Skateboarding is finally set to make its debut in the upcoming Olympic Games which will hopefully take place next summer in 2021. This means there are more eyes on skateboarding than ever before and we’re expecting a huge amount of people wanting to learn how to skateboard. What better way  to get started with your skateboarding career than by having a sponsored skateboarder from the San Francisco Bay area, a.k.a Aaron Kyro, show you how to frontside 180? There is no better way, so let’s get right into it!

Foot Position

Place your front foot on the board below the front bolts, similar to the foot position for an ollie. Place your back foot in the middle of the tail with the ball of your foot near the heel-side pocket of the tail for a solid pop to your frontside 180. 

Popping the FS 180

Now that you have your feet set up properly, you’ll need to pop the trick. As you bend down to pop, try not to push down with your entire leg to pop the trick. This is a common mistake with not only frontside 180s but ollies as well. Instead, activate your ankle joint by pressing downward with your back foot on the tail as you pop and jump. Your upper body need to start turning frontside as you pop the trick. This will cause your legs and hips to follow your head and shoulders as you rotate the 180.

A Quick Breakdown of the FS 180

Ride at a comfortable speed. With your feet in the frontside 180 position, pop the board with your back foot. Remember to start turning your shoulders frontside as you pop. Drag your front foot like an ollie to bring the board up into the air. Your back leg then starts coming forward and your back foot will help push the board around to get the 180 rotation. Then, you land it and roll away switch…FIRST TRY!

Alternative Methods

There’s more than one way to do a frontside 180 so, Aaron decided to cover as many different variations as possible to show you all the different ways you can do this trick. Some of these frontside 180 methods will be harder for beginners but, some of these methods may help unlock the frontside 180 for you, so give them a try!

Frontside Pivot Method
This isn’t the recommended method for learning frontside 180s, but it may help you understand how to rotate your shoulders if you’re struggling. For the frontside pivot method simply ollie, land on the nose, then quickly pivot the frontside 180 rotation. You may find it easier to begin rotating your shoulders before you land on the nose. This way, when you do land on the nose, your legs should instinctively follow your upper body.

Small Pop Method
This method almost feels like a frontside shove it with your body following the board’s rotation. For the small pop method, focus less on getting a good pop to your frontside 180 and focus more on turning your upper body as quickly as possible. Follow the same steps as a regular frontside 180, taking some power off your pop and instead rotating your body early, and fast. This will result in a quick and low frontside 180. 

How to Frontside 180

1. Ride at a comfortable speed, and set your feet up in the frontside 180 position
2. Pop the board with your back foot, turning your head and shoulders frontside as you pop.
3. Drag your front foot up the board like an ollie, while your back foot brings the board around.
4. Land on the bolts and roll away switch.

For an in-depth explanation of the trick, including amazing slow-motion footage, common issues and important and helpful practice steps, check out our video below! In this updated tutorial, Aaron Kyro walks us through everything we need to know to land a frontside 180. 

Now get out there and SKATE!