List of grinds (inline skating)

Grinds are central to a more aggressive form of inline skating that requires balance, agility and strength to execute tricks. Grinds favor lighter aggressive skaters with more technical footing which is why they are the starting point for most beginners. In competitions, participants are judged on their ability to execute creative combinations and variations as well as being able to integrate the grinds into lines or hammers which usually involve larger, riskier, technical tricks. If you want to get creative, use all of your resources: environment, trick vocabulary, and style. Here is a list of every trick in it's base form and every variation that can be done to it. The possibilities are endless.

SOUL BASED GRINDS

Makio

A trick for beginners and pros alike, a simple one-footed soul grind. The skater grinds with his/her soul foot on the obstacle and grabs the other foot or lets it hang (freestyle makio). Beginners usually start with the makio because it allows the skater to keep the non-soul foot on the ground until he/she is comfortable to grind with both feet.

Soul

The back foot rests on the soulplate and the front foot slides on the h-block, pointing toward the obstacle.

Acid

'Acid' refers to the direction the non-soul foot is pointing. In a traditional soul grind, the front (non-soul) foot is pointing toward the obstacle. However, in acid soul position, the front foot is point away from the obstacle. Most people do not use the 'acid' modifier when referring to a trick. For example, a pornstar is an acid miszou while a miszou is an acid pornstar. A soul could technically be called an acid acid soul. Because of this redundancy, 'acid' or 'acid soul' only means grinding with the back foot resting on the soul plate and front foot sliding on the h-blocks, pointed away from the obstacle.

Mizou

The soul foot is in front and the trailing foot rests on the h-block, pointing away from the obstacle.

Pornstar

A pornstar is an acid miszou, or grind in which the soul foot is in front and the trailing foot is pointing toward the obstacle. In the past around these were done only backward but now it is common for pornstars to be done forward. Backward pornstars are either alley-oop or truespin pornstars.

X-Grind

There are actually two variants of the X-grind. X-grinds are done on the souls of both skates. X can be done either with the regular foot topside, trailing the switch foot, or the regular foot trailing the topside switch foot. The trick gets its name from the X-shape both frames make when viewed head-on.

Torque Soul

A forward Soyale. The torque soul combines the fahrvergnügen ('farv, or simply full-torque) and the soul grind. The trailing foot is placed on the soul while the leading foot is placed on the backslide plate. Both feet are nearly touching each other.

Mistrial

The sister to the miszou is the mistrial. The basic stance is similar but in the mistrial position the back foot is resting on the backslide plate and not the h-block. Both feet should be close together to aid in balancing.

Citric Acid

Wrapping the leading foot around the back of the soul foot and placing it in front in an acid position. This trick is very unnatural and has been found to be a little easier when done negative.

Stub Soul

An X-Grind with one foot grinding the negative soul plate.

Snub Soul

Grinding on the soul plates with both feet, with heels facing each other.

Biscuit

Grinding on the soul plates with both feet, with toes facing each other.

H-BLOCK GRINDS

Frontside

One of two beginner grinds, the other being the soul; the frontside is a grind performed on the h-blocks. The skater spins 90° and lands in the space between the middle wheels, with both feet facing the obstacle.

Backside

The skater spins 90° and slides perpendicular to the obstacle with his/her back turned to the obstacle.

Royale

Like the Frontside, this grind is done with the skater's back foot resting on a special area called the 'backslide plate' or 'royale groove'. The skater bends his/her knees and shifts his/her weight backward whilst leaning forward to form the letter "C" with his/her body.

Fahrvergnügen

Fahrvergnügen, Farhve, Nugen, or Full-Torque grinds are like royales except they slide the opposite direction. The skater spins 90° and slides perpendicular to the obstacle, but the front foot is sliding on the backslide plate and has nearly all the weight placed on it. The skater leans his/her body backward while bending and pointing knees forward to form a backwards "C" with his/her body. The word 'Fahrvergnügen' is German for "driving pleasure" and stems from the fact that while it is such an unusual, and unnatural grind, it is also one of the most stylish grinds in aggressive skating. Also known as alley-oop/negative/reverse royale; even though h-block tricks have nothing to do with souls and cannot be done alley-oop, nor can they be done on the negative side of the soul plate.

Unity

Crossed legs on both backslide plates with the leading foot wrapped around the front.

Savannah

Crossed legs on both backslide plates with the leading foot wrapped around the back. Also called a Savage.

Cab Driver

Sliding a torque and backslide at the same time without crossing your legs. Also known as a Cowboy

U.F.O.

Bending inward with the knees drastically while doing a Frontside or Backside.

Bin Soul

Turning the soul foot on a Soul grind into a torque.

Tabernacle

Turning the soul foot on a Mizou into a backslide. Also known as a Bitch Slap.

Satan's Altar

Rotating the soul foot on a Citric Acid one step further in the difficult direction. It has only been seen done once by an anonymous rollerblader on Youtube. That's the only reason it's even listed on here.

Backslide

A one-footed royale. The skater slides with only his/her back foot resting on the edge of the boot on the backslide plate/royale groove.

Torque

A one-footed Full-torque/Fahrvergnügen. The skater slides with his/her front foot resting on the backslide plate.

Fastslide

The Torque without the foot resting on the backslide plate (straightened out ankle).

Pudslide

The Backslide with the ankle bent outwards instead of inwards.

TWEAKS AND VARIATIONS

Topside

Grinding the opposite side ,from where you started, of an obstacle on a soul based grind.

Darkside

Coming into a ledge grind from on top of the ledge.

Grab

Grabbing the free foot while doing a one-footed grind. You can grab it as a Plain (Safety), Cross Grab (Mute), Backside Grab, Rocket, Parallel, or Stale.

Switch

Grinding in the unnatural mirrored position of a grind or spinning your unnatural direction.

Alley-Oop

Spinning towards the obstacle and locking into a grind.

Tru Spin

Spinning away from the obstacle and locking into a grind.

In-Spin

Spinning towards the obstacle from fakie and locking into a grind.

Out-Spin

Spinning away from the obstacle from fakie and locking into a grind.

Zero Spin

Jumping into a grind from fakie without spinning at all.

Illusion

Looking over the opposite shoulder of the direction you are going to spin.

Med Spin

Rotating one foot on the ground just before beginning the greater part of the trick.

Medwind

A Med Spin while then after spinning the opposite direction of the initial spin.

Hurricane

Spinning a 360 away from the obstacle into a grind.

Sugarcane

Spinning a 360 towards the obstacle into a grind.

Revert

Spinning out of a grind following natural momentum.

Rewind

Spinning the opposite direction of the natural momentum set by the initial grind spin.

Switch-Up

Changing over to another grind position mid-grind.

Budget

Switching up with one foot while the other foot stays in contact with the rail.

Negative

Grinding on the inside soul plate instead of the outside soul plate.

Disaster

Gap to grind.

Rough

A variation on any soul plate based trick where you are grinding on your heel instead of your whole foot.

Tough

A variation on any soul plate based trick where you are grinding on your toe instead of your whole foot.

Christ

Setting your other foot on top of your toe in a soul grind position.

Acid Christ

Setting your other foot on top of your toe in an acid grind position.

Wheelbarrow

Rolling the free foot (heel or toe) on a ledge while the other foot grinds. Also known as Training Wheel.

Taps and Bonks

Knocking another obstacle with a free foot on purpose while grinding or gapping something.

Thread the Needle

Cross grabbing one foot and then jumping the other foot through the hole while maintaining the grab. Can be done with Gaps and Grinds.

Shifty

Pretending to go one way on take-off by twisting the body one direction then going the very opposite direction.

Transfer

Jumping over to another obstacle mid-grind.

TWEAKED GRIND NAMES

Sweatstance

Topside Mizou.

Kind Grind

Alley-Oop Topside Mizou.

Misfit

Alley-Oop Topside Mistrial.

Fishbrain

Topside Makio.

Soyale

Alley-Oop Torque Soul.

Cloudy Night

Alley-Oop Topside Pornstar. Rarely called this.

Cabbage

270 Savannah. Not from fakie.

Pretzel Wrap

270 Unity. Not from fakie.

The Dagger

Out-Spin Topside Mizou.

The Sword

Out-Spin Topside Makio.

Teakettle

Rough Pornstar.

Duck Hunt

Rough and Tough X-Grind.

Frankenfarhve

Parallel Grabbed Farhve.

Ty-Fighter

Parallel Grabbed Royale

GRABS

Safety

Curling up like a cannonball and grabbing the outside soul plate on the same side.

Mute

Curling both legs to one side and crossing one hand over the front of both skates and grabbing the opposite outside soul plate.

Method

Throwing both legs backwards bending at the knees and grabbing the main body of the boot.

Rocket

Extending both legs out straight and crossing one hand over the front of both legs and grabbing the opposite outside soul plate.

Soul Grab

Curling both legs to one side and grabbing the outside soul plate on the same side.

Stale

Curling both legs to one side and grabbing the underside of the skate through the backside.

Liu Kang

Safety Grab on one foot while the other leg is fully extended.

Bruce Lee

Extending one leg outwards with the other foot folding under the extended leg, grabbing it on the other side.

Abstract

Crossing your legs during air time with no grab.

Parallel

The same as a Mute Grab except the forearm must run parallel with the outside leg's shin.

OTHER TRICKS AND TWEAKS

Cess Slide

Sliding on the boot usually across the top of a ledge instead of the edge of it. Can be done in a variety of grind positions.

Manual

Rolling on only the heel or toe wheel of your skate.

Monkey Plant

Planting over an obstacle using your hand.

Gap

Jumping from one place to another, usually over a defined obstacle. Can be done with Grabs, Spins, Corks, Bios, and Flips as well.

Wall Ride

Rolling on a wall mid-jump. Can also be done with Grabs and Spins.

Stall

Locking into a grind position without sliding.