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Heelflip Ben Degros

Heelflip: Ben Degros gives us the history and his top trick tips

Heelfip, you gotta love this trick! But where did it come from? Who invented this now well established trick?

Heelflip history

Ben Degros, the Canada Skate Shop skateboard connaisseur, breaks down the history of the heelflip in a recent youtube video. Some interesting facts to consider :

Heelflip inventor Rodney Mullen
Rodney Mullen invented the heelflip

Rodney Mullen is credited with inventing the heelflip.

Natas Kaupas has the first ever heelflip attempt recorded on film during a contest run in 1986. He did not land it.

The next heelflip does not show up on film until 1989 when Ray Barbee tosses one in a line in the Ban This video.

No heelflips in Blind Video days
No heelflips in Blind Video days

There are no heelflips in the legendary Blind Skateboards – Video Days video released in 1991.

The heelflip starts to explode in the early 90’s – notable is Rick Howard in the Blockhead – Adventures in Cheese video where he does some heelflip variations in 1990.

From 1992 on, heelflips are well established in video parts.

Check out the full video here for all the info and a nice heelflip montage by Ben himself!

Heelflip trick tips

Want to try the trick yourself or need some help cleaning it up? Ben Degros gives us his best heelflip trick tips in the following youtube video.

You’ll find all the info you need – from foot position, to the action required to flip the board and how to catch and land.

With that info all you gotta do is just keep skating!

Nollie inward heelflip trick tips

Looking for a bigger challenge? Check out Ben Degros‘ nollie inward heelflip tutorial video.

Ben recommends having your nollie heels and nollie half cab heels before trying this trick.

Noseslide nollie heelflip out trick tips

According to Ben, if you got a solid noseslide, solid nollie heelflip and can nollie out of your noseslide, then all you gotta do is throw down a bunch of wax on a ledge and try to put it all together in a noseslide nollie heelflip out!

Watch Ben’s tips, he nails down the key to this trick: gettting your foot into heelflip position in mid-air.

Check out the video and then get out there!

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