A Tech Deck fingerboard is a miniature version of a skateboard that you manipulate with your fingers to mimic the movements of a skateboarder's feet on a full-size skateboard. Fingerboarding is not only a fun hobby, it's also a competitive sport with leagues and contests held all over the country. If you're new to fingerboarding, learning a few basic tricks provides a good foundation to build on.
Shove It
An easy trick that gets you started with a fingerboard is the shove it. This trick is performed by spinning the board 180 degrees under your fingers. Start with the standard finger position by placing your index finger in the center of the board, just behind the bolts and rest your middle finger on the tail. With your middle finger, push the board down and toward you to complete the spin. Lift your index finger to allow the board to complete the spin and place your fingers back on the board once the spin is done.
Ollie
The ollie is a fundamental trick that you must nail down in order to pull off other tricks. An ollie is used when jumping over objects, which is integral to many tricks. The ollie is done by popping the board into the air, with your fingers seeming to stick to the board. Using the standard finger position push the board backwards to get it moving and then pop the tail to the ground by pushing down with your middle finger. This will get the board into the air. At the same time slide your index finger toward the nose to level the board and bring it back to the ground.
Board Slide
Once you have a solid ollie you can move on to slides, which are another foundation skill needed to pull off tricks. Slides are done by sliding the middle, nose, or tail of your board onto another surface such as a rail or a ledge. Out of all the slides, the board slide is a good beginner option. It incorporates an ollie with a 90-degree turn. Using the standard finger position, push your board at an angle toward a ledge or other object. As you get close pop your board into an ollie with a 90-degree twist and push down to land the center of your board on the ledge. As you slide, press down to keep the board level, and then put pressure on the tail to slide off and onto the ground.
50/50 Grind
Grinds are impressive tricks that look similar to slides. The difference is that your trucks slide on an object, usually a rail, instead of the surface of your board. A good grind for beginners is a 50/50. To perform this trick ride toward the rail in a straight direction and when you're close, pop into an ollie and land both your front and rear trucks on the rail. Coast down the rail, and as you near the end, push down on the tail to pop the board up as you slide off and onto the ground.
References
Writer Bio
Ainsley Whitley is a contributing writer for various branded properties that together attract more than 280 million readers seeking influential content. Whitley's articles have appeared in various print and online magazines, including "GQ," "Details," "Southern Living" and "Cooking Light."
