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Kickturns - How to Kickturn on a Skateboard

By Steve Cave, About.com Guide

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Kickturns - Frontside Turns

Now you are ready to actually kickturn. Stand on your skateboard with your back foot across the tail, and your front foot on or behind the front trucks. You can do this on carpet or pavement. If you start on carpet, then you should really try it on pavement soon, to avoid making any bad habits.

Just like with the balance exercise, you will want to shift your weight a little to the tail of your skateboard, and bring the nose up off the ground. Also, while the nose is in the air, you want to push the nose of the skateboard a little behind you. Do this by pushing or scooping back with your toes. You don't need to worry about turning very far, just try and turn a little.

Since you are turning with your front to the outside of the turn, this is a Frontside Kickturn.

At first, you will probably only turn a little. But, keep practicing. Notice how swinging your arms and hips helps. Do little kickturns until you turn in a complete circle. Then, do it again, but try and turn all the way around with as few kickturns as possible! Practice for a while, trying to beat your own records.

Once you can kickturn about 90 degrees or so, you can either keep practicing, or go to the next step:

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