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

The varial kickflip is usually the start of learning more advanced flat-ground moves. You can learn all basic moves without knowing any other tricks, but the varial kickflip 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 than it was to learn the kickflip. 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 no longer a beginner if you know how to do a varial kickflip.

What is a Varial Kickflip

The varial kickflip is a combination of two basic tricks, and it uses the shove from pop shove-it and the rotation from a kickflip.

You need to at least know how to do both pop shove-it and kickflip before you attempt to learn the varial kickflip, 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 kickflip 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 Kickflip on a Skateboard

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

It will probably feel unnatural to do the foot movements at the start, 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 a pop shove-it and your front foot as you would do a kickflip. Your body weight should be in the center of the board to keep the board parallel to the ground.

Body Position and Focus

Your body position is important to make the board flip correctly. Turn your body towards the nose as you do for a pop shove-it but a little to the side to aid the flip. Focus around the nose area of the board while practicing.

Back Foot Motion

You simply need to pop your tail the same way you do when you pop shove-it. Try to warm up with some pop shove-its if you struggle with your back foot.

Front foot Motion

You also flick your front foot the same as when you do a kickflip. The timing is very similar to a regular kickflip, so it should feel natural if you are used to doing kickflips. 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 Kickflip

You need to have both pop shove-it and kickflip 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 large enough; if it is too small, you don't have time to get in the right 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; 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 kickflip is the combination of a pop shove-it and a regular kick flip, and you should know how to do both before attempting to learn the varial kickflip.

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

The pop is the same as when you pop shove-it, and the flick is the same as the kickflip. 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, and it is easy to hurt yourself when you practice new tricks.