Manual

Difficulty Level: BeginnerTail

The Manual: Mastering Balance on Two Wheels

The manual is a fundamental trick that teaches balance and weight control, allowing you to ride on the back two wheels of the skateboard. It's like a bicycle "wheelie" and essential for board control.

Skateboarder performing a Manual
Prerequisite:

None

🎯 Ready to float?

This detailed guide will help you find the "sweet spot" of balance and hold your manual longer.

👟 Foot Positioning

Front Foot

The front foot should be over or slightly behind the front bolts, perpendicular to the board or at a slight angle. Keep it loose for fine control.

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Back Foot

The back foot should be on the curve of the tail, covering most of its curved portion. The big toe joint should be on the toe-side edge of the board.

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📈 Detailed Manual Execution

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1

Start and Speed

Start rolling forward at a controlled speed. Keep your knees slightly bent for better balance.

2

Weight Transfer

Transfer your weight to your back foot, gently pressing the tail to lift the nose. Lean slightly forward with your upper body to keep your center of gravity aligned with the board.

3

Maintaining Balance

Find the "sweet spot" of balance over the back wheels. Use small adjustments with your knees, hips, and arms extended to the sides to maintain the position. Avoid abrupt movements.

4

Ending

To end the manual, shift your weight back to your front foot, allowing the nose to return smoothly to the ground.

💡

Golden Tip!

Find the "sweet spot" by practicing stationary first! Put your board in a crack or against a curb, step on and practice finding that exact balance point where the nose stays up without the tail hitting the ground.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

⚠️

Tail scraping the ground - Means you are applying too much pressure or not leaning forward enough. Try bending your front knee more.

⚠️

Losing balance backward - Often caused by leaning your body backward instead of forward. Weight should be over the board.

⚠️

Unintentionally turning - Keep your shoulders parallel to the board and avoid rotating your torso.

Watch detailed visual tutorials to master the Manual:

Video Tutorial

Credits: SIKANA

Watch on YouTube

🏆 Congratulations! You made it to the end!

Now it's time to practice! Remember: consistency is the key to success.