Ramp tricks

1. Drop in

1. Place your back foot squarely across the tail. Your front foot should be across the bolts of the front truck.

2. The tail should be resting on the coping with the back wheels snug against the ramp.

3. Place all your weight on your front foot as you begin the drop in.

4. Press your weight onto your front leg and push the wheels down to make contact with the ramp.

5. Throughout the drop in, it is important to lean forward so that your weight stays centered with the board.

6. Stay low to the board in order to keep your balance.

7. Most people do not lean forward enough and slip out causing pain to the buttocks.

Key to remember: This trick requires that you push all your weight onto your front foot. Hesitation will almost always result in falling. So just go for it!

2. Rock to fakie

1. Approach the coping with your back foot flat on the tail and your front foot across the bottom bolts of the top truck.

2. Just before your wheels get to the coping, lift up slightly by putting weight on your back foot.

3. As your front wheels lift above the coping and you reach the high point, push the front wheels down on the deck of the halfpipe.

4. It is important that your wheels do not go by the coping but rather go farther onto the deck of the halfpipe.

5. When your front wheels touch down on the deck, immediately rock back on the tail to lift your front wheels. This action will take you back into the ramp.

6. Lean back into the ramp and keep your front wheels lifted until you clear the coping. Then press your front foot back down.

7. You want to have your weight over your back leg to avoid slipping out when your front wheels go up on the deck of the halfpipe and when you are coming back in.

Key to remember: Most skaters just hang their front wheels up on the coping and then unhook them thinking they have done the trick. It takes confidence to learn this trick the proper way and to not worry about hanging up on the coping when you rock back in.

3. Frontside 50-50 grind

1. Approach the coping at a very slight angle.

2. Your board should follow the transition up causing your front wheels to go into the air.

3. When your front wheels leave the ramp and your back wheels are within a few inches of the coping, turn your shoulders so that they are parallel with the coping.

4. Your back truck should lock into 50-50. Aim your front truck so that it lands on the coping as well.

5. When you turn your back truck onto the coping, be sure to stand up over the coping rather than lean back into the ramp.

6. The faster you approach the coping, the faster and longer you will grind.

7. As your grind slows down, put pressure on your back foot and slightly lift your front truck.

8. As your front truck lifts, turn your shoulders back into the transition.

9. Be sure to put pressure on your front foot so that your front wheels touch down on the ramp.

10. Lean forward as you come back in.

The key to this trick is to stand up over the coping as you turn into the 50-50 position.

4. Backside 50-50

1. Approach the coping at a slight angle.

2. Place your front foot over the top bolts on the front truck. Your back foot should be flat across the tail.

3. When you near the coping, lift your front truck so that your back truck can close in on the coping.

4. When you feel the back truck touch the coping, turn your front foot so that your front truck lands on the coping. As your front and back trucks engage the coping, stand up on your board so that you are over the coping.

5. The faster you approach the coping, the faster and longer you will grind.

6. When you slow or stop, keep your balance and lift your back foot. Your front truck should lift and turn back into the ramp.

The key to this trick is to stand up while putting pressure on your heels in order to lock onto the coping and keep from slipping out.

5. Feeble stall

1. Approach the coping as if you were doing a rock to fakie.

2. When your front truck nears the coping, lift slightly by putting pressure on your back foot.

3. As your front truck lifts, turn your shoulders 45 degrees and push your back foot so that your back truck stalls in feeble position.

4. When you are in feeble position, steady yourself and put pressure on your back foot. This will lift your front truck and turn you back into the transition.

5. Push your front wheels down on the ramp and lean forward to ensure balance.

Key to remember:

This trick is one of the easiest stalls on halfpipe because you do not have to worry about hanging up. It is also quite easy to get into the feeble position.

6. Frontside 5-0 grind

1. Before attempting this trick, it is important that you learn how to do frontside carves near the coping.

2. Drop in. Your front foot should be covering the bottom bolts of the front truck. Your back foot should be placed flatly on the tail.

3. Approach the coping at a slight angle.

4. As you near the coping, your front truck should begin rising above the coping. As you feel the back truck near the coping, turn your front foot and shoulders sharply so that your back is to the ramp.

5. The turning of your shoulders and front foot should cause your back truck to lock on the coping running parallel with it.

6. When your truck makes contact with the coping, place pressure on your back foot and hold your board in the 5-0 position.

7. Keep your weight centered over your back foot to ensure you don't slip out.

8. As you begin losing speed, turn your shoulder and feet in toward the ramp.

9. Drop your front foot and shoulder down into the transition for a safe ride away.

7. Backside 5-0

1. Approach the coping at a slight angle.

2. Have your front foot over the top bolts on your front truck. Your back foot should be flat across the tail.

3. When you near the coping, lift your front truck so that your back truck can close in on the coping.

4. When your back truck hits the coping, shift your weight to your back leg. This will keep your front truck from touching down.

5. Put pressure on your back heel to bring the board up and level on the coping.

6. You should be grinding now or at least stalled in 5-0 position.

7. Begin turning your shoulders and front foot back into the ramp.

8. Transfer your weight to your front foot and bend your legs as the front wheels contact the ramp.

8. Frontside lipslide

1. Approach the coping at an angle.

2. When your front wheels are within six inches of the coping, snap an ollie toward the coping.

3. As your board lifts off the ramp, suck up your feet and bend your legs. Rotate your shoulders so the board will land in lipslide position.

4. Land with the middle of the board on the coping.

5. If you stall, you should...