How to Do an Invert on a Skateboard in 6 Steps

An invert or handplant is a skateboarding lip trick in which a skater does a one-handed handstand by grabbing the coping at the top of a ramp while their other hand holds their skateboard. Since an invert requires you to support all of your body weight on just one arm, this trick does require some moderate upper body strength. There are multiple handplant variations depending on whether you’re riding fakie or switch, doing the trick frontside or backside, and balancing on your left or right hand.

Before attempting any of the more complex handplant variations, it's important to learn how to execute a basic handplant performed with your back hand on the coping.

1. 1. Go straight up the vert ramp, perpendicular to the coping.
2. 2. As you near the coping, reach down with your lead hand and grab your board on the toeside between your legs. At the same time, reach down with your back hand, preparing to grab hold of the coping.
3. 3. When your back hand reaches the coping, grab it, creating a pivot point for your body to rotate around.
4. 4. As you pop off the ramp on your board, your legs bent and your hand still holding your board, let momentum pivot you around so your board points toward your planted hand. Note: As you get more experienced, you’ll discover your balance point, where you can stall and add cool personal effects to your invert.
5. 5. When you’ve reached the highest point of your invert, swing your board back around, keeping your planted hand as your pivot point. As your board approaches the coping, release the coping with your hand, and transfer your weight from your hand to your feet.
6. 6. Come back into the ramp like you do when performing a backside air.

Next time you head to the skatepark try incorporating these handplant variations to take your invert to the next level.

1. 1. Andrecht invert: A backside handplant where you grab the outer edge of your board right behind your front heel (unlike a normal handplant where you grab the toeside of your board between your feet).
2. 2. Eggplant: A backside invert where your front hand is on the coping and your backhand is doing an indy grab—i.e. grabbing the toeside of your board between your feet.
3. 3. Frontside invert: A handplant where you place your front hand on the coping instead of your backhand.
4. 4. Miller flip: A frontside invert where you do a 360-degree flip and come down in the fakie position. Also referred to as a "frontside invert 360 to fakie."
5. 5. Sad plant: Invented by pro skateboarder Lance Mountain, a sad plant is a backside invert where your front leg is fully extended.
6. 6. Tuck-knee invert: A handplant where you reach around your knee to pull your board behind your back towards your head.

Whether you’re just learning how to ollie or ready to tackle a Madonna (the vert trick, not the singer), the MasterClass Annual Membership can help you find confidence on your board with exclusive instructional videos from skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, street skater Riley Hawk, and Olympic hopeful Lizzie Armanto.