Basics
deck: the flat standing surface of a skateboard, usually covered in grip
tape that provides a place to stand
grip tape: sandpaper fixed to the top of the deck to increase trction/friction between
the skateboard and the skaters feet so they can keep a grip on the board.
nose: the front of the skateboard, from the front truck bolts to the end.
rail: the edge of the skateboard, also, plastic strips attached to the board’s underside.
tail: the rear of the skateboard, from the back truck bolts to the end
trucks: the front and rear axle assemblies, connects the wheels to the deck and allow for turns.
wheels: usually made of polyurethane and sized between 39 and 66 millimeters in diameter;
their hardness is measured by durometer, a number ranging from 0 to 100—soft wheels have a durometer of about 85, hard
wheels have a durometer of 97 or higher
wheelbase: the distance between the front and back wheels, measured between
the two sets of innermost truck holes.
Tricks
air: riding with all four wheels off the ground
backside: a trick or turn where the skaters back is to the ramp.
Caballerial: named after Steve Caballero, this trick is a 360-degree turn performed on a ramp while riding fakie (backwards)
carve: to skate in a long, curving arc so that one side edge is pushed towards the ground
fakie:
a skater stands in their normal stance but the board is moving
frontside: wherea trick or turn is done with the skater's body facing the ramp or obstacle
goofyfoot: riding with the right foot forward, the opposite of "regular foot"
grind: scraping one or both axles on a curb, railing, or other surface, see below
crooked grind: grinding on only the front truck while sliding
50-50 grind: grinding on both trucks equally
nosegrind: grinding on only the front truck
5-0 grind: grinding on only the back truck
kickflip: similar to an ollie, the skater kicks the
board so it spins before landing back on it
McTwist: a 540-degree turn on a ramp, named after Mike McGill
mongo-foot: a style of pushing where the back foot
is kept on the board and pushing is done with the front foot
nollie: an ollie where the the skater taps the
nose of the board rather than the tail
noseslide: sliding on a ledge or lip with the nose of the board pressed against
ollie: a jump where the skater taps the tail of the board on the ground
railslide: trick where the skater slides bottom
of the deck along an object like a curb or handrail
regular foot: riding with the left foot forward, the
opposite of "goofyfoot"
shove-it: spinning the board 180 degrees beneath the feet while moving forward
switch stance:
riding the board with the opposite footing than usual, i.e., "goofyfoot" instead of "regular foot"
tailslide:
sliding the bottom of the tail on a ledge or lip
Obstacles etc.
street skating: skating on streets, curbs, benches, handrails and other
elements of urban and suburban landscapes.
vert skating: skating on ramps and other vertical structures designed for skating.
half pipe: a U-shaped ramp of any size
vert ramp: a half-pipe, usually at least 8 feet
tall, with steep sides that become vertical at the top.
