How to Varial Heelflip on a Skateboard (Video and Images)

Most people learn the varial kickflip and forget about the heelflip, it is a fantastic trick, and you should definitely know how to do it if you like to play a game of skate. You can learn all basic moves without knowing any other tricks, but the varial heelflip requires more knowledge which makes it a perfect next step after you have learned the basics.

It's a trick that looks intimidating, but it's just a new trick; it won't be any harder to learn varial heelflips than it was to learn the heelflip. Learning this trick gives you the feeling that it's possible to learn any trick on the skateboard; it is not the hardest skateboard trick, but you are definitely not a beginner anymore if you know how to do a varial heelflip.

What is a Varial Heelflip

The varial kickflip combines two basic tricks: the frontside shove it from frontside pop shove-it and the rotation from a heelflip.

You need to at least know how to do both pop shove-it and heelflip before you attempt to learn the varial heelflip, it is possible to learn it without having the basics, but it is a waste of time and will make the trick way more complicated than it needs to be.

The varial heelflip is the perfect trick to learn if you are done with the basics and want to move on to more advanced tricks.

How to Varial Heelflip on a Skateboard

The motion of the varial heelflip looks complicated, but it's actually simple. You simply need to pop with your back foot as you do in F/S pop-shove-it and flick the board with your front foot as you do in a heelflip.

Doing the foot movements at the start will probably feel unnatural, but this will quickly fade as you practice. Let's take a look at the different steps. I will explain how to do the trick in a regular stance; it is the same for goofy if you mirror it.

Foot Position

This step should be simple, place your back foot like you would do an F/S pop shove-it and your front foot as you would do a heelflip. Your bodyweight should be in the center of the board to keep the board parallel to the ground.

Body Position and Focus

Your body position should be sideward. Make sure that your shoulders align with the board, and look around your front foot area. It is harder to pop on a varial heelflip, so place your body weight a little more towards the tail to make popping easier.

Back Foot Motion

You simply need to pop your tail like when you F/S pop-shove-it. If you struggle with your back foot, try to warm up with some pop shove-its.

Front foot Motion

You also flick your front foot like when doing a heelflip. The timing is very similar to a regular heelflip, so it should feel natural if you are used to doing heelflips. You flick right before the board starts to rotate.

Catching the Board

Look at the nose of the board as you are in the air and catch it as it has done the rotation is complete. You need to stay directly above the board as you are in the air to catch it, so remember to stay centered as you do the trick.

How to Practice Varial Heelflip

You need to have both F/S pop-shove-it and heelflip down, so practice the two tricks if you feel like you can do them better.

It is better to practice while moving since this will prepare you to perform it while cruising or on obstacles, but you can do it while standing still if it feels too sketchy.

Find a flat area that is large enough, and it is too small if you don't have time to get in the correct position as you prepare. Start at a low comfortable speed, and there is no reason to go fast in the beginning.

Try to varial flip over small obstacles after you get the trick down; it's easier to measure the height, and you get more control over the trick if you can master this. Remember to use safety gear as you practice since it is easy to hurt yourself while trying new tricks.

Safety Gear

It is easy to hurt yourself while trying new tricks, so make sure that you are properly protected while riding. It is most important that you use a helmet, but I also recommend using wrist guards; you often land on your wrists when falling, and they can get easily damaged, so take extra care of them.

Conclusion

The varial heel is the combination of an F/S pop shove-it and a regular heelflip. You should know how to do both before attempting to learn the varial heelflip.

Your front foot should be in the same position as when you heelflip, and your back foot in the shove-it position. It is important to face your upper body sideways but a little to the side to aid the flip.

The pop is the same as when you F/S pop shove-it, and the flick is the same as the heelflip. Flick with the same timing as you do when you kickflip. Stay centered over the board and catch the board in the air.

Practice slow and try to do the trick over obstacles as you start to land it consistently. Remember to use safety gear as you practice; it is easy to hurt yourself when you practice new tricks.