How to Do a Tailwhip on a Scooter: Step-by-Step

To do a tailwhip on a scooter, you jump, use your back foot to kick the deck into a full 360-degree spin, and catch it with both feet before landing. According to pro rider James Gee, the deck spins clockwise for a regular stance (left foot forward) and counter-clockwise for a goofy stance (right foot forward). Master the bunny hop first; without solid air, the whip has no time to complete.

That spin direction isn’t just trivia. It decides which foot you kick with and where your focus needs to be mid-air. Get it backwards, and the deck spins away from you every time. This is a fundamental part of learning how to do a tailwhip on a scooter.

What follows is the full breakdown of how to do a tailwhip on a scooter: the five concrete steps, the common mistakes that stop a whip dead, and the drills that build the air and commitment you actually need. By the end, you’ll know exactly why your last attempt failed and what to fix on the next one.

Key Takeaways

• Master the bunny hop first, without enough height, the deck can’t complete a full rotation before you land.
• Spin direction is tied to your stance; regular stance (left foot forward) spins the deck clockwise, goofy stance (right foot forward) spins it counter-clockwise.
• Your hands never leave the grips; a subtle tilt of the handlebars assists the spin, while sources disagree on the main force, with wikiHow emphasizing the back foot kick and some Reddit users emphasizing arm motion.
• Sources disagree on landing technique: Chase Rost advises to catch the deck and keep your feet together, while some Reddit users recommend spreading your legs in the air for balance.
• Sources give a wide range for learning time: INDO Trick Scooter Shop says most riders need a few weeks, while some Reddit users report anywhere from two weeks to two months, and others claim athletic individuals can land one in a couple of hours.

The Non-Negotiable Prerequisite: Air Time

You cannot tailwhip a scooter that’s stuck to the ground. This isn’t a metaphor. If your bunny hop gets you very little air, the deck physically does not have the time to rotate a full 360 degrees before gravity wins. The math is simple: more air equals more time.

Before you start: A failed tailwhip landing can jam your ankle, twist a knee, or send the scooter shooting out from under you. Always wear wrist guards and a helmet. Practice over grass first if you can; the softer landing lets you commit to the jump without fear.

Chase Rost from Rapture Pro Scooters lists the bunny hop as Step 1 for a reason. It’s not a suggestion. A proper hop isn’t just jumping; it’s pulling the scooter up with you by lifting the handlebars and tucking your knees. The sound of a proper hop is a quick shhh-click of wheels leaving pavement, not a scrape.

Stance and Spin Direction: Your Personal Blueprint

Your natural stance dictates everything. Most right-handed riders stand “regular” – left foot near the front of the deck, right foot back. Left-handed riders often prefer “goofy” – right foot forward, left foot back. Sources disagree on which foot initiates the spin: wikiHow says to kick with your back foot, while some Reddit users recommend starting with the front foot.

Here’s where sources give a clear, actionable rule. According to pro rider James Gee, your stance locks in your spin direction.

• Regular stance (left foot forward): Your tailwhip spins clockwise.
• Goofy stance (right foot forward): Your tailwhip spins counter-clockwise.

This means if you’re regular, you’ll kick with your right foot behind you and to the left. Your brain needs to map this before you leave the ground. Trying to spin the wrong way feels like fighting your own body.

Your Stance	Forward Foot	Kicking Foot	Deck Spin Direction
Regular	Left	Right	Clockwise
Goofy	Right	Left	Counter-clockwise

The 5-Step Tailwhip Breakdown

This is the core sequence. Don’t think of it as one fluid motion yet. Break it into distinct, practiced steps.

Step 1: The Setup and Speed

Place your lead foot near the front behind the handlebar. Put your back foot just in front of the rear wheel. Grip the middle of the handlebars. Build up to a moderate speed, about the pace of a slow jog. You need momentum to carry you forward during the airtime, but too much speed makes control impossible.

Step 2: The Jump and Lift

Crouch slightly, then jump straight up as high as you can. Pull up on the handlebars to bring the scooter with you. This isn’t just leaving the ground; it’s actively lifting the entire rig. The higher you go, the louder that shhh-click will be.

Step 3: The Kick and Initiation

At the peak of your jump, kick the deck behind you with your back foot. Aim for the side of the rear brake or the deck edge, it’s a bigger target. This is the “whip” motion. Your arms assist with a slight tilt of the handlebars in the direction of the spin, but your hands stay glued to the grips.

Sources disagree on the primary mechanism: wikiHow advises to kick the deck behind you with your back foot, while some Reddit users say it’s all about the motion of your arms.

Step 4: The Catch

Watch the deck spin. Your job is to spot the footplates as they come around and bring both feet down to stop the rotation. Aim to stop the deck a moment before the wheels touch down. If you stomp down while it’s still spinning fast, it’ll bounce away. If you wait too long, you’ll land on the wheels with the deck still sideways.

Step 5: The Landing

Bend your knees deeply to absorb the impact. Let your weight sink down. A stiff-legged landing transfers all that force into your ankles and knees. Ride away smoothly. The first few times, you might stall; that’s fine. Staying upright is the win.

Troubleshooting Your First Tailwhips

Everyone fails the same ways. Here’s what’s happening and how to fix it.

The deck only spins halfway.

You’re not kicking hard enough, or you’re kicking too late in your jump. The kick needs a sharp flick at the very peak of your hop. It also means you likely need more air time, go back to bunny hop drills.

The scooter flies away from me.

You’re kicking the deck away from your body, not around the scooter’s center. Your kick should be a horizontal sweep, not a push. Practice the whip motion while holding the scooter in front of you, just spinning the deck with your foot.

I can’t catch the deck.

You’re looking at the ground, not at the deck. Your eyes must lock onto the footplate as it spins. It’s a tracking exercise. Practice stationary spins and catches with your back foot while balancing on your lead foot.

I land with one foot on and one foot off.

You’re not committing to putting both feet down. This is a mental block. Practice on a trampoline or over grass to remove the fear of a bad landing. The goal isn’t a pretty whip; it’s just getting both feet to meet the deck, however awkwardly.

Symptom	Likely Cause	Immediate Fix
Half-spin	Weak/late kick, insufficient hop height	Focus on explosive bunny hops; practice the kick motion stationary.
Scooter shoots away	Kicking deck outwards, not around	Visualize sweeping the deck in a circle; use the brake as a kick target.
Can’t spot the catch	Looking down at landing zone	Drill: spin deck with hands, track it with your eyes until it stops.
One-foot landings	Fear, lack of commitment	Practice over soft surface; focus on the goal of two feet touching deck, not style.

Tailwhip vs. Barspin: Which Should You Learn First?

This debate splits the scooter community. A barspin is where the handlebars spin 360 degrees in your hands. A tailwhip spins the deck.

The physical risk profile is different. Missing a barspin catch can mean landing on the crossbar, a painful experience known as a “t-bog.” Missing a tailwhip catch when learning how to do a tailwhip on a scooter usually means landing on the wheels or having the deck hit your shins.

Many riders, including those on Reddit, find barspins “scarier because hands off” but less physically demanding to throw. The tailwhip requires more full-body power. My take? If you have a solid, committed bunny hop, start with tailwhips. The motion is more intuitive, kick, spin, catch. It builds the aerial control you’ll need for barspins later. If the idea of letting go of the bars terrifies you, tailwhips are the better entry point.

Drills and Practice Surfaces

Don’t just hurl yourself at the trick. Break it down.

Stationary Deck Spins: Hold your scooter by the handlebars in front of you. Use your back foot to spin the deck a full 360. Catch it with the same foot. Do this regularly to build muscle memory for the spin radius. The goal is muscle memory for the spin radius.

One-Leg Catch Drills: Stand on your lead foot only (on the ground). Spin the deck with your back foot and try to catch it on the footplate. This isolates the catch timing without the jump.

Practice Surfaces Ranked:

1. Trampoline (with a tramp scooter): Zero impact, maximum air time. The best place to link the jump and spin without consequence.
2. Grass: Softer landing reduces fear, allowing full commitment. The downside is it kills momentum.
3. Flat Pavement: The real deal. Start here only after you’re consistently catching the deck on grass.

How to generate spin power for the deck

Generating the spin is about coordinated motion, not just kicking. While one source says to kick the deck behind you with your back foot, another insists the power comes from the motion of your arms. In practice, it’s a combination. Start the rotation with a push from your front foot, then use your hands to guide the handlebars and continue the spin. Your back foot provides the final, decisive contact to whip the deck around. The goal is to get the deck spinning a full 360 degrees. Practice this spinning and catching motion while standing on one leg to build the muscle memory without the jump.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to learn a tailwhip?

The range is massive and depends on your existing air skills. The INDO Trick Scooter Shop notes most riders pick it up within a few weeks with regular practice. Reddit users report anywhere from two weeks to two months. An athletic person with prior board sport experience might land one in a couple of hours of focused tries. Someone starting from zero might need a month or more.

Can I practice tailwhips from a stationary position?

Do both: stationary drills for form, slow-rolling attempts for the complete trick.

Is a tailwhip harder than a skateboard kickflip?

Almost universally, no. The consensus from skaters who’ve tried both is that a kickflip is harder. A scooter provides three points of contact (two feet, two hands) and handlebars for control and lift. A skateboard kickflip requires precise foot placement, flick timing, and board control with no handles. Many experienced skaters can figure out a scooter tailwhip in minutes; the reverse is rarely true.

What’s the best scooter for learning tailwhips?

Lightweight trick scooter with a smaller deck is ideal. Lighter weight and a shorter deck make the scooter easier to control in the air and spin faster. The INDO Trick Scooter Shop specifically mentions their INDO Kickstart Classic as a beginner-friendly model for this reason. You don’t need a top-tier pro model, but avoid heavy, large-wheeled commuter scooters.

Why can’t I land the tailwhip after the deck spins?

You’re likely catching with your feet too early or too late. Your feet must stop the deck’s rotation. If you catch it while it’s still spinning with force, it will bounce away. If you wait until after it’s stopped, you’ll miss it. Focus on “stomping” the rotation out just as the deck completes its spin and the footplates are level.

Before You Go

The single biggest barrier isn’t skill; it’s commitment. The moment you hesitate at the peak of your jump is the moment the trick fails. Your body knows what to do, you’ve drilled the spin, you can bunny hop, so you have to tell your brain to get out of the way.

Start your next session with a concrete goal: five stationary deck spins, then five slow-rolling attempts where you focus only on jumping higher than you think you need to. Record yourself. The gap between what you feel you’re doing and what you’re actually doing is always wider than you think. Watch the video, find the one thing you’re doing wrong (late kick, low hop, looking down), and fix only that thing next time.

The tailwhip is a foundation trick. Land it clean, and barspins and more complex combos suddenly feel within reach. But it all starts with choosing the right tool, make sure you’re practicing on proper trick scooters designed to take the abuse. Then, it’s just reps. Small ones, often.