How to Backside Axle Stall on a Skateboard

The Backside Axle Stall is one of the first few coping tricks you will learn on a skateboard. To do this trick, you’ll need backside kickturns dialed in. You should also be able to drop in of course, and I’d recommend knowing how to rock to fakie and/or rock and roll. In a backside axle stall, you ride up a ramp, stall with both trucks on the coping facing down the ramp, and then drop back in to ride away forwards. The difficult of this trick comes in locking onto the coping and dropping in from the axle stall. Let’s get into it.

Performing the Axle Stall

Ride up the ramp as if you’re going to rock to fakie or rock and roll. I would recommend learning this on a miniramp. As you’re riding up the ramp with speed, you will start to put weight on your back foot as your front truck goes over the coping. After your front truck is over the coping but before your rear wheels hit, pivot your shoulders and feet to lie parallel with the coping. When done properly, you should have both trucks locked onto the coping.

In a well executed axle stall, you should be locked into the coping enough to just stand there. Your outside wheels may be touching the deck. When first learning, you don’t tend to go nearly as high. This means the stall is quick and you’re angled on the ramp, which is fine. It just forces you to drop back in immediately. Let’s first assume you’re having issues getting your trucks locked in and go over how to fix that.

If your back truck is locking on but you keep missing with your front truck, focus on a harder pivot. You are turning a full 90 degrees, and it can be tough at first. If you’re going completely over the coping, Slow it down a bit. You need just enough speed to get your rear trucks up there. If you’re going too fast it’s hard to learn. Speed is good for fifty fifties, which we’ll cover in another tutorial. If you’re getting the pivot but not actually reaching coping, you’re pivoting too soon. Be patient.

So Now You’re Locked In

Now you can get onto the coping and lock both trucks. How do you get down? It’s a bit of an odd drop in position… It’s certainly intimidating at first, but it’s not that hard. Put extra weight on your tail to bring your nose up and off the coping. Pivot and drop in one smooth motion. The pivot will bring your back wheel that’s on the deck over the coping. Doing this in one smooth motion allows the wheel to roll smoothly in with no hangups. This part might take the longest, mostly due to commitment required, not difficulty. Best of luck with this trick!

Once you’ve got it dialed, it’s a pretty quick transition to learn 50 50s and start sliding all the way around a pool or whatever coping you have accessible. Comment below with questions and progress!