[joncrane]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the whole beginning of the article implies that the skateboarder is "regular" in terms of foot placement, meaning the right foot is on the tail and the left foot is at the front.

The fact that each skater can reverse their stance (aka switchstance), doesn't that double the possible number of flip tricks?

[btbuildem]

Wouldn't symmetry cover that? In this context, regular and switch are "mirror images" of each other.

[joncrane]

I suppose. Maybe I missed a part where they say they're using a regular stance skater for the sake of simplicity.

Note that a goofy skater could also do the moves described in the paper, but it would be a different trick because he's doing it switchstance.

(Source: the rules of SKATE per Battle of the Berrics, the skater has to declare his stance ahead of time for the purposes of normal vs switch tricks, aka the "Skategoat" (Leandre Sanders) rule)

[eunoia]

Essentially the same trick. Best metaphor for “switch” tricks is basically doing something left handed (assuming you’re right handed and have always done the “thing” with your right).

It’s the same trick but you essentially have to relearn it with your other “hand”. Tricks are then flagged with the “switch” qualifier to indicate the rider wasn’t in their normal stance. Example: a regular (footed) skater skating right foot forward (switch) doing a kickflip is simply doing a switch kickflip (switch flip).

[dchuk]

Not really, the flipping maneuver remains the same, the stance is more of a modifier. A 360 flip and a switch 360 flip are both still just 36 flips, you’re just facing a different way in each.

[joncrane]

They specifically talk about "left handed" rotation for a kickflip and a heelflip being right handed.

However for a goofy skater, the opposite is true.

[dchuk]

The mechanism for a kick flip and a heel flip are different, it’s not about the spin of the board in relation to the earth, it’s the spin of the board in relation to the skater.

A kick flip uses the front toe to rotate the board towards the skater. A heel flip uses the front heel to rotate the board away from the skater (you’re basically pushing it away from you by sliding your heel up and out off the edge of the board).