Backwards Walk the Dog

freestyle freestyle difficulty 4/10
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roll 0° yaw 0° pitch 0° body 0°

Shown for a regular-footed rider riding fakie. Teal ring + arrow = the rider's facing direction; teal band = the tail; a dot is where a hand holds the board - bright yellow for the front hand, amber for the back one, which is the whole difference between a mute and an indy. Board and rider rotate independently - each follows its own component. Drag to orbit.

How it works

The walk the dog done rolling backwards - "that thing every freestyler does, only backwards", and considerably harder than that makes it sound. Weight shifts off the front foot just far enough to float the front wheels, the back foot pushes the tail around, and the front foot is pulled straight backwards without rotating at all. Halfway through, the back leg finishes directly in front of the front leg with the shoulders still square, and there is a moment of genuinely rolling on one foot before the step back to the tail. It is an exercise in one-footed balance more than in board control, and the temptation to under-rotate at low speed is the thing that stops people ever doing them properly.

Step by step

  1. Roll backwards slowly, standing slightly further forward than for a normal walk the dog, toes of the front foot lifted.
  2. Keep the head and shoulders facing the nose, back arm prewound, chest square.
  3. Shift weight from the front foot to the back foot until the front wheels float a fraction clear.
  4. Push the tail around with the back foot while pulling the front foot straight backwards - the front foot does not rotate.
  5. Carry the rotation past the awkward midpoint, back leg crossing in front of the front leg, rather than bailing out short.
  6. Complete the full 180, settle weight back onto the centred front foot, and step the back foot round to the tail.

Body mechanics

Front footStays centred and stays pointed forward - it is pulled backwards, never twisted.
Back footPushes the tail round, leaves the board, and steps back to it blind.
ShouldersSquare to the board and facing the nose throughout, even though travel is backwards.
ArmsBack arm prewinds slightly; the chest must not follow it round.
GazeDown at first, then blind for the step back to the tail.