Gorilla Grip

also known as: Gorilla Grip Jump

oldschool freestyleflatground difficulty 2/10
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roll 0° yaw 0° pitch 0° body 0°

Shown for a regular-footed rider. 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

A barefoot-era relic and the ancestor of every no-handed board-carry: the rider curls the toes of both feet over the ends (or rails) of the deck, gripping it like a gorilla grips a branch, and jumps - the clamped board rises with the body, no ollie and no hands. Lift comes entirely from the toes' clamp resisting the board's weight, so the jump must be vertical and compact; any forward pitch peels the grip. In 1970s freestyle it was used for hops, small spins, and jumping onto or over obstacles, and it still appears as a novelty in modern runs (shoes permitting).

Step by step

  1. Stand with one foot over the nose and one over the tail, toes curled down over the deck's ends.
  2. Clamp the board upward against the soles by tensing the toes and arches.
  3. Crouch and jump straight up, keeping the clamp locked.
  4. Let the board travel with the feet - optionally turning a small body rotation mid-air.
  5. Extend the legs down and release the toe clamp just before impact.
  6. Land wheels-down with knees bent.

Body mechanics

Front footToes curled over the nose, clamping the deck to the sole through the whole flight.
Back footMirrors the grip over the tail; the two clamps share the board's weight evenly.
ShouldersStay stacked over the board for a strictly vertical jump - drift breaks the grip.
ArmsSwing up hard to add jump height, since the legs cannot fully extend while gripping.
GazeAhead, or at the landing target when hopping onto or over something.