After learning how to ride and steer a skateboard, beginners often skip through the basic tricks and immediately jump on learning ollie. However, the ollie isn't beginner-friendly. You can try plenty of other tricks, especially if you're just starting skateboarding. 

In this blog post, we will share some basic skateboarding tricks you can try before jumping on intermediate and advanced ones. Plus, these tricks look cool without being too challenging to try. 

Without further ado, let's get started!

Hippie Jump

This trick is a perfect starting point when you're just starting with skateboarding. It's old school, as you can see from the name, and it got invented way before ollie. People just started jumping off their skateboards and seeing how high they could get.

To do the hippie jump, you need to do the following:

While riding, you need to jump and send your skateboard under an obstacle. It doesn't matter what obstacle it is, but it would be helpful if it isn't super high. Then, you just need to go over the obstacle and land back on your skateboard. 

Helpful tip: Make sure to land on the bolts. If you land too close on the tail or the nose, the skateboard could bounce and hit you!

Nose Stall

A nose stall is an example of a complicated trick, but it's easy. Plus, it looks so good that you won't be able to resist doing it. What do you need to do? Just roll up towards the obstacle, nice and easy, and lift the nose slightly. Once the nose is over the obstacle, apply a little pressure on it to stall. 

To stay in position, just continue applying pressure on the nose. When you land on the skateboard, it will automatically start rolling again in the opposite direction. 

Helpful tip: Like the hippie jump, start on a low obstacle and work your way up!

Caveman

Do you want to look like an expert skateboarder in front of your family and friends? Caveman is definitely the trick for you. Caveman is another easy trick you can do on a skateboard, even when you're inexperienced. 

To do this trick, simply hold your board's nose with your front hand and your thumb on the grip tape. Get a small running start and jump off the ground with your back foot, simultaneously swinging the board under your feet. Land with your feet on the bolts, and ride away clean.

Of course, learning the fundamentals of riding and steering your skateboard makes this trick easier, so master these before trying the caveman. 

Nose Pickup

The nose pickup is another beginner-friendly trick that looks pretty cool. Compared to the regular old pickup, which is pretty much just a standard way of kicking your board up into your hand, nose pickup is a cooler way of picking up your skateboard. 

To do this trick, take your back foot off while rolling smoothly. Then, pop down on the nose with your front foot. As the tail comes up behind you, you grab the board. 

Practice this one by putting your foot in the center of the nose, facing forward, and also make sure it's not too far on edge. And then you just use your ankle and your toes to press straight down and pop the board.

Helpful tip: Practice this while riding smoothly, not standing still, and you'll find it much easier!

Ollie Pickup

Like the nose pickup, ollie pickup is a trick to pick your skateboard up. For this one, you're riding regularly on your board and then pop the board up.

When you pop the board, it should almost be like you're going to do a nose grab, but you put your feet straight to the ground and just grab the board. 

When doing this trick, it doesn't matter if you know how to do ollie or not. Just remember to pop the board with enough force to get it up high enough. 

Bomb Drop

This is a trick that goes naturally with ollie pickup, so once you master that trick, you can start to practice bomb drop. 

To do a bomb drop, you want to lean back on the tail and let your board kick out. Practice this first, so you'll be comfortable enough to feel like you're not about to fall down and go backward. 

Once the board pops up, land on your two feet and grab the board with your hand. Then, while keeping your steps to the minimum, give your board a little swing (like a pendulum) and jump high enough to get back on it.

Helpful tip: Keep the board low while holding it, so you're not jumping nearly as high!

Firecracker

Who said that riding a skateboard doesn't include stairs? With a firecracker, you can ride your skateboard while going downstairs!

The first thing you need to do is to master your manuals on flat ground. A firecracker is basically a manual downstairs, so you can do this trick once you've got your manuals. 

The hardest part of the firecracker is not necessarily the trick itself but committing yourself to do the first one. 

Helpful tip: There's going to be a mental barrier that you'll have to overcome to land this trick, so make sure that you're prepared for that.

Conclusion

Skateboarding is a fun, exciting sport and a great way to exercise and release some stress. If you're an absolute beginner, make sure to practice safely and, if necessary, wear some protective gear such as a helmet. 

Like most people, you've probably seen someone doing a trick or two and wondered how they did it. Maybe you've tried a trick yourself but couldn't maintain good form. It's normal to feel unsure about your skills, but practicing skateboarding will help you understand how to improve. So, get your board and get skating!