Aggressive Skating Terms

Ahhhh....yes it's another pretty big list of definitions and terms used by skaters all over the globe. Some of these terms will be called something else in conjunction with the region you're in....but these are the one's we use here in sunny Indiana!! :-) I hope this helps some people out...that way it'll feel less like a wasted Friday night! :-) Happy reading! -Adam a-sk8r-i-am@usa.net

Acid drop:

A pretty big gap that one can jump into or over.

Acid grind:

A soul grind variation in which one's trailing skate is souling on the bar normally, but the front skate is perpendicular, pointing the opposite way in comparison to a normal soul grind. (i.e. If grinding on a curb, the front skate has the toe pointing towards the pavement.)

Air:

Catch this if you can!

Air Kedidi:

When one begins to fall and his/her legs start to frantically "bicycle" as he/she looses control.

Alley-oop:

In relation to a ramp....a move where a skater turns one way while rotating the other. In relation to grinding....it refers to a grind done backwards. (i.e. an alley-oop sole is where the sole stance stays the same, but the grind is done going backwards, or sole foot first.)

Armor:

A skater's pads...where these with pride and dignity!

Anti-rocker:

A wheel set-up in which the two middle wheels are smaller than the outside two. (i.e. the 1st and 4th wheels are 62mm, while the 2nd and 3rd wheels are 46mm)

AWOL:

A soyale where the toe of the boot, and not the whole skate is on the bar.

Backside:

A grind in which one approaches the bar on the right and turn to 90o counter clockwise to lock on; sorta' like the opposite of a frontside.

Backslide:

a grind in which the skater uses only the trailing skate; the free skate is normally grabbed.

Bacon-in-the-pan:

When a skater whipes on a ramp and curls him/herself up into a little ball, or shrivels up like bacon in a pan.

Bar:

The term for a rail, bike-rack, bar, etc. that skater's use to grind on.

Bearings:

Those doughnut things in the center of a wheel; these allow the wheel to spin. They are rated as follows: ABEC-1 is the slowest, ABEC-3 is medium, and ABEC-5 is the fastest. The most common for aggro skates are ABEC-1s or 3s.

Bio:

A sideways (horizontal) spin.

Blindside:

A grinding term in which a skater turns away from the object to grind it. (i.e. if a skater is skating backwards and jumped 180o to lock-on while watching the rail the whole time then it's a half-cab soul; however, if a skater is skating backwards and turns 180o so that he/she looses site of the rail to grind it then it's a blindside half-cab soul, it's also a stylish lookin trick!)

Boardwalk:

A topside sole in which the trailing skate is rolling on its toe.

Brainless:

A back flip with a 540 done off of a ramp.

Budget variation:

A variation where a skater only needs to move one foot.

Bunny:

A pretty sad lookin newbie skater that has to hold on to everything to keep from falling; but let's face it, we all started out like this!

Bump:

A term used in relation to stair riding. (i.e. "Let's go bump those stairs!")

Cab:

A fakie 360

Cabalerno:

A back flip with a 180.

Capped:

A rail that has caps put on it so that it's impossible to grind.

Caveman rail:

A rail that's pretty high and hard to get on.

Christ grind:

A backslide grind in which the heel of the free skate is resting on the front of the grinding skate.

Chunk:

Refers to a wheel with a chunk, or large piece, is ripped out. (i.e. "Those wheels are chunked bad.")

Clicking in:

A term that refers to the sound a skate makes when it lock onto a bar, rail, curb, etc. (a.k.a. "lock on")

Coping:

The metal piping running across the top of a ramp which makes it easy to stall or grind.

Cowboy grind:

A grind in which a skater is doing a frontside or backside grind, but grinding on the two outside edges of his/her skates so that his/her legs are bowed out like a cowboy's (sorry for the stereotypical look at cowboy's....please don't take it personally :-)

Crossed:

A term referring to a grab in which a skater reaches across his/her body to do the grab.

Crossed up:

Pretty much like the last definition except that a skater's feet are crossed opposed to their hands/arms.

Crosswalk:

A sidewalk grind where the front skate is acid.

Curb grind:

Just that...a grind done on a curb! The more wax the merrier!

Deadfish grind:

A grind in which the front skate is topside and the trailing skate is rolling on its front wheel.

Demon grind:

A grind where a skater is souling, but on the inside of the skate as opposed to the normal outside.

Diana:

A term for a farside alley-oop miszou.

Disaster:

A term used in relationship with grinding, it refers to a move in which a skater jumps high, possibly with a grab, and then lands the grind.

Double Ore-Ida:

A trick done on a vert, it's an alley-oop 720.

Dropping in:

The term used when a skater enters a ramp from the top.

Duck walk:

A trick in which a skater skates on the rear wheel of the front skate, and the first wheel of the trailing skate.

Dumb soul:

Another term used to describe an acid soul.

Egg plant:

Hand plant in which only the outside hand is planted.

Elbow:

Where one mini-half pipe is placed at angle to another allowing a skater to transfer between them.

Express air:

A grab where the inside of one skate is grabbed with the same side hand (i.e. the right skate is grabbed with the right hand.)

Fakie:

Refers to any trick or move done backwards (i.e. a fakie 360 is going from backwards to backwards skating.)

Fahrvegneugen:

A grind in which the skates are in an alley-oop royale stance.

Farside:

Any grind in which a skater land on the "far side" of the bar to start grinding.

Fast slide:

Any grind, like a frontside, but only using the front foot.

Fast soul:

A grind using only the soul foot; the free skate is normally grabbed; also called a makio.

Fishbone:

A fishbrain with the free skate straight out and grabbed; sorta' like a rocket fishbrain.

Fishbrain:

A topside rocket makio grinding stance.

Flatlander:

A skater who sticks to just street and no vert.

Flat rocker:

A wheel setup in which the outside wheels are larger then the middle two, but the middle wheels are "rockered" down so that all four wheels touch.

Flip:

Any trick in which a skater rotates full circle using his/her waist as the axis.

Frank Sinatra:

A shifty miszou.

Frontside:

A type of grind. If a skater is approaching the bar on right and he/she turns 90o to get onto the object it's a frontside.

Grind:

The trick in which a skater slides down an object with his/her skates. (i.e. Using a frontside and a curb for an example: A skater approaches the curb parallel to it, then turns and lands with the edge of the curb in-between the second and third wheels; he/she then, hopefully, slides.) There are many different variations.

Grind plate:

A piece of either metal or plastic that fits on the inside of a skater's frame in between the second and third wheels. This is useful because on grinds, the plate and not the frame is worn down.

Grommet:

A term used to describe a young skater.

H-block:

A piece of plastic that fits between the 2nd and 3rd wheels and also between the frame of the skate. This is much like a grind plate in that it helps protect the frame on grinds.

H-grind:

A grind in which one is grinding on the inside of the boot; the knees are bowed inward so the knees meet to form an H.

Half cab:

A 180o turn in which a skater goes from skating backwards to skating forwards.

Half pipe:

A type of ramp that looks like half of a "U". Half pipes can range in 3 feet to 12 feet in height.

Han Solo:

An alley-oop makio grind.

Hand plant:

Also called an invert, a trick in which a skater goes up on a ramp and does a hand-stand on the coping.

Hardcore:

A term describing a skater who isn't afraid to take risks.

Hip:

A section of a ramp that is perpendicular to another section, allowing for transfers.

Hip-hop:

A handplant in which a skater touches the coping twice.

Hop-up kit:

A set of axles and screws that go between a skater's bearings and provide better speed performance; usually go for about $20.

Invert:

A trick done on ramps in which a skater goes up on a ramp and does a handstand; also called a handplant.

Judo Air:

A grab in which a skater reaches behind to grab the opposite skate, the free leg is straight.

Kind Grind:

An alley-oop farside miszou. If that makes any sense! :-)

Late:

Describes any trick done at the last second. (i.e. a skater is on a vert and just before landing he spins 180, a late 180.)

Liu Kang:

A grab in which one foot is grabbed and the other kicks out like a side kick.

Makio:

A soul grind where the non-souling foot is grabbed; also called a fast soul.

McTwist:

A great looking trick done on a vert. It's an upside-down (inverted) 540.

Meow Grind:

A miszou royale.

Mistrial:

A topside miszou royale. Like a meow only topside.

Miszou:

A grind where the front skate is soul, and the trailing skate is perpendicular to the curb in different varieties.

Misty Flip:

A front flip that is done sideways.

Mute:

A grab where a skater reaches with one hand and grabs the opposite side skate (i.e. a skater grabs his/her left skate with his/her right hand).

Natural:

A term referring to a grind done going a skater's best direction.

Negative Royale:

A 'shifty' grind in which the lead skate is on the outside edge.

Neighborhood Grind:

A frontside-like grind with front skate frontside and back skate acid, or pointing the opposite direction of the front; the trailing skate is grinding on its outside edge. You know you've got it when your back skate starts to hurt! :-)

Ore-Ida:

The term used to describe an alley-oop 360.

Pool:

A good place to practice on ramps; it can be either real or made of wood.

Porn Star:

The term for an acid miszou; it sounds a lot more fun than 'acid miszou' doesn't it? 'Hey, I just did a porn star!' :-)

Pump:

The technique of gaining speed, used mostly in conjunction with ramps. It's where a skater bends and extends his leg to push, or 'pump.'

Rail Slide:

A grind where you slide down a handrail; sort of a synonym for grind.

Ramp:

It is what it says it is! Ramps can be half-pipes, quarter-pipes, launch ramps, etc.

Rewind:

When a skater dismounts off a grind and spins (i.e. a skater grinds a rail going from left to right, they would then spin clock-wise).

Rocker:

A type of wheel set-up in which the middle two wheels are lower than the outside wheels. This set-up increases mobility while sacrificing stability.

Rocket:

Refers to either a grab where both legs are stuck straight out and grabbed; or refers to a grinding stance (i.e. a rocket makio is a one footed soul with the free leg stuck out and grabbed).

Royale:

A grind in which the front skate is grinding on the inside edge, and the trailing skate is grinding on the outside edge.

Running Man:

When a skater starts to fall and begins to flail his/her arms.

Sad Plant:

An invert using only the inside hand.

Session:

A term used to describe when a skater (and his crew) go out and skate.

Shifty Grind:

When a skater rotates his/her body during a grind while looking forward. The term shifty is also interchanged with royale.

Sidewalk Grind:

A porn star in which the trailing skate is on it's laces.

Soul Grind:

A grind in which the front skate is perpendicular to the curb in frontside position, but the trailing skate is parallel to the curb grinding on it's sole. There are lots of variations to this grind.

Solo:

Skating forwards on one foot wile the free skate is grabbed.

Soyale:

The term for an alley-oop royale soul grind. In other words: Front skate is soul and the trailing skate is in royale position, and the whole grind is done backwards (alley-oop).

Spine:

A type of ramp in which two half-pipes are placed back to back to each other, great for transfers.

Stair Bashing:

Another term for stair bumping; it's where a skater goes down steps.

Stale:

Refers to any grab in which a skater grabs the wheels of his/her skate.

Stalefish:

A grab in which a skater reaches behind him/her and grabs the outside of the opposite skate.

Stall:

When you land on a curb, rail, etc. in a grinding stance, but don't grind. Great for learning new grinds.

Stand-in:

Where a skater stand on the coping of a ramp and leans forward to drop in.

Sui-slide:

A one-footed grind in which a skater jumps on with one foot and points the toe back towards him/herself; like an alley-oop backside backslide.

Switch-stance:

When a skater is grinding fontside and switches to backside, or vise-versa. Switch-stance is also used to describe an unnatural grind.

Topside Grind:

Used on soul and miszou grinds, where the soul skate is bent over so far that it is grinding on the frame.

Torque Soul:

A soul grind in which the front skate is in alley-oop royale stance.

Training Wheel:

A soul grind where the front skate is rolling on its back wheel.

Unity:

A grind in which a skater's legs are crossed; if it's done really well it's like sitting Indian-style [excuse the political incorrectness :-)].

Unnatural:

The term used to describe where one is doing a grind, or spinning on a ramp, the opposite way that he/she normally goes.

Variation:

A change in stance on a grind.

Vert:

A large half-pipe that goes vertical at the top.

Wax:

The stuff you put on curbs to make them slippery enough to grind.

Waxing:

The action of scraping wax on a curb.

X-grind:

A grind in which the front skate is on farside soul, and the back skate is on normal soul so that it forms an 'X.'