BMX: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

10 BMX Tricks Every Rider Should LearnRiding BMX is part athleticism, part creativity, and all about progression. Whether you’re new to the sport or have been riding for years, mastering a set of foundational tricks will expand your control, confidence, and ability to ride anywhere — streets, skateparks, or dirt jumps. Below is a comprehensive guide to ten essential BMX tricks, including descriptions, step‑by‑step progressions, common mistakes, safety tips, and variations to try once you’ve landed the basics.

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1. Bunny Hop

A bunny hop is the foundation for almost every other BMX trick. It teaches you to lift both wheels off the ground simultaneously — crucial for clearing obstacles.

How to do it:

1. Start in a medium gear with pedals level and knees slightly bent.
2. Compress your body by crouching and preload the forks (if using a suspensionless BMX, focus on compressing your arms and legs).
3. Pull up on the handlebars while scooping the back of the bike by sliding your feet backward and lifting the rear wheel with your legs.
4. Level the bike in the air and prepare for landing with pedals level.

Progressions:

• Practice with a small obstacle (a towel or cone) and gradually increase height.
• Work on popping higher and holding the bike level longer.

Common mistakes:

• Pulling only with your arms (limits height).
• Not scooping the rear wheel with your legs.
• Leaning too far back or forward.

Safety tips:

• Wear a helmet and gloves.
• Start slow on flat, smooth surfaces.
• Keep knees soft on landing.

Variations:

• Bunny hop over gaps, onto curbs, or onto ramps.

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2. Manuals

A manual is a controlled wheelie without pedaling, relying on balance and body positioning. It’s essential for style and flow, and it increases bike handling skills.

How to do it:

1. Begin rolling at a comfortable speed.
2. Compress and then extend while pulling the handlebars up and shifting your weight back.
3. Keep your arms straight and hips over the rear axle; use subtle pressure from your rear foot to maintain balance.
4. Look forward and use small adjustments in body position to keep it balanced.

Progressions:

• Practice low, short manuals and gradually increase duration.
• Try manuals on different surfaces to improve balance.

Common mistakes:

• Pulling too hard and flipping over.
• Leaning back too much and losing control.
• Looking down instead of forward.

Safety tips:

• Practice on grass or soft ground initially.
• Wear wrist guards if you’re prone to putting hands down.

Variations:

• Manual to fakie, manuals through pump tracks, or combine with bunny hops.

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3. 180 (Tailwhip precursor)

The 180 is a rotational trick where rider and bike rotate 180 degrees. It’s a stepping stone to more advanced spins and combinations.

How to do it (flatground 180):

1. Approach with moderate speed, pedals level.
2. Compress and then pop like a bunny hop while initiating rotation with your shoulders and hips.
3. Use your arms to guide the handlebars around; the bike and rider should land facing the opposite direction.
4. Spot your landing and absorb with knees.

Progressions:

• Start with a stationary pivot (pivoting your shoulders and hips) to learn rotation.
• Practice 180s off small ramps.

Common mistakes:

• Under-rotating due to insufficient pop or rotation.
• Letting the bike drift away from beneath you.

Safety tips:

• Wear a helmet and knee pads for initial attempts.

Variations:

• 180 tabletop, 180 tailwhip, or fakie 180.

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4. Tailwhip

A classic BMX trick: you kick the frame around the handlebars while staying above the bike, then catch it with your feet.

How to do it:

1. Gain moderate speed and approach with confidence.
2. Compress and pop off the lip of a ramp or flat ground.
3. Kick your legs to swing the frame around the bars while keeping your hands locked on the grips.
4. Watch the frame rotate and time your feet to land back on the pedals as the frame returns.

Progressions:

• Practice the motion on a jump with lots of airtime.
• Use a foam pit or resi ramp if available.

Common mistakes:

• Not committing to the kick; too timid a kick won’t complete rotation.
• Letting go of the bars or pulling the bike with your hands.

Safety tips:

• Start with a higher jump for more hangtime or use resi/foam.
• Wear protective padding.

Variations:

• Double tailwhip, barspin + tailwhip, or late tailwhip.

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5. Barspin

Spinning the bars 360 degrees while you hang above the bike — stylish and technical.

How to do it:

1. Approach with medium speed; pop a bunny hop.
2. Use one hand to throw the bars around while the other hand controls the return.
3. Keep the bike level and be ready to catch the bars with both hands.
4. Land with pedals level and knees bent.

Progressions:

• Practice windmill motions off the bike (holding bars and spinning them).
• Start with half-spins or 180 bar rotations.

Common mistakes:

• Over-rotating or spinning too slowly.
• Letting the bars tilt; keep them level.

Safety tips:

• Use gloves to protect hands from scrapes.
• Try on a ramp with generous airtime first.

Variations:

• Double barspin, tailwhip + barspin combos.

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6. Ice Pick (Footjam Tailwhip precursor)

An ice pick is a footjam trick where you jam your foot between the front wheel and fork to pivot the bike — useful for stall control and creativity.

How to do it:

1. Roll toward a ledge or flat section.
2. Put a foot on the front tire between the fork and wheel (footjam) while turning the bars slightly.
3. Use the footjam to pivot or stall, keeping weight balanced over the front.
4. Exit by lifting the foot and rolling away smoothly.

Progressions:

• Practice foot placement stationary before attempting while moving.
• Move from stationary footjam to rolling footjam.

Common mistakes:

• Jamming the toe in at the wrong angle; practice foot placement carefully.
• Leaning too far forward and pitching over.

Safety tips:

• Wear a helmet and avoid crowded areas when learning.

Variations:

• Footjam tailwhip, ice pick stall to fakie, or footjam nose manual.

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7. 360

A full rotation — rider and bike spin 360 degrees in the air. It requires commitment, a strong pop, and spatial awareness.

How to do it:

1. Approach with speed and pop hard off a ramp or jump.
2. Initiate rotation with shoulders and hips while spotting the landing during rotation.
3. Keep the bike compact and use the arms to guide rotation.
4. Land with momentum and absorb the impact.

Progressions:

• Learn 180s and 360s on flat versus ramp progressively.
• Try 360s over foam or on mellow transitions first.

Common mistakes:

• Under-rotating due to poor pop or weak commitment.
• Over-rotating or losing the bike under you.

Safety tips:

• Use helmets and pads; practice on forgiving landings early on.

Variations:

• 360 tabletop, 360 tailwhip, or 360 barspin combos.

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8. Toothpick (Smith Grind) and Grinds Overview

Grinds are core to street BMX. The toothpick (similar to a smith grind in skateboarding) and other grinds teach balance, approach lines, and controlled speed.

How to do a basic grind:

1. Approach the rail or ledge with moderate speed and slight angle.
2. Bunny hop onto the ledge and position either your peg or frame on the edge to make contact.
3. Keep shoulders aligned and look toward the end of the grind.
4. Slide the contact point along the edge and bail safely if you lose balance.

Progressions:

• Start with wide, low ledges and work toward narrower rails.
• Practice hopping onto and off the ledge cleanly.

Common mistakes:

• Approaching too fast or too slow.
• Misplacing weight, causing wheel catch.

Safety tips:

• Use durable shoes and consider knee pads.
• Inspect the rail/ledge for hazards.

Variations:

• Feeble grind, smith grind, double peg grind, pegless grinds on frames.

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9. Tabletop

A tabletop is a classic stylistic trick where the rider tilts the bike sideways while airborne, making the bike parallel to the ground.

How to do it:

1. Approach a ramp or jump with moderate speed.
2. Pop off the lip and pull the bars up while tucking your knees and twisting your hips to the side.
3. Guide the bike into a flattened position and extend to return to level for landing.
4. Keep your eyes on the landing to reorient.

Progressions:

• Practice small table tops and hold them longer each time.
• Try them on mellow transitions before bigger jumps.

Common mistakes:

• Over-rotating the torso without tilting the bike properly.
• Not committing to the tuck.

Safety tips:

• Start with small jumps and work up.
• Use open, clear landings.

Variations:

• Nose table, tailwhip tabletop, or late table.

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10. Fakie (Riding Backwards) and Fakie Tricks

Riding fakie is essential for flow and linking tricks. Many combos start or end in fakie — it broadens your line choices.

How to ride fakie:

1. Land with momentum slightly reduced and shift weight over the rear.
2. Bite the pedals and compensate with small steering corrections as you roll backward.
3. Practice rolling small distances fakie and then link into fakie manuals or fakie 180s.

Progressions:

• Start by rolling backward slowly on a grassy slope.
• Practice rolling fakie on flat before attempting tricks.

Common mistakes:

• Overcompensating steering and catching a front wheel.
• Panicking and braking abruptly.

Safety tips:

• Practice away from obstacles and traffic.
• Wear protective gear if uncertain.

Variations:

• Fakie manuals, fakie tailwhips, and fakie 180s.

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Putting It All Together: Practice Plan

Week 1–2: Focus on bunny hops, manuals, and basic balance drills.
Week 3–4: Add 180s and small tabletop attempts.
Week 5–6: Introduce tailwhips and barspins on forgiving ramps.
Week 7–8: Start practicing grinds, 360s, and fakie transitions.

Table of skill progression and recommended protective gear:

Skill Level	Tricks to Practice	Protective Gear
Beginner	Bunny hop, manuals, low 180s	Helmet, gloves
Intermediate	Tailwhip, barspin, tabletop	Helmet, knee pads, gloves
Advanced	360s, grinds, combos	Full pads, helmet, possibly neck protection

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Safety & Training Tips

• Always warm up and stretch to reduce injury risk.
• Progress incrementally; add height and complexity slowly.
• Film your attempts to analyze technique.
• Ride with friends or a coach for feedback and spotting.
• Maintain your bike: check bolts, brakes, and tire pressure regularly.

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Mastering these ten tricks will give you a strong foundation in BMX: they build balance, aerial control, rotation, and street technique. Practice deliberately, stay patient, and prioritize safety — progression comes with repetition and confidence.