A pop shove-it is a trick those who are ready to move on from the basic tricks should attempt to learn. It takes an ollie and combines it with a shove-it, allowing the skateboard to spin 180 degrees in the air while you’re above it. You should know how to shove the board and, ideally, understand an ollie before diving into this trick.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to perform a pop shove-it, you’ve come to the right place. The more you know about this exciting trick, the easier it will be to show off in front of all your friends at the skatepark or your local skate spot. Keep reading to learn more about how to pull off a pop shove-it in a few simple steps.
Station Your Feet on the Board
The first thing you need to do is place your feet in the right place on the board. If you put them on the surface incorrectly, it will be much trickier to pull off a pop shove-it.
Here’s what you should do to correctly accomplish a pop shove-it:
- Put your feet where you would in an ollie, right down from the front bolts and in the toe-side pocket with the back foot.
- Get comfortable in the position before pushing forward with the pop shove-it.
These simple steps will make it easy to accomplish a pop shove-it.
You might not feel comfortable in this position, but that’s okay. If you want more assistance with stability, place the back wheels in a crack on the sidewalk to keep it steadier when accomplishing this trick for the first time.
Bend Your Knees
Once you have your feet in the right place, it’s time to get the rest of your legs in position for the pop shove-it. Bend them a little bit to ensure you get enough momentum for jumping, but don’t bend them so much that you lose control in the skateboarding process. It’s also a good idea to bend your body, allowing your arms to sink below your knees for more height.
Also, at this point, you should determine whether you want to roll during the trick or not. If you’re comfortable, it can be easier to roll and complete the pop shove-it. If not, feel free to keep the rear wheels wedged into a crack in the sidewalk.
Make the Board Pop
Now comes the time for the board to pop. With your back foot, scoop the tail. It’s trickier than a traditional shove-it and should cause the tail to slam the ground hard. When the board lifts, your body should move in the same direction as the board spins so you can land when it comes back down.
The scoop should involve curling your foot under the tail and then shoving it to the ground to elevate it. Your front foot should barely elevate over the front of the board, ensuring it doesn’t move anywhere detrimental to the pop shove-it’s overall progression.
Keep Yourself Above the Board
While the board performs its 180-degree turn, ensure you stay above the board. If you fall behind or ahead of it, you won’t be able to land and risk causing damage to your board or someone else. It might take some practice, but there are some simple ways to ensure you’re in the right spot.
Keep your eyes focused on the board as it pops into the air. Use your front foot as a potential guide rail for the item while it’s in motion, and keep your arms a little bit by your sides. Once it reaches the top of its height, it’s time to move into the next portion of the process.
Catch It With Your Feet
You only want to catch the board with your feet after it completes an entire 180-degree spin and no sooner. Ideally, it should complete the spin at the highest point of its progression. This part of the trick is critical – it’s the second to last step and will determine if you fall flat along the way.
Push your feet near the trucks and push them to the ground. Your foot should remain near the front of the board, and your back one should hit closer to the tail. Also, don’t forget to bend your knees to avoid hurting your legs thanks to the shock.
Roll Away
Once you’ve landed, it’s time to make a neat exit. Keep the board level and remain in the center of the skateboard if possible. This action will help ensure you can maintain control of your momentum as you glide into the final portion of the process.
If necessary, you can stick your arms out a bit to get a little more control. With enough practice, you’ll get better and better at landing and shouldn’t run into any issues once you’ve mastered the pop shove-it.
Practice, Practice
As with any trick, you’ll rarely be able to do it once and master it perfectly. We recommend practicing the pop shove-it again and again, gaining more confidence along the way. You can start with your rear wheels wedged into a crack in the sidewalk, then shift into a rolling progression to look even cooler.
The more you practice, the more impressive you’ll look. Mastering the pop shove-it will also open access to more advanced tricks that use the pop shove-it as a foundation.
Add More Spins
Once you feel like you’ve mastered the foundational 180-degree pop shove-it, it’s time to add more spins if you want to take it to the next level. Consider trying to get the board to move 360 degrees if you’ve mastered the 180-degree version.
No matter what you decide to do, the pop shove-it is an exciting trick to accomplish. It’s a solid foundation for the skateboarder who wants to master the art of the board.
Sources:
Wikihow
SkateDeluxe
