Thrash Talking: A Glossary of Rad Skateboarding Terms

Thrash Talking: A Glossary of Rad Skateboarding Terms

Skateboarding is a sport and a culture that has its own unique language. From kickflips to grinds, skaters have developed a plethora of terms to describe different moves and styles. If you’re new to the skateboarding scene, it can be overwhelming trying to keep up with all the jargon. That’s why we’ve put together a glossary of some of the coolest skateboarding terms to help you navigate the skatepark like a pro.

Let’s start with the basics:

Kickflip – A trick where the skater flips the board 360 degrees along its axis while in mid-air.

Grind – Sliding along an edge or rail on the trucks of the skateboard.

Ollie – A trick where the skater pops the board into the air without using their hands.

Nollie – Similar to an ollie, but the skater pops the board using their front foot instead of the back foot.

Switch – Riding with the opposite foot forward from your regular stance.

Now, let’s move on to some more advanced terms:

Hardflip – A combination of a frontside pop shove-it and a kickflip.

Heelflip – Similar to a kickflip, but the board flips in the opposite direction.

Nosegrind – Grinding on an edge or rail with the front trucks of the skateboard.

Smith grind – Grinding on an edge or rail with the back trucks of the skateboard.

Stalefish – A grab trick where the skater holds onto the heel edge of the board with their back hand.

If you want to sound like a true skater, be sure to throw in some slang terms as well:

Rad – Short for radical, used to describe something cool or impressive.

Shred – To skate at a high level of skill or intensity.

Stoked – Excited or enthusiastic, usually about skating.

Chill – To relax or take it easy.

Sick – Awesome or incredible.

Now that you’ve got a handle on some of the key skateboarding terms, it’s time to hit the park and put your knowledge to the test. Remember, the best way to learn the lingo is to immerse yourself in the skateboarding culture and practice, practice, practice. So grab your board, hit the ramps, and get shredding!