How to Semi Flip

A quarter kickflip caught with your back foot, then flicked into a late varial heelflip. A Rodney Mullen classic.

The semi flip is a Rodney Mullen trick from the 90s. You might recognize the name from the special trick in Tony Hawk 4. You do about a quarter of a kickflip (a semi flip), catch the board with your back foot, then flick it forward so it does a 1 1/4 late varial heelflip. I’m lumping the back foot varial heelflip in with it, because the technique is very similar. Some of mine barely flip at all before the late part, so it’s tough to call it a separate trick. But it’s been called the semi flip for a long time, so that’s what I’m going with.

Before you start

You need a solid kickflip. Unless you’ve done a lot of late tricks, this one is going to feel weird. If you’re having trouble with the feeling of catching the board on your toe and throwing it, learn the kickback first. More on that below.

Foot position

You can tweak this to your own preference. You’re only doing a tiny bit of a kickflip, but the pause before the late part feels like forever, so set up where you can flick quickly.

Front foot: in a quick kickflip position.
Back foot: on the tip of the tail. You’re only popping straight. All the flip and spin come after you’re in the air. It helps me to tip my back foot forward a little, so I get into position for the late part quicker.

How to semi flip

1. Pop a straight kickflip

Start with a straight kickflip. Flick it hard, a lot harder than you’d think, like you’re doing a double flip.

Pop it completely straight. Starting the board frontside like a hardflip doesn’t help at all. It makes it a lot harder to get the late part to catch on your foot. The kickflip direction is there so the board is going the opposite way and you can really push it.

2. Wait

Now you wait for what feels like three hours. If you watch it back frame by frame, it’s a couple of frames. But it feels like forever, and this timing is the hardest part of the whole trick.

Unfortunately, the semi flip can make you look like you’ve never touched a skateboard. If you pop, start to flick and then do the late part way too early, you’ll throw your foot out and fall all over the place. When you actually land one, it looks pretty cool.

3. Catch it on your toe and throw it forward

Point your back toe down. Your plan is to catch the board on the top of your toe, around the middle of the tail area. Not really on the tail, but not on the middle of the board either. Catching it there gives you the spin and the flip at the same time.

The board flips into your foot, and you throw it forward. Flick mostly forward, a little bit out ahead of you. If you’re getting too much flip and not enough spin, or the other way around, adjust that angle.

Getting the board to come around is really not that tough. It’s such an unknown trick that you’d expect it to be hard. The hard part is getting over all the weird new feelings.

4. Get your back foot back on

The toughest thing at this point is getting your back foot back to the board. You popped straight, kicked forward late, and now your foot is way out there. You have to bring it back and land on it while also keeping your eye on the flip. You might land and find that only the tip of your heel is on the board. That comes with practice.

Your front foot can get in the way sometimes too, especially if yours go more vertical. Keeping your front foot way up and out of the way makes a big difference.

Troubleshooting

Over-spinning

My biggest problem with this one is too much spin. With my back foot pointed forward and my front foot sideways, I tend to face the side a little and over-flick it. It does 270 and I land sideways. Work on the angle.

Too much height

Height is kind of a problem on this trick. If you pop your kickflip really high, by the time it gets a quarter of the way around, you’re already far off the ground. You want to catch it slow and pull it with you as you flick.

Learn the kickback

If you can’t get the feeling of catching the board on your toe and throwing it forward, take a minute to learn the kickback, an old school freestyle trick. Stand with your front foot on the bolts and your back foot in the middle, put a lot of pressure on the board and pop it. As it starts to flip, catch it on your toe and throw it forward. It’s a lot like the semi flip, and it probably inspired it in the first place. It’s not that tough.

You might land them in kick turns for a while. With practice, you’ll get them clean.

What’s next

If you like late flips, the shove it underflip is a good one to try next.

Semi Flip FAQ

What is a semi flip?

A Rodney Mullen trick from the 90s. You do about a quarter of a kickflip, catch the board with your back toe and flick it forward so it does a 1 1/4 late varial heelflip.

Is a semi flip the same as a late varial heelflip?

The technique is very similar. Some semi flips barely flip at all before the late part, so it's tough to call it a separate trick, but it's been called the semi flip for a long time.

What's the hardest part of the semi flip?

The timing. The pause between the kickflip and the late part feels like forever, even though it's a fraction of a second. Go late too early and you'll throw your foot out and fall.

What trick helps me learn the semi flip?

The kickback, an old school freestyle trick. You catch the board on your toe and throw it forward, a lot like the late part of a semi flip.

Skate at your own risk. Wear a helmet and pads, and work up to tricks at your own pace. Terms