30 Must-Know Skateboarding Terms, Phrases and Slang

Hop on the deck and get ready to roll!

Skateboarding isn’t just about epic tricks and wicked flips—it’s an entire culture, with a language all its own.

Wanna shred with the best and talk the talk at the skate park?

Master these 30 essential skateboarding terms and blend in with the locals.

Kick-push your way into the skater’s circle—let’s grind through the jargon together!

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Must-Know Skateboarding Terms, Phrases and Slang:

1. Axle
2. Bearings
3. Deck
4. Grip tape
5. Kickflip
6. Ollie
7. Pop shove-it
8. Rail
9. Ramp
10. Skate park
11. Stance
12. Trucks
13. Vert
14. Wheel bite
15. Half-pipe
16. Manual
17. Nosegrind
18. Push
19. Quarter pipe
20. Regular
21. Goofy
22. Slide
23. Tailslide
24. Grind
25. Heelflip
26. Backside
27. Frontside
28. Lip
29. Fakie
30. Drop in

#1 Axle

The axle is the metal rod that runs through the skateboard’s wheels, allowing them to rotate freely. It’s a critical part of the trucks, which connect the wheels to the deck of the skateboard.

#2 Bearings

Bearings are small, typically metal, mechanisms inserted into the wheels to reduce friction and enable smooth rotation. The quality of bearings affects the speed and smoothness of a skateboard’s ride.

#3 Deck

The deck is the flat, usually wooden, board that forms the main body of the skateboard where riders stand. Its shape and construction affect skateboard performance and suitability for various skateboarding styles.

#4 Grip tape

Grip tape is a granular, adhesive sheet applied to the top surface of a skateboard deck. It provides traction and helps skaters keep their feet in place while performing tricks and maneuvers.

#5 Kickflip

The kickflip is a fundamental skateboarding trick where the rider ollies and then uses their front foot to flip the board 360 degrees along its long axis. Landing back on the deck completes the trick.

#6 Ollie

An ollie is a fundamental skateboarding trick where the rider pops the tail of the board to lift themselves and the board into the air. It’s the foundation for many other advanced tricks.

#7 Pop shove-it

A skateboarding trick where the skateboarder snaps the tail of the board to lift it into the air (pop) while simultaneously shoving the board 180 degrees underfoot. The board spins in a flat horizontal rotation, and the rider lands back on the board after it completes the rotation.

#8 Rail

In skateboarding, a rail typically refers to a metal or wooden bar used for grinding tricks. Rails can be found in skate parks or as part of street skating environments. Skaters perform various tricks by sliding the skateboard along the rail.

#9 Ramp

A sloped surface found in skateparks used by skateboarders to gain momentum and perform aerial tricks. Ramps come in various shapes, including quarter pipes, half-pipes, and banks, each providing different opportunities for tricks.

#10 Skate Park

A purpose-built recreational environment for skaters, with a variety of obstacles like ramps, rails, and bowls designed to challenge skills and foster the progression of skateboarding techniques. Skate parks can be public or private, indoor or outdoor.

#11 Stance

The position in which a skateboarder places their feet on the deck. “Regular” stance means the left foot is forward while “Goofy” stance means the right foot is forward. Stance affects balance and the way tricks are executed.

#12 Trucks

The T-shaped metal assemblies mounted on the underside of the skateboard deck. Trucks are pivotal to the board’s turning and stability and are composed of various parts including the hanger, axle, bushings, and baseplate.

#13 Vert

A term derived from “vertical,” vert describes skateboarding on a vertical ramp, typically a half-pipe or full-pipe. This style focuses on aerial tricks and requires skaters to gain significant height off the ramp walls.

#14 Wheel Bite

The friction that occurs when the skateboard wheels touch the underside of the deck during a sharp turn or landing, often causing the board to stop abruptly and potentially leading to a fall.

#15 Half-Pipe

A U-shaped ramp made of wood or concrete, featuring two inclined sides and a flat section in between. Skaters use the momentum gained from descending one side to perform aerial tricks and maneuvers off the other side, going back and forth.

#16 Manual

A trick in which the skateboarder balances on either the front or back wheels of the skateboard while rolling, with the opposite end of the board lifted off the ground. This maneuver requires significant balance and control.

#17 Nosegrind’

A technical maneuver where the skateboarder grinds on a rail or ledge using just the front truck, with the nose of the deck pointing forward. This trick requires precise balance and board control.

#18 Push

The basic action of using one foot to propel the skateboard forward while the other foot remains on the board. Skaters usually push with their back foot, choosing a “regular” or “goofy” stance for comfort and style.

#19 Quarter pipe

A ramp with a quarter-circular cross-section used for performing aerial tricks. Skaters ride up the quarter pipe, perform a trick at the top, and then come back down, often re-entering the ramp for more maneuvers.

#20 Regular

A stance in skateboarding where the rider leads with their left foot forward while riding or performing tricks. It’s the most common stance among skaters and is considered the “natural” stance for those who are left-foot dominant.

#21 Goofy

A stance on a skateboard where the rider places their right foot forward while moving or executing tricks. It is the opposite of the “regular” stance and is preferred by skaters who are right-foot dominant.

#22 Slide

A move where the skateboarder slides on the surface of an obstacle such as a rail, ledge, or lip of a ramp using different parts of the skateboard deck like the bottom or sides.

#23 Tailslide

This trick involves sliding the tail (back end) of the skateboard on a rail, ledge, or lip of a ramp. The skateboarder approaches the object, ollies (jumps), and lands with the tail of the board sliding along the surface before exiting back to the ground.

#24 Grind

Grinding is when a skateboarder slides along the edge of an object, such as a rail or curb, with the trucks of the skateboard. It requires skill to maintain balance while the metal of the trucks scrapes against the surface.

#25 Heelflip

The heelflip is a trick similar to a kickflip, but instead, the skateboard flips away from the skater’s body using their heel. The front foot kicks out towards the heel side to initiate the flip.

#26 Backside

A backside trick is performed when a skater rotates their body in the direction where their back faces the ramp, rail, or obstacle’s direction of travel. It’s often considered more difficult due to the blind spot created during the rotation.

#27 Frontside

Frontside refers to turns or tricks where a skater rotates with their front side facing the direction of travel or the obstacle they are approaching, allowing for better visibility during the maneuver.

#28 Lip

The lip is the top edge of a ramp, bowl, or half-pipe. Skaters perform tricks off the lip, using it to launch into airs, or to balance in ‘lip tricks,’ like stalls and grinds.

#29 Fakie

Fakie is a stance where the skater rolls backward, but with their feet positioned as if they were riding forward. It’s a term also used to describe tricks that are performed while rolling in this reversed stance.

#30 Drop in

Starting a skate run by dropping into a ramp, bowl, or half-pipe from the edge. The skateboarder places the tail of their board on the edge of the ramp and leans forward to let gravity pull them into the skate. This move requires commitment and confidence due to the initial speed and drop.

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