The Essential Fingerboarding Guide for Beginners

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Get started with fingerboarding and learn some fun tricks
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Fingerboarding is a fun micro-sport that lets you "ride" and perform tricks on a miniature skateboard with nothing but your fingers. To ride a skateboard you need to go out and find a skate park, but with a fingerboard you can practice and show off skating tricks with nothing a pocket-sized fingerboard anywhere at anytime! Once you get the basics of manipulating the board with two fingers, you'll find basic tricks come naturally, and you'll be ready to move on to advanced skills to show off in no time!

Learning How to Fingerboard

  1. Buy a quality fingerboard that’s the right size for your hand.
  2. Place your index finger in the middle of the board and your middle finger at the rear end.
  3. Get comfortable moving the board backward and forward.
  4. Push down on the back lip with your middle finger to turn your board.
  5. Try out tricks like ollies, kick flips, and heel flips.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Mastering the Basics

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  1. Fingerboards come in many designs and sizes, just like skateboards. Shop around for a style that looks nice to you, and test it out with your index and middle fingers placed on the front and back lip. If it doesn't feel like too much of a stretch, then the board is right for you! [1]
    • If you really want to make sure your fingerboard is right for you, test it out by rolling it back and forth, to see how the wheels handle. Push down on the front, back, and both sides to test its handling. All you need to worry about as a beginner is that the board feels comfortable to you.
  2. Finger positioning is everything in fingerboarding. Place your index finger in the middle and rest your middle finger on the back lip of the board. The index finger acts as a balance to keep control of the board, while the middle finger will press down to launch the board up and do tricks.
    • Again, what matters most is that your fingers are comfortable in this position. [2] If you find that having three fingers on the board makes controlling the board easier, or if you find that reversing the fingers makes tricks easier for you, by all means, make some changes.
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  3. Move the fingerboard forward on a flat surface with your fingers and press down on the back lip with your middle finger to lift the front wheels into the air. Twist your fingers in the direction you want to turn to make the board turn with your movement. [3]
    • Practice this a few times until you don't even have to think about it to do it. This is a basic move that will come in handy in all of your future skills!
  4. [4] Press on the rear of the fingerboard with your middle finger to lift the front, and try to keep it going forward while you keep pressing down on the rear. The board will stay angled, and you can press down with your index finger on the front to land the trick.
    • This is essentially the same movement as turning the board, but instead of turning you continue to move the board forward.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Getting the Hang of Air Tricks

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  1. Place your middle finger on the rear lip and your index finger on the center of the board, then press your middle finger down to lift the front wheels up. In a swift motion, press down hard on the rear to force it into the air and keep the board balanced with your central finger. The board will come down and land on all four wheels! [5]
    • Ollies are easier to do with some momentum, but practice without moving the board first.
    • Some people like to place their central finger closer to the nose lip of the board because it gives you more control in the air.
  2. You will follow the same motion you did to perform an ollie, but while it is in the air, slide your index finger off of one side of the board quickly. [6]
    • The board will rotate once in the air and come to be right-side-up by the time it lands.
    • Use two fingers to press down on the top when the board comes down to land it successfully.
  3. With your middle finger on the rear lip and your index finger just behind the bend at the front lip, launch the board into the air. Curl your index finger slightly to flick the nose away from you. Your board will rotate sideways away from you once, then catch and land it. [7]
    • You may find this easier to do if your board is angled towards you before you launch it into the air, as this allows for your index finger to more easily curl towards you.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Learning How to Grind

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  1. Perform an ollie, then catch and land the board directly onto a rail. You can use a custom-made fingerboarding rail, or the edge of a table or piece of wood. [8] Use slight pressure from both fingers on each side of the board to keep it balanced, and move it forward to the end of the rail. You may find it easier to keep balanced if your hand and fingers are flat, parallel to the top of the board.
    • Feel free to find your balance before attempting to ollie onto a rail by placing your board directly onto the rail.
  2. This is a bit of a trickier grind, as it combines three tricks into one. Ollie your board up, and instead of using both fingers to land the board onto the rail, just use your rear finger to apply pressure downwards. [9] Your board will land at an angle on the rail — keep the manual going by using a continuous slight amount of pressure on the rear, and then land the trick by bringing your front finger back down on the front lip.
    • Practice this trick by placing the board onto the rail without an ollie, and then try to do a manual. It is trickier than performing a manual on a flat surface because only the center of the board itself will give you stability rather than both rear wheels. [10]
  3. Ollie your board into the air, but instead of applying pressure on the rear as you would with a 5-0 grind, instead bring your index finger to the nose and press down to lift the rear up. [11] Your board will be angled at the rear, instead of at the front, and you can ride it to the end of the rail where you will put pressure back on the rear to land the board.
    • This is essentially a reverse 5-0, or a front-side manual performed on a rail instead of on a flat surface.
    • It can take a few minutes to get used to the reversed finger motions, so don't lose patience and keep trying until you nail it!
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      Video

      Tips

      • Most moves need to be done in one smooth motion. It might seem easier to do a grind in stages — roll up to the rail, stop, ollie, stop, get in position, then move forward — but you will find your tricks easier to do if you combine the steps into one smooth motion.
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        Helpful 13 Not Helpful 3
      • Don't give up on any trick. Many skills take a long time to perfect, but you will eventually get each one and will never miss it again.
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • When practicing tricks, mimic real skateboarding moves with your fingers. Skaters use two feet to control the board, so try to keep finger tricks realistic by always using two fingers. Check online fingerboarding videos for inspiration on realistic moves.
      • Well-maintained equipment makes doing tricks easier. Check wheels and trucks periodically for looseness. Replace grips when they wear down for optimal control. Repair any damage right away so it doesn't get worse.
      • Flicking your finger quickly when doing an ollie or kickflip gives the board more spin and height. Experiment with how hard and fast you flick to see how many rotations you can get the board to do in the air.
      • Try out tricks you know well, like ollies, on new angled surfaces like your arm. This helps you understand how to adjust your technique for the different planes.
      • Master basics like shove its and manuals fully before moving straight into advanced air tricks. Solid fundamentals make complicated tricks much easier later on.
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      Warnings

      • Take good care of the screwdriver that comes with the board — losing it will make it difficult, if not impossible, to tighten your wheels if they come loose.
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        Helpful 38 Not Helpful 8
      • The wheels need to be tight but if you tighten them too much, the axle may break off.
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        Helpful 37 Not Helpful 9
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      Things You'll Need

      • Fingerboard
      • Hard surface
      • Thin rail or cardboard box edge

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3HuGkbwnEA
      2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3HuGkbwnEA
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3HuGkbwnEA
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/4WefTsySgJs?t=15
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/AIu98X-l150?t=40
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/AIu98X-l150?t=40
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/VLhNmxn_ND8?t=60
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/4WefTsySgJs
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/4WefTsySgJs?t=15
      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/4WefTsySgJs?t=15
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/4WefTsySgJs?t=18

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you want to fingerboard, place your index finger in the middle of the board, with your middle finger on the rear end. To turn the board, push down on the back lip with your middle finger and twist your fingers in the direction you want the fingerboard to go. As you get comfortable with this, try new tricks, like a manual. To do a manual, press on the rear of the fingerboard with your middle finger, and try to keep the board moving forward as long as you can. Press down with your index finger to land the trick. Read on to learn how to do more tricks, like an ollie or a kickflip!

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