Freebording is a great sport and as more and more riders freebord learn how to carve up the world, new tricks are coming out of the woodwork. Some are variations on old tricks in skateboarding, some come from the snowy slopes, and some can only be done on a freebord. The following is a list of the 10 best basic tricks with instructions for how to pull them off.
Basic Freebord Tricks
Frontside 180 – Rolling ahead at a decent speed, ease backward taking some of your weight off the edge wheels and push forward with your trailing leg. Follow through until you’ve completed the revert. Now your previous leading leg should be trailing and the trailing leg should be leading.
Frontside/Backside Overslide – The frontside and backside overslides are similar to the 180s but instead of following through with the motion until you’ve rotated a full 180 degrees, ease off halfway through the trick and maintain a freebord position horizontal to you path of travel. Basically, you’re using the caster wheels as the main support for your body weight but keeping the rear or forward edge wheels (depending on whether you’re ripping a frontside or backside) for balance. You might feel a tendency for the freebord to continue the 180 motion so you have to “push back” against the freebord then maintain the horizontal position by alternating the “push” motions. Whenever you use the fronstide edge wheels be extremely cautious not to put too much weight on them. That will cause them to catch and your body’s momentum will put you face first into the asphalt.
Press – simply lean back, taking some of your body weight off the front of the freebord and transferring it to the back. This will lift the front of the freebord off the ground, keeping the two rear edge wheels and the rear center wheel on the ground for stability. Take it slowly or you’ll go end up.
The Manual – Take the Press a little higher and you’ll go into a manual. This move lifts the rear center wheel right off the ground and puts all of your weight on the two rear edge wheels. Use your leading foot/leg for balance to keep the freebord from dropping down onto its tail.
Nose Press/Nose Manual – Reverse the motions of the Press and Manual to achieve a Nose Press and a Nose Manual. These moves may be a little more difficult because the majority of your body weight will be over the leading edge of the freebord. Be especially careful not to let the lip of the freebord hit the ground and watch out for cracks in the pavement, loose stones, or other hazards as any sudden decrease in momentum will send you off the leading edge of the freebord.
Frontside Nose Pivot – This move can be used to rotate your lead leg to the rear or your trailing leg to the front. To execute it, transfer some weight to the front of your freebord, as if you were attempting a Press or Manual. Then, push forward with your trailing leg quickly once the rear wheels of the freebord clear the ground. This will cause the freebord to “spin” on the front three wheels and reverse the freebord’s direction.
Backside Nose Pivot – This trick starts off the same as the Frontside but instead of pushing forward with the trailing leg, push backward.
Ollie – If you’ve ever skateboarded before, you know what an Ollie is. Essentially, it’s a bunny hop with a board. You lift the frontside of the board up and as that starts to drop, you bring the backside up. Ollies are an essential trick to learn as they gift you the gift of air and can be used to transition between uneven surfaces. Ollies on a freebord are a little easier than on a skateboard because you have the bindings to help “pull” the board up. Essentially, you squat (with knees bent) and then explode upward with your leading leg extending slightly before your trailing leg. Practice Ollies at slow speeds first because landing one gets harder the faster your going.
Jump 180 – this move lets you get your freebord reversed off the pavement. Bend your knees, explode upward and as your freebord wheels clear the ground spin your legs round in a circular motion (pushing forward with your trailing leg and backward with your leading leg). Reverse the push directions to complete a backside jump 180.
Standstill Spin – Start from a stationary position (hence the standstill) and bend your knees slightly. Explode upward but not so much as to lift your freebord off the ground. At the same time, push forward with your trailing foot and backward with your leading foot. This will take just enough of the weight off your edge wheels to cause the center wheels to slide. The pushing motion brings the freebord around in a circle. At the same time, twist your body to match the motion of your feet. This move can be terminated in a 180, 360, or even 720.
Advanced Tricks Await You!
These are just some basic tips to get started. Once you understand the physics of freebording, you can move on to more complex tricks, like Coleman slides, rails, and more. Go out and learn how to shred your world, but always ride carefully and wear protective gear!