How to Frontside Boardslide

A lot of people are scared of frontside boardslides at first, because it feels like sliding backward. It’s really not that hard. I find them easier than backside boardslides. I’m teaching these on a box because that’s what I have, but I’ll point out where a rail is different.

Before you start

You’ll need an ollie that gets you onto whatever you’re sliding. Start with something low.

Foot position

It doesn’t matter too much. You’re probably trying it on something low, so you don’t need a lot of pop. The one thing to pay attention to: when you land in the slide, your back foot should be on the tail.

Step 1: Clip the end

The easiest way to start is to just hit the end of the box.

1. Come at the box at a pretty good angle.
2. Ollie and spin the board so it lands across the edge. Don’t spin your whole body. Keep your shoulders straight and look over your shoulder.
3. Start to slide. As soon as your front wheels clear the end, slide off the corner.
4. Bring the board back around and land.

That’s what makes boardslides easy. All you do is turn the board, slide, and turn it back.

Why the board turns on a box

On a box, the wheels slide really slowly and the deck slides really fast. Try to keep as much weight as you can toward the tail. Even then, the wheels drag and the board slowly turns as you slide. So when you’re learning, land a little sideways and let it even out as you go.

Step 2: Land farther back

Once you’re comfortable clipping the end, land farther back on the box. Land a little sideways, let it even out slowly, then put weight on the tail and slide off the corner.

The farther back you go, the harder it gets on a box. You’re never really stable. You’re tipping on the edge, and your wheels are just dragging a little without any weight on them. You start falling off pretty much as soon as you land. The trick is timing: land so the board straightens out and you start to fall off right as you reach the end. Then pull it around and land. That only comes with practice. Start at the end and work your way back.

If you have a rail, use that instead. It’s a lot easier.

Troubleshooting

Coming out crooked

Face forward more. The wheels slide slower and turn you on their own, so you don’t need to spin much going in. Tip the board a little ahead of you, get it sliding, and it pulls itself around.

Coming out fakie

It’s really hard to land fakie off a box. If you want to try, give it one last push backward at the end so your wheels clear, then land in a pivot. A true fakie boardslide means spinning with the board so you’re actually sliding backward, but that’s more of a flat bar and rail trick.

What’s next

Try the noseslide or the crooked grind on the same box.