Activities Sports & Athletics What Makes Skateboarder Rodney Mullen So Great Print David Livingston/Getty Images Sports & Athletics Skateboarding Famous Skaters Basics Tutorials Baseball Bicycling Billiards Bodybuilding Bowling Boxing Car Racing Cheerleading Extreme Sports Football Golf Gymnastics Ice Hockey Martial Arts Professional Wrestling Skating Paintball Soccer Swimming & Diving Table Tennis Tennis Track & Field Volleyball Other Activities Learn More By Steve Cave Updated on 03/29/18 Known as the godfather of street skateboarding, Rodney Mullen is considered one of the best and most influential skateboarders in history. Having begun his professional career as a freestyler, he made his mark on the sport through the many tricks he invented and his work as an inventor and entrepreneur. Mullen is a member of the Skateboard Hall of Fame, and his board is part of the collection at the Smithsonian, where he received a professional fellowship. Born John Rodney Mullen in 1966 in Florida, he began skateboarding in 1974 at the age of 8 and began competing just three years later. He won his first world skateboard championship at the age of 14. He turned professional in 1980. Rodney Mullen's Skateboarding Style Mullen is easily the best street skateboarder the world has seen. His skateboarding style is comfortable and relaxed, making the incredible tricks he has done look light and simple. Mullen often smiled and laughed while pulling off trick after trick. He had an inventive, creative, confident and easy-going manner when he skated in competition. Among his favorite tricks are Front-Side Crooked Grind variations, particularly the Munkey Flip Out, or Nollie Hard Flip. He also likes Darkslides. Skateboarding Tricks That Rodney Mullen Invented Mullen revolutionized skateboarding with the tricks he invented, most notably the Flat-Ground Ollie, the Heelflip, the Kicklip, and the 360 Flip. Here are some of the other tricks he invented: Godzilla Rail Flip540 Shove-it50-50 Saran WrapHelipops (360 Nollie)GazellesNo Handed 50-50 KickflipDouble heelflipsOllie ImpossibleSidewinders360 Pressure FlipCasper 360 Flip50-50 SidewindersOne-Footed OllieBackside 180 FlipOllie NosebonesOllie FingerflipAirwalksFrontside Heelflip Shove-It Switchstance 360 flipsHelipop HeelflipsKickflip UnderflipCasper SlidesHalf Flip Darkslide540 Double KickflipCaballerial ImpossibleHalf-Cab Kickflip UnderflipHandstand flipsRusty slides Rodney Mullen Skateboarding Career Highlights In 1977, Rodney Mullen won the first freestyle contest he entered. He was just 11 years old. Other highlights of his career include: 1980— joined the Powell-Peralta Bones Brigade 1984, 85, 87, 88— featured in the Bones Brigade Videos 1-4 1988— appeared in the feature film "Gleaming the Cube" 1992— began World Industries with Steve Rocco 1990-2014— featured in videos by Plan B, A-Team, Globe, and Almost 2002— won the Transworld Readers' Choice Award for Skater of the Year 2002— created the Almost skateboard company 2003— wrote The Mutt: How to Skateboard and Not Kill Yourself Mullen lost only one freestyle contest. Ever. In his entire life. And in the contest he lost, he came in second, because he was sick. He's even won one vert contest. Personal History Rodney Mullen's father, a doctor, only allowed Rodney to skate if he always wore pads and would quit after his first serious injury. The younger Mullen avoided injury, obeyed his father, and got sponsored nine months after getting his own skateboard. Freestyle skateboarding faded from popularity, but Mullen took his creative skills and continued to be featured in skate videos even into his 50s. He no longer skates in competitions, but still skateboards two hours a day.