the fundamentals before attempting rails, ledges, or other obstacles.

How long does it take to learn skateboarding tricks?

It depends on the trick, how often you skate, and your previous experience. A simple move may take a few sessions, while an ollie, flip trick, or grind may take much longer.

Do I need a special skateboard to learn tricks?

A traditional skateboard is generally the best choice for street tricks, skatepark riding, ollies, and flip tricks. Longboards and cruisers are designed more for cruising, carving, and transportation.

Keep Practicing

Whether you’re learning to skate for the first time or getting back into skateboarding and need a refresher, the fundamentals are always a good place to start.

Focus on balance, pushing, turning, stopping, and building confidence before moving on to more advanced skateboarding tricks. Once those skills feel natural, you can begin exploring ollies, flip tricks, grinds, and other skateboard freestyle moves.

Keep your practice consistent, give yourself manageable skateboarding challenges, and remember that improvement comes from riding regularly.

The more comfortable you become on your board, the more options you’ll have for where skateboarding can take you.