How To Thumb Flip A Fingerboard

Most of fingerboarding is trying to imitate regular skate tricks with your fingers.  However, as with skating, fingerboarding is all about creativity, and no one ever said you couldn’t use your other 3 fingers!

The thumb flip is a trick exclusive to fingerboarding in which you use your thumb to flip the board instead of your middle or index finger.

Here are a few steps to go about attempting this little known trick, but they are by no means do-or-die.  This trick is still relatively novel.

Step 1: Finger Positioning

Position your fingers as if you were going to do an ollie. Keep your thumb close to the edge of your deck.

Step 2: Popping The Flip

Pop the board as if you were doing a pop shove-it, by snapping the tail down and towards you with your middle finger.  As it launches into the air, scoop your thumb under the middle of the deck and flick the rail. The board will want to flip like a varial heelflip.

Step 3: Catching The Board And Landing

Throughout the trick, pull your middle and index fingers back while the board flips.  Hold them over the deck, and when you see the grip tape come around, catch it with both fingers and stomp it down.

Final Thoughts

This trick is not that hard, and there is plenty of room for creative flair.  If it was to mimic a regular skate trick, it could be considered as a combination of a hand varial (thumb being the rider’s hand) and a varial heelflip.