Cross Academy basic variations
B ackpedal to backside boneless
A true longboard variation on a backside boneless
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This is a Cross Academy basic variation, this one in the boneless school. This trick puts an unusual twist on the boneless, because it changes the stance of the original frontside boneless. The right foot jump takeoff makes it resemble the traditional backside boneless, which is done with a jump off the back foot.
The walk setup to this trick means it's a true longboard trick, because there is no walking room on a shortboard. The idea is to take a backpedal step onto the tail and then step the other foot off and launch a boneless. This means you're going to be jumping off your right foot, whereas the frontside boneless is a jump off your left, assuming a regular stance skater. The right foot jump means you'll be able to grab the board with your front hand, not your back. You'll also be able to approach an object or curb to your back side, or jump and spin easily in the backside direction. To put it in other terms, the backside boneless has a natural spin to the right, or to toeside. The frontside boneless spins to the left, or heelside.
Now, I find the traditional backside boneless to be really awkward. When you take your back foot off the board and jump off it, it's almost impossible to get any height because the board is stuck under your weight which is way forward. Plus if you use your back hand to grab the board, you have no freedom with your knee to jump, and if you use your front hand, your arm is stretched by your front leg and it's real hard to jump. The variation that I do with a cross step gives a backside boneless as much jumping power as a frontside boneless. The backpedal to backside boneless is actually functional because it allows you to approach a curb backside and jump onto it comfortably.
I mentioned on the intro page the flow I use in most Cross Academy tricks from one type of stance to another. This is an example of a trick that starts the jump takeoff out of a cross stance and ends with a side by side stance.
As I roll into the frame, I'm in a regular, side by side stance that is narrow and near the nose.
I pick up my front foot and take a cross step back. This is a backpedal step. I am going to place my old front foot on the tail.
My old front foot is now my new back foot, and I am riding in a cross stance near the tail.
At this point I take my front (right) foot off the board and get ready to plant it. At the same time I reach my front hand down and get ready to grab the rail on the heel side.
Here I have my new front foot firmly planted in a crouch position and I have grabbed the board with my front hand. My new back foot is positioned on the tail, heel lifted. This is similar to the setup for a backside boneless. The difference is that my feet have switched positions and the jump will be off a foot that is forwardly placed. It will have all the freedom and power of the frontside boneless. In this way this trick solves a problem that is built in to the original backside boneless, which is that jumping off your planted back foot is clumsier than jumping off your front foot.
I jump up off my front foot. I keep hold of the rail with my front hand so the board is lifted up. As I jump, I begin to drag my back foot forward in the mid air walking motion typical of most Cross Academy tricks.
As my front toe leaves the ground on the leap up, my back foot continues to drag up the board, becoming my new front foot. The dragging foot means that even if I let go with my hand I should have very good control of the board with my foot. The uncross step in the air continues the walking flow of the trick.
I let go of the board while in mid air and place my old front foot on the tail. The stance has switched from the cross stance beginning to the side by side stance air position.
I level the board slightly with my new front foot. In pushing the nose down, I let my back foot come off the board. I will replace it on the board upon landing, in a regular stance landing. This air position suggests that I could have landed one footed, as on so many of these tricks. Had I done so, as a variation, I could easily have cross stepped my back leg in front on the landing. That would be a cross step to cross stance boneless. My intention on this trick was to do a cross step takeoff to regular landing.
I land with the board level, hitting both front and back wheels at about the same time. My feet are side by side in the middle of the board, so this is a conventional skateboard trick landing.
I straighten up a bit from the crouch landing. From here the most logical next move would be to take a cross step onto the nose or tip.
