Learning the toeside stand-up slide is a crucial step in progressing your longboarding skills. This guide will break down the technique into easy-to-follow steps, covering both the foundational 180 slide and the controlled speed check. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your technique, this guide will help you master the toeside stand-up slide.
Understanding the Toeside Stand-Up Slide
The toeside stand-up slide, also known as a backside stand-up slide, involves sliding your longboard while standing, with your toeside edge engaged. It’s a fundamental skill for downhill longboarding, allowing you to control your speed and navigate turns. In this guide, we’ll focus on two key variations: the toeside 180 and the toeside speed check. The 180 is a rotational slide where you spin your board 180 degrees, ending up in switch stance, while the speed check is used to scrub speed while maintaining a controlled slide.
Prerequisites Before Attempting Toeside Slides
Before you dive into toeside stand-up slides, ensure you have a solid grasp of the following:
- Carving: You should be comfortable carving on your longboard.
- Speed Control: Be proficient in slowing down using methods like foot braking, push-ups, the Coleman slide, or a toeside pendulum slide.
- Setup Carving: Understanding how to perform a setup carve is essential for initiating a slide. It preloads your board’s edge, making it easier to break traction.
- Basic Protective Gear: At the very least, a helmet and slide gloves are essential. Knee, hip, and elbow pads are also highly recommended to minimize injuries from falls.
These foundational skills will provide a strong base for learning toeside slides. If you are unfamiliar with any of these techniques, it’s worth spending time to practice these skills before attempting the toeside stand-up slide.
Essential Gear for Toeside Slides
Having the right gear can significantly improve your success and safety when learning to slide. Here’s a quick checklist:
- Helmet: Protects your head from impacts.
- Slide Gloves: Protect your hands and help you control your slide.
- Pads: Knee, hip, and elbow pads provide crucial protection from falls.
- Freeride Wheels: Specifically designed for sliding, freeride wheels make initiating and controlling slides easier. If you’ve already chosen your setup based on our guide to beginner downhill longboards, your wheels should be suitable for sliding.
Having the proper protective gear and slide-specific wheels greatly enhance both safety and performance.
How to Execute a Toeside Stand-Up 180
The toeside 180 is the foundation for many other toeside slides, so mastering this is key. We will cover two methods, but it’s best to master the second one, as it translates to more advanced techniques more effectively.
Method 1: Shoulder-Led Spin
This first method involves loading up like a spring, and when you unwind, you throw your shoulders out, while pushing with your feet. This method leads to a quick 180.
Method 2: Subtle Shoulder and Feet Work
The second method is slower, requires less dramatic movement from the shoulders, and allows your feet to do most of the work. This method is more similar to how you execute a toeside speed check and is better for controlling larger 180s.
Step 0.1: Foot Positioning
Proper foot positioning is vital for initiating and controlling a toeside slide.
- Front Foot: Position your front foot near the front truck at approximately a 45-degree angle or whatever feels comfortable. Ensure your toes are close to the toeside rail for adequate leverage.
foot positioning for toeside slides - Back Foot: Place your back foot either in front of the back truck or directly over it. You can also have it in the middle of the board if that fits your stance. Avoid placing your back foot behind the back truck unless absolutely necessary.
- Stance: Keep your feet roughly shoulder-width apart to maintain balance.
Step 0.2: Weight Distribution
Proper weight distribution is essential for a successful slide.
- Front Leg: Place about 70% of your weight on your front leg.
- Back Leg: Place the remaining 30% of your weight on your back leg.
- Toes: Most of your weight should be on the balls of your feet and toes, as marked in red below.
foot and weight positioning for toeside slides - Engage Your Toes: Digging your weight into your toes is crucial. This prevents highsides and makes you a confident rider.
Step 1: Speed
You need a certain amount of speed to initiate a slide.
- Minimum Speed: Go faster than a jogging pace.
- Mellow Hills: Start practicing on mellow hills.
- Steeper Hills: Steeper hills make it easier to break traction.
Step 2: Setup Carve
A proper setup carve is essential for a smooth slide.
- Edge of Traction: A setup carve brings your wheels to the edge of traction, where a slight nudge will cause them to slide.
toeside set up carve for all longbaord stances - Further Reading: To understand this better, check out our guide on how to setup carve for longboard sliding.
Step 3: Compression
Prepare for the slide by compressing your body.
- Bending Knees: Bend your knees and sink slightly into your board.
toeside setup carve step 3 - Front Foot Focus: Focus on sinking into your front foot and putting weight on the balls of your feet, especially the front one.
"compressing" for toeside 180 stand-up slide
Step 4: Decompress and Kick Out
Initiate the slide by decompressing and kicking out.
step 4 set up carve for toeside slides
- Leaning Up the Hill: As you decompress, start leaning up the hill.
leaning up the hill on a toeside 180 stand-up slide
- Note: The amount you lean depends on your setup, wheels, and concave of the board.
- Decompression: Come out of the compressed position, extending yourself upwards.
decompressing for a toeside slide
- Keep Knees Bent: Don’t straighten your legs fully. Keep your knees bent slightly to maintain balance and pressure on your toes.
- Shoulder Rotation: Turn your shoulders slightly before the kickout. Your shoulders should not drive the slide, but rather prepare your upper body for a comfortable rotation.
shoulder movement for a longboard slide
- Three Phases: Shoulders turn slightly before the kickout, upper body remains stable, and then the upper body comes in on compression just before the hookup.
- Kick Out: Push your board out firmly with your back foot.
- Weight Distribution: Maintain 70% of your weight on the front foot, and 30% on the back.
- Front Foot: Keep your front foot stiff and firm.
- Pivoting: Push out, as if you’re pivoting on your front foot.
toeside 180 stand-up slide push
where to push with your feet for a toeside - Pressure: Push outwards and downwards with your back foot and maintain the pressure.
Step 5: Where to Look?
When the board is rotating, look down at the ground or at your board. Don’t force yourself to look anywhere specific. This is to avoid affecting the position of your shoulders and the rotation of the board. Trust the board to do its thing.
where to look when sliding your longboard
Step 6: Hook-Up
Regain traction to complete the 180.
- Nudge: Give the board a slight nudge as it approaches 180 degrees, pushing it to regain traction. Maintain pressure on your front foot.
Step 6.1: Recompression
Recompress to absorb the momentum.
- Upper Body: Bring in your upper body as the board hooks up.
- Compression: Compress your body as the board hooks up, absorbing the momentum of the rotation.
This is essential for a comfortable ride.
Step 7: Switch
You will now be riding in switch stance.
- Transitions: You can transition into a switch toeside, or a switch heelside 180 to return to your normal stance.
How to Execute a Toeside Stand-Up Slide (Speed Check)
Now that you know how to do a 180, doing a speed check is easier. The steps are the same up until 4.3.
Step 0.1 to Step 4.2
Repeat steps 0.1 to 4.2 from the 180 guide. All of the steps up to this point are identical for the 180 and a speed check. Remember, these actions occur simultaneously.
Step 4.3: Shoulder Positioning
This step is crucial to a speed check, so pay close attention.
- Point Shoulders: Point your shoulders in the direction you want to travel.
- Keep Shoulders Fixed: Focus on a fixed point in the direction you want to slide. Do not let your shoulders initiate movement.
toeside stand-up speed check – point your shoulders where you want tog o - Body Twist: You may need to twist your body to point your shoulders downhill or to your desired direction of slide.
toeside stand-up speed check – seperate upper body and lower body motion
Step 4.4: Weight Placement
Proper weight placement is essential for a controlled slide.
- Front Foot Pressure: Maintain pressure and weight on your front toes.
- Stance: Keep a stable and posted stance on your front foot.
Step 4.5: Kick Out
Initiate the slide with a controlled kickout.
- Shallow Angle: Push your back foot out to a shallow angle.
toeside stand-up speed check how to push out with your legs - Pressure: Maintain pressure on your front toes throughout the slide.
- Both Feet: Push out and down with both your front and back foot. The back foot may need more outwards than downwards force.
Step 5: Hang In There
Once you’re in the slide, let your board continue sliding forward.
Step 6: Hook-Up and Recompression
Regain traction and absorb the momentum.
- Release Pressure: Start to release pressure on your back foot while maintaining pressure on your front foot.
- Follow The Board: Allow your body to follow the board’s direction as it starts to regain traction.
- Recompress: Bend your knees to recompress and absorb the momentum of the hookup.
toeside stand-up recompression - Arms: Throwing your leading arms down can assist with the recompression and momentum absorption.
Additional Tips for Toeside Slides
- Practice: Consistent practice is key to improvement.
- Video Analysis: Record yourself and watch the videos to identify areas that need improvement.
- Setup Carves: Always start with proper setup carves.
- Weight on Toes: Focus on maintaining weight on your toes throughout the slide.
Final Thoughts
Mastering the toeside stand-up slide, both the 180 and the speed check, is a significant milestone in your longboarding journey. By understanding and practicing each step, you’ll develop the skills and confidence to execute these maneuvers smoothly and effectively. Remember to stay safe, practice diligently, and enjoy the process. If you find this guide useful, please let me know. Your feedback helps me create better content for you. Thank you for reading.
Big thanks to all my patrons for the support – David, Squirrels Adventures, Mike, Jed, Mowgii, Jan, Josh, Jay, Jay, Bryan, @owencampbell777, @dkwan, Alex, Kasajja, Domnik, Reuben, @pablo.vega.andrade, Vlad, Asa, Helge, DeLacoste, Peder, Josh, Mike, Anthony, @issishreds, Greg, Jackson, Slipa, Louisa, Bill, Steve, John, Austin, @bomber_p_, Brian, Jeffrey, Jules, Henry, Austin, Philip, and, LordSummerisle73, Justin. I couldn’t write articles like this without you guys’ support.
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