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HOW TO VARIAL FLIP THE EASIEST WAY TUTORIAL!

ByMeg

Channel: Trick Dojo
Published: 2026-02-09T02:04:27Z
Playlist: TD Lv2 — Flat Progression

Notes:
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Smith grinds are a compound grind where the back truck grinds while the nose slides on the obstacle. It’s the opposite side of a feeble grind, and it teaches you that the same mechanics work in reverse.

Who This Video Helps

You’re comfortable with 5-0 grinds and crooked grinds. Smith grinds feel accessible once you understand multiple contact-point grinds. This is for skaters building a comprehensive grind vocabulary.

What To Watch Closely

  • Back Truck Lock And Nose Slide. The back truck locks on the obstacle while the nose slides along it. It’s a lock/slide hybrid, similar to a crooked grind but on the opposite end of the board.
  • Approach And Angle. The approach is specific and purposeful. You’re hitting the obstacle at an angle that sets up the back truck lock and nose slide.
  • Weight Distribution. Weight is more toward the back of the board, but balanced so the nose can still slide on the obstacle. It’s not full back-truck weight like a 5-0.

Common Mistakes

  • Only Grinding The Back Truck Without Nose Contact. If the nose isn’t sliding, shift weight forward slightly. The nose engagement is what makes this a Smith grind, not just a 5-0.
  • Nose Grinding Without Back Truck Lock. The opposite problem—make sure the back truck is locked and grinding.

Try This Drill

Do five 5-0 grinds to feel the back truck lock. Then do five Smith grinds, focusing on getting the nose to slide while the back truck grinds.

Dojo Note

Smith grinds and feeble grinds are mirror tricks—they use the same principle from opposite ends of the board. Once you understand that principle, learning both becomes about perspective shift, not new technique. This kind of understanding is what lets advanced skaters learn tricks quickly. They see the pattern instead of isolated tricks.

What To Learn Next

Explore feeble grinds (the front truck version) and bluntslides. You’re building a complete intermediate trick vocabulary.

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