Frontside Slappy Trick Tip Revised

This is a slightly more detailed “how-to” of the frontside slappy than the first one I did. Hopefully this updated version will help people with this sometimes elusive yet addictive maneuver. If you watch the turning of the front truck before it reaches the curb in some of the slow-motion parts, it definitely shows you how swift the shift to my heels is to unweight the toe-side of the board. The very last slappy in the video, which is slow-motion, you can see my left shoulder draw back to wind up as I approach the curb and bend my knees
For clarification, my trucks are moderately loose, meaning I can stand on my board and lean to my toes and barely make the wheels touch the deck.
If you ride your trucks adjusted tighter or looser thaat, you’re in business
My good friend Brandon Robertson, who skated for Motobilt Trucks in the 80s, taught me how to slappies around 1985. Have fun!!

[@EUKARYOTIK]

Haha love the descendents griptape!

[@omgitsrickatier]

Thanks man, the wind up is key🔑. I was trying them the way I do bs slappies and it's not the same at all. Learned this today because of you. Much appreciated ❤

[@handywithshovels]

@@omgitsrickatier right on!!

[@williambo5989]

Old man teaching skate tricks! best tutorial for old skaters so they don't get injury

[@lambo485]

Thx for the tips 🛹🙏

[@stushapley9384]

Nice tutorial. Good to see someone of equivalent age and musical taste breaking down this trick. I skate about the same speed as your slo-mo clips. :)

[@ThatGuyOverThere89]

thanks skate dad!

[@handywithshovels]

You’re welcome, No go do your homework 🤪

[@carnivorepappy7787]

Very good advice… I got my first fs slappy today, and I did it by winding and unwinding my shoulders and hips just like he said. I didn’t ride it off, but it was the first time I ever got all the way up on a curb. I’ve been working on these for damn near a year. Thanks a ton for the vid and the pointers.

[@handywithshovels]

That’s excellent!! I’m glad it helped you!!

[@carnivorepappy7787]

Thank you, sir… keep it up.

[@rickhart5612]

Respect for your perserverance👌

[@carnivorepappy7787]

@@rickhart5612 thanks!

[@rickhart5612]

@@carnivorepappy7787 Sure man! Love people who dont just give up after 3 tries and say they just cant do it.

[@reedosaurus]

Actually a good tip about the shoulders and hips. I’m gonna try it. I’ve been having trouble getting completely on the curb.

[@handywithshovels]

cannibal social network the shoulders are key, in my experience. Hopefully it helps you get the result you’re looking for 👍

[@Notmatb]

Good stuff. Lately I’ve been wanting to do slappies. I tried once and I was doing it all wrong. Gonna go to this spot with curb galore lol

[@williambo5989]

unwinding the shoulders is key. thanks

[@ghaven8686]

Old school ftw

[@inquisitive1]

thorough explanation! nice breakdown of the pivot point of the front truck :)

[@handywithshovels]

🙏

[@eletor]

Thanks for this! Very optimum curb shape, would like to see a Midwest variant.

[@RamManNo1]

That’s what I’m saying. I live in Michigan and I swear every curb I’ve ever seen damn near slants out making slappys impossible.

[@abbeyglencircle]

Just beautiful slappies man🤙🏻

[@handywithshovels]

🙏 thanks for the kind words!

[@MajesticManabe]

Nice deck :)

[@jorna]

Thanks for your trick tips. I learned feebles because of your other video and your info about shoulders here is key. Keep it up brother!

[@handywithshovels]

Happy new year! Thanks for the kind words! I’m glad the vids helped you learn those tricks. The feeble is probably my favorite slappy curb trick! Keep crunching curbs and trashing your trucks! 👍🙏🍕

[@jorna]

@@handywithshovels Will do. Working on getting front feebles now, and haven't quite figured out the proper balance distribution, but it shall be conquered. I'm approaching 40 and seeing seasoned rippers like yourself still doing your thing is an inspiration 🙌

[@handywithshovels]

@@jorna oh man! FS feeble is one I would like to learn! I messed about with FS crooked grinds and got completely flustered, but I’ll come back to it

[@jorna]

​@@handywithshovels This may sound crazy, but this process I've been working on has been really helpful to me for learning tricks quickly so I figured I'd share (learned feebles in two days using it). First I'll find a video of someone doing the trick in what I view is the optimal way. I'll look around instagram and youtube and then download the video. I'm regular foot, so if the skater is goofy I'll flip the video so that when I'm watching them doing the trick it's the same stance as me. I'll then make a video with three or four regular speed versions of the trick, then a few in slo-mo, then a couple in super slo-mo. I'll watch this over and over and study their balance, shoulders, foot position, etc. until I feel like I'm getting a handle on the physical components of the trick. I also will look for trick tip videos to augment the information (how I found your feeble video). Then I'll watch the video while standing and make the same movements and visualize myself doing the trick. I've found it actually helps to have a mirror handy and make sure your body is moving the way you want it to. I'm starting to create mind grooves as my subconscious can't really differentiate between visualizing the trick and doing it in real life. After it feels like the trick is ingrained I'll periodically visualize it and do the motion physically without watching the video. Then when I'm skating I'll wait until I'm nice and warmed up and start trying the trick using all this. The tricks normally come pretty quickly after tweaking a few things to account for the physical variables, balance, stickiness of curb, etc. Anyway, I hope some of this is helpful as it's been a great hack for me and is based on the research I did of elite athletes from other sports and how they train. 👊

[@handywithshovels]

@@jorna that’s bad ass!

[@AdventuresInSkateboarding]

Looks so fun and you have great style. I am more comfortable with front side grinded on a box but I am more comfortable with backside grinds in a bowl. Watching this makes me think the motion would feel more like a bowl than a box. So I think I would strugle with FS slappy grinds. Great explanation. Really enjoy these videos. They get my brain going.

[@handywithshovels]

Thanks for the props! Coincidentally, the principle of winding and unwinding the lead shoulder is the same principle on a FS slappy as a FS carve or FS grind in a bowl (or ramp). That being the case, learning one will help in learning the others. Don’t short change yourself. I bet you could do it!

[@rickhart5612]

Style👌

[@handywithshovels]

🙏

[@puma0210]

I can only slap low curb. I have Venture low(tight trucks for flip tricks) and 50 mm. Curb this high. I have to ollie. I like your style. Very smooth.

[@handywithshovels]

You could likely still slap up the curb even with smaller wheels. It’s mostly momentum and timing that makes the trick work. I bet you can do it! Thanks for the kind words! 🙏👍

[@skateat4824]

You do them well and very good explanation. I could never keep my front foot so far behind bolts on slappies, just doesn't work...for me.

[@handywithshovels]

Definitely my foot placement is just a suggestion. Most important is what works for each person, and the general mechanics of the move! 👍

[@yhtk]

thank you for the good tutorial! I usually can get both trucks on the curb, but after that, I can’t let my body stay on the board.

[@handywithshovels]

yhtk hope it helps! Go get it! Trash your trucks! 👍

[@Zakaweli]

Best feeling

[@handywithshovels]

Super fun trick!

[@skarceoneafd9609]

It’s so hard to commit for me dammit. Lol I been skating a long time and never learned slappys

[@handywithshovels]

JayLove tattoo And Design once you do it a couple of times it will make sense. It is VERY counter-intuitive to learn. Also, moderate speed is helpful You ever roll up into a driveway from the street at a slight frontside angle? Very similar

[@skarceoneafd9609]

handywithshovels thanks man I’ll keep that in mind I also only grind frontside so I’m learning FS slappy first witch someone told me was harder than Backside but I’ll practice both

[@irishtajan2041]

Somebody please tell me how did he do that grip tape picture art

[@handywithshovels]

I bought the tape with the graphic on it

[@kevinn9869]

did you wax the curb a lot? or wax your trucks? or both?

[@handywithshovels]

I wax the curb if it’s grabbing. Sometimes it doesn’t need it:. Personally, I don’t wax my trucks.