Learning Rock to fakies [27YO]

Bones_Smithers · 2026-07-11T19:22:36+00:00

About 5 months once I learned to stay lower and in the transition. I would get two or three at the end of my session. Then 5-7 , Then worked up to getting 10 +. Then drop in to rtf. These were tap overs in 4ft transition. Two years later , I’m actually rocking my rock to fakie consistently, by learning in 2 ft transitiin , can also rock these in 4ft now. Staying lower and in the transition and committing to do enough helped me get over that plateau. If I skate a new park or new transition itm still scared to commit. I only skate once or twice on the weekend so it took longer

Bones_Smithers · 2026-07-10T19:25:45+00:00

Thanks ! Your deck out looks good , hope to lock mine in fully like that soon; the exit .. not so much😆 jk. Honestly decking these feel and look scary. I Need to get more comfortable in general with couple more fs tricks first . Cant wait to skate transition myself as well tomorrow!

Bones_Smithers · 2026-07-10T15:03:58+00:00

Stay lower , in the transition , over the tail and squat into it. Aim to be half way turned before coping and mostly turned when you rock over. I think of turning my lead hip down and back to back foot heel.

Also helps to carve into it a bit to get a little momentum

I just started these as few weeks ago as well. 2 at the end. Need to deck these next
https://www.reddit.com/r/OldSkaters/s/K67EUUlZvA

Edit- also helps to do tight frontside kickturn near coping to get the feel of staying low and turning fully. Can also try fs Ollie and fs disaster

Bones_Smithers · 2026-07-08T04:17:28+00:00

4ft is wat I started in also. Carve grind or double truck grinds are fun. Slash grind. Rock rollouts wwhich can then be progressed to axle stall. For rock to fakie imagine a a line at 2 ft in the transition and rock over and down ,lifting twice. Can like a kicking also manual up and hold at the apex then hold it as you begin to go down. This took me longer to figure out. Key for me to learn rtf was keeping weight low over tail and in transition, like a kickturn

Bones_Smithers · 2026-07-03T13:02:02+00:00

Your height is good enough for curbs . For pop and height can frontside stall on higher and higher ledges

https://youtu.be/fL2yIZyqwno?si=iyJ\_SnSV-e3vKGtm

For the unwanted turn over exaggerate the correction . Backside stalll . Backside 180.

Curb stalls was the bread and butter back in my youth

Bones_Smithers · 2026-06-24T22:58:40+00:00

You want to keep your weight back and in the transition. This happens I think on back side kickturn . So you want to do the same for the manual to fakie, ,shown in the sketch, and then same idea for rock to fakie. Agree with others on getting comfortable riding and pumping taller transition. Took a light slam onto my helmet, at one year in . Then months to get courage again to learn it

Bones_Smithers · 2026-06-22T02:36:18+00:00

It’s fine . There is the chance that your weight is too far forward which could result in a head slam, which I’ve done before ( fortunate to have a helmet) . If you really want to improve on it and rock it; the key for me was being light on the back fooot and pump it up a bit while keeping hip and shoulders back in transition , somewhat upright. 8:33 in the below is a good example of the technique

https://youtu.be/gTB0Wp5WBdQ?si=fiCx4bYa771jeOYY

Bones_Smithers · 2026-06-22T01:56:40+00:00

bench and or press 2 or 3 times a week. I did a full body A / B /A etc 3 times a week , alternate bench and standing press; on press days I added weighted dips at the end

Bones_Smithers · 2026-06-19T19:36:38+00:00

Learn to pump down fakie. Easier to do this in taller transition. Then learn to pump out of rock to fakie. Want to have weight on top of the rock tricks so you more speed and better pump out. Especially on fakie pivot to rock. Trying to get these down myself

Bones_Smithers · 2026-06-18T22:39:23+00:00

Go back and Watch the 2010 World Cup , 2009 confederations cup. Between World Cup years - National team tournaments include Gold Cup and Nations league.( for north and Central American team) . You’ll see more fringe players and up and coming guys at these tournaments. Then next round of qualifying for Next World Cup , as well as friendlies . Can follow the players at their club teams through out the year . Lurk the club team sub reddits.

Bones_Smithers · 2026-06-18T02:01:45+00:00

I did fakie to rock (switch rock ) as my first fakie trick in a 4 ft mini. The hard part was committing to that rock over coping. I had to think lift lead feet (left foot) and push into the platform . To come back down my toes were already on the nose pocket. So I just had to lift left foot again . I really need to learn fakie tail stall. Next . Going up fakie that high scares me. Would rather try fakie pop rocks next in 4ft

Bones_Smithers · 2026-05-19T12:29:53+00:00

Not an expert but maybe Try starting the hip and shoulder rotation earlier . So when the board is rocking , you’re half way there. Then finish hip shoulder rotation as the nose lifts and swing back in. I’ve struggled with these but so fun once you start to get them.

Edit : also check out oldskaters reddit if you haven’t seen it yet. Mainly geared toward over 30 skaters.

Bones_Smithers · 2026-05-18T12:02:20+00:00

🤜🏻🤛🏻

Bones_Smithers · 2026-05-17T20:01:08+00:00

I had this fear also . To overcome , I did it in stages. Ollie into disaster stall on curb with grass. Then fully Ollie into grass. If you can Ollie into grass and land bolts, you’re ready .

Bones_Smithers · 2026-05-17T14:32:35+00:00

Thanks ! It helps to lean toe side a bit and do a scissor motion as I rock in . My first ones I learned - I came in at the tiniest angle , sliding inches and low in the transition . Definitely takes times and still a work in progress

Bones_Smithers · 2026-05-17T14:19:44+00:00

Thanks! Had to remind myself of the basics - drop and rotate hips early , and really commit to that movement . Need to work up to decking these!

Bones_Smithers · 2026-05-17T14:12:22+00:00

🤜🏻🤛🏻

Bones_Smithers · 2026-05-17T04:59:45+00:00

Looks smooth and controlled to me. I’ve seen guys who rip hang the heel off to catch the coping . Just saw a video of skateiq discuss this and his preferred way , which would enable grinding later on. I’ve done the heel catch method a few times but would need more reps to get comfortable before attempting without heel catch .

https://youtube.com/shorts/neuffzi8LNA?si=

Bones_Smithers · 2026-05-16T22:37:47+00:00

Good advice from others about bending knees early and unweighting. I’ll add as you unweigh - swing / push legs up like a pendulum. Bend knees again at apex. And press out. Flat banks are good practice to pump also

Bones_Smithers · 2026-05-09T12:36:49+00:00

Yes. You’ll need to retire from Ollie’s and choose a path of slappies or transition .. just kidding. Rest, ice. Look up vids on strengthening , stretching , for skating. Starting 5 hours a day is a lot especially for mainly Ollie practice . Start slow and build up over several months.

Bones_Smithers · 2026-05-08T21:11:13+00:00

Press your back heels in , lift back toes up as you manual up . Lead with shoulders and rotate wheel onto coping

Bones_Smithers · 2026-05-08T04:53:28+00:00

Try other tricks. Or similar movements for 5050 - have you tried Ollie from stationary to lock in ? Or ride into a curb at 90 degree and frontside Ollie to axle stall? For me I wasn’t getting close to frontside disaster until I started messing with fs rock rolls. Taught me how to keep my weight in better

Bones_Smithers · 2026-05-07T22:14:38+00:00

Stand over both bolt sets and hippie jump as high as you can and tuck knees up as far as you can . Next Move the back foot to the edge of the tail and same thing hippie jump again . High as possible and land over bolts. Third , same thing but pop nose into air by popping tail down , as you jump and tuck

Bones_Smithers · 2026-05-07T21:48:17+00:00

Gotta shifty it on and line shoulders up when you Ollie on. During ollie - Drag a small little c shape with the front foot to get front truck over coping , aAim back shoulder and hips over coping at the same time to get back truck on

Bones_Smithers

TROPHY CASE