The Switch Crooked Grind by Jamie Thomas
July 03, 2007
Swizz Krizz. Get yer dope bottoms on. This was the defining trick to certify you as a tech boy during the late nineties. Osiris D3’s, shell bottoms and probably a big yellow visor was pretty much the sign you had this number in the bag.
1. Approach the ledge at a less harsh angle than the regular version at first. This is because you need your body weight to get over the top of the ledge easier, as your switch pop sometimes clangs you onto the side instead of above the ledge. This is fine at first – You’ll get the hang of it and then clean it up later
2. With your back foot over the tail, give it a solid pop. Your front foot should be reasonably far forward angled roughly as you would for a kickflip, although fully on the board like an Ollie.
3. Drag that front foot up. You need it to solidly reach the nose.
4. Once you feel your back wheels level out with the grinding edge, straighten that front foot.
5.Although all of your weight is over the nose, you should feel quite comfortable with the balance. This is mainly due to the position you are sitting in – essentially a tweaked out regular pivot
6. As you approach the end of the ledge, bend your front knee down…
7. Then push that front foot out as if you were doing the mid-air motion of a fakie ollie.
8. Sail your way to four wheels down. Remember to keep your knees bent on the landing as the last couple of movements can sometimes leave you ‘sitting back’ a bit too far. The bent legs help you ride this out.
9. Straighten those legs out a touch.
10. Now go and slash grind the nearest vert wall to confuse anyone who may have pigeonholed you as some sort of ledge technician.
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