A frontside pivot is a fundamental skateboarding trick where you turn 90 degrees frontside (facing the direction of travel) while balancing on your back truck, typically on top of or over a ledge or coping.
What is a Frontside Pivot?
Performing a frontside pivot involves riding towards an obstacle (like a curb, ledge, or coping), lifting the front truck slightly, pivoting 90 degrees on the back truck, and landing back on all four wheels. It's a crucial building block for many other ledge and coping tricks.
How to Do a Frontside Pivot
According to skateboarding instruction, like many maneuvers, a significant part of the frontside pivot is controlled by your shoulders. Here's a breakdown of the process:
- Approach the Obstacle: Skate towards the coping or ledge at a comfortable speed, approaching at a slight angle (around 15-30 degrees).
- Initiate the Turn: As you get close, begin turning your shoulders frontside, in the direction you want to pivot. This pre-rotation is key to initiating the board's turn.
- Lift the Front Truck: Just as your back truck reaches the coping, give a small ollie-like pop or simply lift your front truck up and over the coping.
- Pivot on the Back Truck: Land your back truck securely on top of the coping. Your board should be perpendicular to the obstacle.
- Lock In: It's important to lock in your position with your back truck on the coping. As mentioned in the reference, your weight is right back here in this pocket holding that wheel against the coping. This means shifting your weight towards the tail of the board, specifically over the pocket area (the tail and back truck) to press the back wheels and truck securely against the side of the coping.
- Complete the Turn: Continue the 90-degree rotation, driven by the momentum started by your shoulders.
- Roll Away: As the board completes the 90-degree turn and levels out parallel to the coping, shift your weight back to a balanced riding position and roll away smoothly.
Key Tips for Success
- Shoulder Control: Remember that a lot of the movement starts with your shoulders. Lead the turn with them.
- Weight Distribution: Practice shifting your weight back to the tail and back truck ("the pocket") to keep the back wheel pressed against the coping while you pivot.
- Commitment: Be committed to lifting the front truck and landing the back truck firmly on the coping.
- Practice: Start on flat ground to get the feel of the 90-degree pivot, then move to a low curb before attempting coping.
Mastering the frontside pivot requires practice, focusing on timing, balance, and controlling the rotation with your body, particularly your shoulders.
