Judo Air
also known as: Judo
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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
With the front hand holding a mute-position grab on the toe rail, the front foot leaves the board entirely and kicks straight forward - the pose of a judo kick frozen at the peak of a backside air. The grab is what keeps the system solvable: the hand and back foot form a two-point grip on the board while the front leg fires, and the kick's momentum is countered by pulling the board the opposite way. Re-planting the front foot on the bolts during descent is the trick's true crux.
Step by step
- Air backside with generous amplitude - the kick and re-plant both need time.
- Grab mute (front hand, toe rail between the feet) as you leave the lip.
- At the peak, kick your front foot forward off the board, board pulled back and under by the grab and back foot.
- Hold the judo pose a beat: leg extended, board cocked back beneath you.
- Snap the foot back onto the front bolts, release the grab, level out and land.
Body mechanics
| Front foot | Fires straight forward off the nose, then must find the bolts again blind on the way down. |
|---|---|
| Back foot | Stays planted on the tail, holding the board with the grabbing hand as the second grip point. |
| Shoulders | Lean back slightly as the leg kicks to keep the center of mass over the board's return path. |
| Arms | Front hand clamps the mute grab, actively pulling the board against the kick; rear arm balances high. |
| Gaze | At the transition throughout - the kick happens in peripheral vision. |