Varial Air
also known as: Varial
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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
The old-school vert varial: during a grabbed backside air the rider spins the board 180 degrees beneath them - by hand, using the grab as the axle - so nose and tail trade places before re-entry. Unlike a flatground varial where the feet flick the spin, here the wrist does the work: the board is rotated under the soles while airborne, and the feet re-seat on swapped bolts. It is the ancestor of every hand-assisted board rotation on transition.
Step by step
- Pop a backside air and grab mute (front hand, toe rail) early.
- Unweight your feet slightly at the peak, keeping soles brushing the grip.
- Rotate the board 180 frontside with your wrist, letting nose and tail swap under your feet.
- Re-seat both feet on the swapped bolts as the spin completes.
- Release the grab, level out, and re-enter with the board reversed end-for-end.
Body mechanics
| Front foot | Lifts a few centimeters to free the deck for the spin, then lands on what was the tail-side bolts. |
|---|---|
| Back foot | Mirrors the front foot, re-seating on the former front bolts. |
| Shoulders | Carry the normal backside air arc, isolated from the board's independent yaw. |
| Arms | The grabbing wrist is the trick's motor, twirling the deck like a plate; free arm balances. |
| Gaze | Down at the board through the spin - foot re-seating is visual - then to the wall. |