Why do skaters call it pressure flip? The name says it all.
"It's a console game trick! It's a kid's maneuver! You can't drag that tail for so long!"
You've probably heard that already. Pressure flips are not consensual, which is why they're great.
Although it is one of those somewhat controversial tricks among the skateboarding community, the pressure flip will really help you with other advanced maneuvers.
The trick's name tells us that one must apply all the weight and pressure to flip the board. Easy, right?
The pressure flip is one of those skate tricks where your back foot does most of the job, i.e., more than 90 percent of the move.
"In a pressure flip, the rear foot scoops the tail toward your backside so that the board does a 180 and half a heelflip," notes Per Welinder, author of "Mastering Skateboarding."
"All this motion comes from the scooping motion of the rear foot - also, your heel will have nothing to do with it."
The result is a mix of a pop shove-it with a heelflip, courtesy of an extremely hard push-down.
The goal is to make the board go forward and rotate at an angle before catching it with your front foot.
So, you'll pop on the side of your tail to make the board begin to spin along its axis.
One of the most common issues when trying to land your first pressure flip is that the board will keep shooting toward your groin.
So, the challenge is to keep it away from your body and allow the board to complete the rotation freely.
To get things started, practice the flip part by stepping off with your front foot - repeat it dozens of times to gain muscle memory before trying to land the whole maneuver.
Pressure Flip 101
Remember that your back foot toes should be halfway off the board and behind the rear wheels in order to generate maximum pop.
Here's how to perform a pressure flip:
- Push on your skateboard at low to medium speed;
- Adopt a low, ollie-style stance and body posture;
- Keep your back foot near the tail's edge and point your lead foot more toward the nose of the board;
- Scoop your back foot;
- Bend your back knee;
- Elevate your front foot and get it out of the board's way;
- Allow the board to bounce out toward your backside and complete the rotation;
- Catch the skateboard with your front foot;
- Put your back foot back on the deck;
- Land and roll away;
Make sure you lean back on your back truck before popping the board.
The only thing your front foot needs to do is get out of the way while the skateboard performs the rotation.
Some skaters prefer to learn the impossible trick before throwing themselves into the pressure flip.
Last but not least, tighten your trucks to increase pop power and help you flip the board as it should.
Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com