The skateboarding landscape is constantly shifting, with tricks rising to prominence and then fading into obscurity, only to resurface again. In the early 90s, a pressure flip might have earned you a “kook” label, but today, it’s a recognized move, showcasing the cyclical nature of trends in skateboarding. This dynamic raises crucial questions: how do these trend cycles operate? Have they changed over time? And what factors contribute to a trick’s rise and fall? Let’s dive into the fascinating lifecycle of skateboarding tricks.
The Origin of a Trick
Every trick, no matter how niche, has an origin. While not a foundational element, the pressure flip significantly influenced street skating for about six months in 1991 and 1992. This move actually emerged in 1982, when Swedish freestyler Hans Lindgren accidentally performed it. However, for a decade, the skateboarding community largely overlooked it. By 1991, the pressure flip gained traction beyond freestyle contests, with skaters like Chris Fissel and Ron Knigge featuring it in videos like New Deal’s 1281, starting its journey into mainstream skateboarding.
Hans Lindgren performing a pressure flip in a video
The Rise of a Trend
According to Lindgren, the early 90s saw many skaters attempting pressure flips. However, it took influential skaters to make the trick look good. Despite the awkward aesthetics of the early 90’s skating, pros like Mike Carroll and Jovontae Turner executed pressure flips with style, making them highly desirable for emulation. If skaters view a trick performed by their idols, they are more likely to try it themselves, regardless of the difficulty. The same logic applied to the “noseslide nosegrind,” now known as the noseslide crook. When Chico Brenes performed this combo in Love Child, it became a popular, albeit more accessible, trick. It was around this point a trick’s popularity would begin to peak.
Chico Brenes performing a noseslide nosegrind fakie nosegrind across the C-Block at EMB
The Decline of a Trick
By the summer of 1992, the pressure flip was everywhere, with skaters pushing the boundaries with variations like the pressure flip late flip and even pressure flip late double flips. However, these advanced variations often looked awkward and didn’t align with the evolving aesthetics of skateboarding. The pressure flip’s decline was further cemented when Mike Carroll stated that he preferred people thought his late pressure flip was an inward heelflip, further highlighting the trick’s fading appeal. The limitations of the pressure flip, being more of a scrape than an ollie, meant it was rarely performed over any obstacles, further contributing to its decline as skaters moved toward more technical tricks. As curbs were replaced by ledges and lines became more popular, skaters preferred to ollie into crooks or backside tailslides. Pro skaters can also single-handedly influence a trick’s popularity. Chad Muska inspired many to modify frontside flips and hardflips to not appear to be flipping at all, but Mike Carroll quickly denounced these “illusion flips” as the “new pressure flips” in a Thrasher interview, bringing an end to the trend. However, while these trends may pass, the impact and footage still hold relevance.
Kareem Campbell performing a switch frontside flip
The Rebirth of a Trick
Every trick eventually finds its way back into the spotlight. For years, Nate Sherwood was among the few keeping the pressure flip alive, with occasional appearances by skaters like Erik Ellington. However, it was skaters like Kader Sylla who truly resurrected the trick, giving it legitimacy and a new look. Dylan Rieder played a similar role in the resurgence of the impossible, a trick that was largely abandoned after 1991, when Ed Templeton incorporated it into his skating. Rieder’s impossible tailgrab in his “dylan.” part introduced it to a new generation. Likewise, the noseslide crook, has also made a comeback, with skaters like Guy Mariano taking it to bigger spots, and veterans like Eric Koston showcasing their skills on curbs, highlighting the cyclical nature of skateboarding trends.
Eric Koston dancing across curbs in North County San Diego
As skaters continue to improve, they also unlock new variations of returning tricks. What was once a difficult trick may look more refined, faster, and effortless with each cycle. For example, the bigspin, which faded out around 1992, made a comeback through skaters like Ellington, who added his own unique style to the trick. With the rise of social media, the trend cycle has accelerated significantly. When someone performs a new trick, it quickly gains popularity, but this also means that trends can fade just as quickly as they rise. Despite the constant flux, it is clear that no matter how dated a trick is, it will likely be rediscovered.
In today’s skateboarding scene, virtually any trick can work if done with style, speed, and flow. The traditional guardrails have fallen, making it an exciting era for skateboarding.
“Aside from maybe a street plant or something, if you do it right, I don’t think there’s really much limitation on it,” says Ellington, highlighting the limitless potential in skateboarding today. “It’s who’s doing it, and they’re doing it in a certain way, and they’ve got speed and they’re flowing. I couldn’t write off anything. You could kind of do anything and get away with it.”