TONY HAWK: In the last 10 years, we've
seen an influx of girl skaters that truly rip and that are
inspiring a younger generation of skaters around the world.
Lizzie Armanto is a member of my Birdhouse Skate Team
and one of the most prominent female professional
skateboarders today.
She won gold at the X Games, was the first girl
on the cover of Transworld Skateboarding Magazine,
and was the first female skater to complete
the loop, a full 360 degree ramp that goes upside down.
She truly rips.
LIZZIE ARMANTO: I give my mom the credit
for my love of skateboarding.
She worked full time.
So when my brother and I were young,
we'd go to the skate park as a sort of after school care.
And I was immediately hooked.
I started competing in park competitions
when I was pretty young.
I've competed in lots of competitions
since from invitationals to the X Games.
And I get to represent Finland at the Olympics
once skateboarding makes its Olympic debut.
It's pretty cool to see how far skateboarding has come,
especially for us girls.
I'm excited that skateboarding will be shown on a global scale
and for so many people to be exposed
to it for the first time and hopefully
find their passion for it like I have.
She has the ability to take you
to the next level intermediate tricks in park skating.
So Lizzie, take it away.
Today I'm going to teach you intermediate and advanced park
skating.
On a rock to fakie, approach the coping going straight up.
You'll want to shift your weight forward
as you approach the lip, lifting your front truck slightly
so the middle of your board will be balanced on the coping.
Then shift your weight back into the bowl.
Put your weight on your tail to make
sure you clear your front truck and avoid hanging up.
Just be careful not to lean too far back.
If you lean too far back, you can slam.
I want to quickly break down frontside and backside.
Usually tricks where you're approaching
the coping facing forward, it's a frontside trick.
And when you're approaching the coping
with your back towards it, it's a backside trick.
For this trick, you're going to go up
by approaching the coping at a slight angle.
As you near the lip, slightly rotate your shoulders
frontside.
With your back foot, hit your tail,
popping your board upwards.
At the same time, slide your front foot forward.
This will launch you into the air.
Continue to have both legs bent as you and the board
continue a slight rotation.
Extend your legs and prepare to land on the wall.
If you feel like you're going to hang up on the coping,
then kick the board away.
In a backside 50/50, approach the lip
so that it's on your backside.
Aim for a spot on the coping where
you want to place your back truck to start the grind.
Shift your weight to putting your front truck down.
You're now grinding on both trucks.
To come in, do a subtle kick turn to go back into the bowl.
When you're first learning, your weight
will be more centered over the deck when grinding,
and you'll be standing more upright.
As you advance, you'll start leaning
in more, which allows you to have more speed going
in and out of the trick.
For a frontside 5-0 grind, you're
going to want to approach the coping at a slight frontside
Angle and enough speed to reach the lip.
As you near the lip, lift your front truck
and aim for a spot on the coping to place your back truck.
Shift your weight so that your back truck
locks into the coping starting the grind.
To finish the grind, continue your frontside rotation
and shift your weight forward, entering the bowl.
For a backside disaster, approach
the coping going straight up.
Right as you near the coping, you
want to push your board into a backside 180 rotation.
Your back foot does most of the work,
pressing your tail down and sideways,
starting the rotation.
While you're rotating, pick a spot
on the coping and land on the middle of your board.
Forward to come in.
Remember to press on the nose of your board
to clear your back wheels when you come in.
For front Smith grinds, you're going
to want to approach the wall with a little more speed
than you'd normally have for a frontside 5-0 grind.
As you're approaching the lip, turn frontside
with your shoulders and your board will follow.
Aim to get your back truck on the coping, starting the grind.
Lower your front truck down past the lip
so the rail of your board slides on the coping.
This will pitch you forward.
So you'll need to shift your weight to your back truck
to continue to grind.
To re-enter the bowl, continue turning frontside
while shifting your weight forward.
For a fakie disaster Smith, approach the coping going
backwards, which we call fakie.
Approach the bowl with just enough speed
to land in the middle of the board on the coping.
Shift your weight so you can stall on the deck.
Push down with your back foot, forcing your back truck
into the coping.
To re-enter the bowl, shift your weight forward.
In this trick, it's really easy to hang up.
Something to watch out for is to make
sure you get your truck all the way onto the coping.
For a frontside boneless, you're going
to want to approach the coping with enough speed
to get some air.
Bend your knees.
Plant your foot on the coping, and grab your board frontside.
Use your momentum to push off the coping while turning
frontside.
Quickly get your front foot back on the board
and shift your weight forward for the landing.
As you get better doing the frontside boneless,
you can take it higher.
Really stretch out and contort your board.
This is a trick where you can really show your style.