Not sure what a varial heelflip is? Don’t stress! Aaron Kyro is here to teach us not only what a varial heelflip is, but also the easiest way to learn and start landing them. Basically, the varial heelflip is a combination of two tricks; the frontside pop shove it, and the heelflip.

Tricks You Should Know

Before you start trying varial heelflips, it’s important to be very comfortable riding your skateboard. You should also know how to ollie, frontside and backside 180, Pop Shove It both ways, and heelflip. Being able to land all of these tricks will help you when you are learning the varial heelflip.

Foot Position

Place your front foot in the middle of the board with your toes hanging off slightly. For your back foot, you’ll need to position it in the heelside pocket of the tail, angling your heel towards your front foot just a bit. The heel of your back foot should be hanging off the board quite a bit, like an exaggerated frontside pop shove-it foot position. 

Body Position

Aaron refers to this as “getting in the back seat”. With many heelflip tricks, if you are leaning forward or are hunched over your board when you attempt the trick, you’ll likely jump forward with the board landing behind you. To correct this, especially for varial heelflips, you’ll want to keep your posture straight. As you bend down to pop the trick, instead of hunching over your board, lean back a little. This will help keep the board in front of you. Get in the back seat, pop the trick, flick your heel, catch the board with your front foot then roll away on the bolts. 

Practice Step

Aaron has developed a great practice step to build your confidence up for the varial heelflip. While stationary, stand on your board with your feet set up in the varial heelflip position. Next, pop the trick with your back foot and immediately plant your back foot on the ground. Make the board complete the varial heelflip rotation using your front foot. With your back foot still planted on the ground, try to catch and land the varial heelflip using only your front foot. After you’ve gotten a feel for this practice step, all you’ll need to do is bend your back knee, lift that foot off the ground and get it back on your board to land the trick and roll away. 

How to Varial Heelflip

1. Ride at a comfortable speed with your feet in the varial heelflip position.
2. Keep your posture straight, pop straight down, and shove forward slightly with your back foot.
3. With your front foot, kick forward, flicking your heel off the board near the front bolts/nose. 
4. Keep your knees bent as the board rotates, spot the griptape then catch the board with your front foot.
5. Bring it down, get your back foot on the bolts then roll away clean.