Learn the Heelflip — The Mirror Kickflip Trick You Must Master

You’ve got the kickflip down. The board flips, comes back, you almost land clean. Good. Now comes the heelflip. And that’s where it gets stuck. Not for the same reasons — for exactly opposite reasons. This guide breaks down every millimeter of this underrated trick that the best spot skaters have had in their bag for 30 years.

⏱ Reading: 5 min

The Mechanics: Heelflip vs. Kickflip

The heelflip is the inverse rotation of the kickflip. Where the kickflip rotates towards you (backside), the heelflip rotates outwards — heel to toe. The board makes a full rotation on its longitudinal axis, in the opposite direction.

It’s not just « the same trick on the other side. » The front foot movement is fundamentally different. For a kickflip, you flick down and out. For a heelflip, you push forward with your heel — a more linear flicking motion, less instinctive for most skaters. That’s what makes it a trick in its own right, not just a variation.

Brent Atchley, Jamie Thomas, Reynolds — the biggest heelflippers in skateboarding all have one thing in common: a clean, horizontal flick, never downwards. The energy goes forward, not towards the ground.

Foot Placement

Back foot: on the tail, slightly angled inwards. This is your ollie — nothing special here. Your back foot pops, period.

Front foot: this is where it all happens. Place your foot roughly in the middle of the board, slightly angled towards the nose. Your heel should hang off the heelside edge of the board slightly — a few centimeters, not a whole foot. This overhang is what will initiate the rotation when you push forward.

The classic mistake: placing your foot too far across or too far towards the nose. If you push from too far away, the board either kickflips or does nothing at all. If you push too close to the tail, the board goes up but doesn’t flip. Adjust millimeter by millimeter.

Step-by-Step Progression

1. Static First

Put the board on the ground, get your feet in position. Pop and only initiate the front foot movement. You don’t need speed or trajectory. The goal: understand the motion without thinking about landing. Repeat this 10 times, even without catching.

2. The Flipped Board, Grass or Carpet

Practice in the grass or on a soft surface. The fear of falling disappears, you focus on the movement. The goal: see the board flip cleanly before trying to catch it. If it doesn’t flip, your front foot is messing up — adjust the angle.

3. With Speed on Concrete

The heelflip in motion is simpler than static for many skaters. Speed gives the board amplitude and gives you more time to catch it. Start at a moderate speed — not too slow (the board falls on its wheels), not too fast (you lose control of the motion).

Common Mistakes

The Board Goes Sideways — « Heelflip Varial »

You push too much outwards instead of pushing forward. The motion should be horizontal — imagine you want to flatten something in front of you, not kick a ball sideways. If your board goes diagonally every time, your pushing angle is incorrect.

The Board Straightens Out Before Finishing the Flip

You catch too early. The heelflip is a trick you tend to want to catch before it’s finished. Let it complete its rotation. Lift yourself up, watch the board make a full rotation, then land your feet. Patience is the number one skill here.

Landing on the Board But Falling

Your feet aren’t centered. With a heelflip, instinct sends your body weight towards the heelside. Compensate by leaning slightly towards the toeside when landing. Balancing your weight on both feet simultaneously is the key to landing without the board slipping away.

Mindset and Consistency

The heelflip is the trick where most skaters give up. Not because it’s technically harder than the kickflip — but because they constantly compare it to their kickflip and get impatient. Your brain has to relearn an inverse motor pattern. That takes time, not talent.

Typical session: 20 minutes a day, 50 attempts. No marathon sessions trying for 3 hours and leaving frustrated. Progress comes from regularity. After a week of short, daily sessions, you’ll be surprised by your progress. And when you land your first clean heelflip, you’ll understand why the best skateboarding setups always include a shoe adapted to the flip game.

A consistent heelflip opens doors. The hardflip, the inward heelflip, the switch heelflip — all of that becomes accessible once you have the motion down. One trick, a dozen variations. Start now.