2020 has certainly proved to be a difficult year so far, but we’re about to make things a little more simple for you. It’s the year of the Pop Shove It as far as we’re concerned, and everyone’s favorite sponsored skateboarder from the San Francisco Bay area, Aaron Kyro, is here to break down this trick in the easiest ways possible. 

Before you throw the “pop” into your shove it, first you should learn how to do the basic shove it. In order to do a shove it, you’ll need to become comfortable riding your skateboard. Once you feel confident riding your board, the next trick you should learn is the shove it. Set your front foot on the board just below the front bolts, angling it slightly like you would for a kickflip. With your back foot on the tail, you’ll need to curl your toes over the toeside edge of the board and push straight back. When you do this motion, your front foot will lift off the board ever so slightly to help guide the board’s backside rotation. There is no popping involved here. Scoop backwards on the tail, lift your front foot slightly to allow the board to rotate, then get both feet on the board to land. If you’re still having trouble committing to the landing, try to shove it then step off with your back foot and only land with your front foot. Your front foot should stay flat and barely leave the board, acting as a point of control to keep the board level.

Now that you’re comfortable with landing your shove its consistently, it’s time to start learning how to pop shove it. 

Dip that Ankle!

With your shove its on lock, adding in the pop to this trick will be relatively easy. The only thing you’ll be doing differently with your back foot is adding in a slight downward dip of your ankle. Your ankle will dip down as your foot pops and scoops back for the pop shove it. It’s a very specific motion; down and back. Then, the board pops up, your front foot hovers just over the board to keep it steady, you catch it with your front foot then drop it down, land on the bolts, bend your knees, then roll away… FIRST TRY!

Practice Step

Similar to the shove it practice step, pop the trick, step off with your back foot and land the pop shove it with only your front foot. After popping, plant your back foot on the ground to  help you get the feel for popping the trick and catching it with your front foot. Your front foot should stay flat and very close to the board to help control the rotation. 

Nigel’s Pop Shove It 

this level of pop shove it wizardry, you can start adding some style to the trick. Want to learn how to Pop Shove It like Nigel Jones? Check out the video below for an in-depth explanation from the Pop Shove It master himself, where he goes over his boosted pop shove its, his quick pop shove its, and his steezy pop shove its. 

How to Pop Shove It

1. Ride at a comfortable speed with your feet in the pop shove it position
2. Pop with your back foot, dipping your ankle down and back.
3. As the board rotates, hover over it with your front foot
4. Catch the board with your front foot
5. Land on the bolts and roll away.

Get comfortable riding your skateboard, learn the shove it, try the practice step, and you’ll be doing Pop Shove Its in no time. Learn them on flat ground, try them down stairs and over gaps, and take them to the streets! Remember, the most important part of learning any skateboarding trick is to have fun. Now get out there and land some Pop Shove Its!