skateboarding is more than just a sport, but also a rich and diverse culture. For this reason, the sport is full of specific terms that describe its maneuvers, practice styles and much more.
Since its origins in California in the 1950s, skateboarding has spread around the world, evolving and influencing the lives of millions of people;
To better understand how the sport works, however, you need to know what each of its terms mean. So we created the glossary of skate with a list and explanation of the most important words in the sport, which is now Olympic.
Among the terms you’ll learn in the glossary of skateboarding are aerial, backside, flip, half-pipe, ollie, shape and much more. Check it out!
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Skateboarding glossary: complete list
- Aéreo
- Backside
- Base
- Curb
- Drop-in
- Fakie
- Flip
- Frontside
- Grind
- Half-pipe
- Heelflip
- Kickflip
- Manual
- Nose
- Ollie
- Rail
- Ramp
- Revert
- Rock to Fakie
- Roll-in
- Shape
- Shuvit
- Slide
- Smith Grind
- Stance
- Switch
- Tail
- Transition
- Truck
- Vert
Skateboarding glossary: learn more about the terms
Aerial
An aerial is a maneuver in which the skater jumps into the air, usually using the edge of the ramp or half-pipe to gain momentum. Aerials can include a variety of tricks performed while the skater is still in the air.
Backside
Backside is the name given to the direction of movement or execution of maneuvers in which the skater turns his back to the direction of the movement or obstacle. It is the opposite of “frontside”.
Base
The base of the skateboard consists of the set of trucks, wheels and bearings that are mounted on the shape. It is essential for the stability and control of the skateboard.
Curb
Curb is the name of any edge of a sidewalk or elevated surface that skateboarders use to perform maneuvers such as grinds and slides.
Drop-in
The technique of entering a ramp or half-pipe, usually starting from an elevated position, is called drop-in. The skater tilts the skateboard forward and goes down the ramp.
Fakie
Fakie is a position in which the skater rides backwards, i.e. with the dominant foot on the back of the skateboard, but still maintaining the normal orientation of the skateboard.
Flip
Any maneuver in which the skateboard spins in the air is called a flip. There are various types of flips, such as kickflips and heelflips, depending on how the skater performs the spin.
Frontside
Frontside is the direction of movement or execution of maneuvers in which the skater turns the front of their body towards the direction of the movement or obstacle. It is the opposite of backside.
Grind
A grind is a maneuver in which the skater slides over an edge or rail with the skateboard’s trucks. There are different types of grinds, such as 50-50, nosegrind and tailslide.
Half-pipe
The half-pipe is a U-shaped structure used to perform aerial maneuvers and transitions. It is one of the most iconic ramps in skateboarding.
Heelflip
Heelflip is a maneuver in which the skater uses the heel to turn the skateboard on a horizontal axis, making it spin like in a kickflip, but in the opposite direction.
Kickflip
Kickflip is a trick in which the skater kicks the edge of the skateboard to make it spin horizontally while in the air. It is one of the most basic and fundamental tricks.
Manual
Manual is a technique in which the skater rides with only two wheels touching the ground, balancing on the rear (manual) or front (manual nose) trucks.
Nose
The front part of the skateboard shape, which is usually higher than the back (tail), is called the nose. It is used in many maneuvers, such as nosegrinds and noseslides.
Ollie
Ollie is the basic maneuver in which the skateboarder jumps into the air without holding the shape. It is the foundation for many other maneuvers.
Rail
Any tubular structure that skateboarders use to perform grinds and slides is called a rail. It can be found in skate parks and even on the streets.
Ramp
A ramp is an inclined surface used to gain speed and perform aerial maneuvers. Ramps come in many shapes and sizes, from quarter pipes to mega ramps.
Revert
The revert is a maneuver in which the skater rotates their body and skateboard 180 degrees on the ground without taking the wheels off the surface. It is often used to reposition the skater after a trick.
Rock to Fakie
Rock to fakie is a maneuver performed on ramps in which the skater goes over the edge with the front wheels, touches the deck with the shape and goes backwards (fakie).
Roll-in
Similar to drop-in, roll-in has a more gradual approach. The skater rolls into the ramp or makes a transition in a more controlled manner.
Shape
Shape is the wooden board on which the skateboarder places his feet. Shapes come in different sizes and shapes and are adapted to different styles of skateboarding.
Shuvit
The shuvit is a maneuver in which the skater rotates the skateboard 180 degrees horizontally while the body remains in the same direction. There are variations such as pop shuvit and 360 shuvit.
Slide
Slide is a maneuver in which the shape of the skateboard slides over a surface. There are several types of slide, such as boardslide, lipslide and noseslide.
Smith Grind
The smith grind is a grind maneuver where the rear truck slides over the edge while the front of the shape is tilted down. It’s an advanced and stylish trick.
Stance
The position of the feet on a skateboard is called stance. Regular (left foot forward) or goofy (right foot forward), the stance influences how the skater performs maneuvers.
Switch
Switching is the act of walking or performing maneuvers with the position of the feet opposite to the skater’s natural position.
Tail
The tail is the back of the skateboard shape. It is generally less raised than the nose and is used in many maneuvers, such as ollies and tailgrabs.
Transition
Any curved surface used to connect different levels of a ramp or skate park is called a transition. Transitions allow for a variety of fluid and aerial maneuvers.
Truck
Truck is the T-shaped metal component mounted on the shape that holds the wheels. Trucks are essential for grind maneuvers and skateboard stability.
Vert
Short for vertical, vert is the name given to ramps and half-pipes that have an almost vertical slope. Vert skateboarding focuses on aerial maneuvers and transitions.
Skateboarding glossary: complete list
- Aéreo
- Backside
- Base
- Curb
- Drop-in
- Fakie
- Flip
- Frontside
- Grind
- Half-pipe
- Heelflip
- Kickflip
- Manual
- Nose
- Ollie
- Rail
- Ramp
- Revert
- Rock to Fakie
- Roll-in
- Shape
- Shuvit
- Slide
- Smith Grind
- Stance
- Switch
- Tail
- Transition
- Truck
- Vert
Skateboarding glossary
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