To successfully handplant on coping, you need to combine speed, balance, precise hand placement, and a controlled body movement to briefly balance on your hand before rolling back into the ramp. It's a fundamental vertical skateboarding trick that showcases coordination and control.
Mastering the Handplant on Coping
The handplant involves planting one hand on the coping (the metal edge of a ramp or quarter pipe) while your feet and board lift into the air, creating a momentary handstand-like balance. Executing it smoothly requires a good understanding of body mechanics and timing.
Essential Pre-Requisites
Before attempting a handplant, ensure you're comfortable with:
- Pumping a quarter pipe: Generating and maintaining speed.
- Kickturns/Carving: Changing direction and flowing on a ramp.
- Dropping in: Initiating a ride from the coping.
- Axle stalls/grinds: Getting on and off the coping with your trucks.
Step-by-Step Guide to Handplanting
Here's a breakdown of the handplant process, from approach to recovery:
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Approach and Speed:
- Approach the coping with moderate speed, enough to get your body above the coping without overshooting.
- Aim for an angle that allows for a comfortable, slight turn as you reach the coping – typically a straight-on approach with a slight carve into the plant.
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Initiate the Lean and Spot Your Hand:
- As you near the coping, begin to shift your weight and prepare for the plant.
- Lead your movement by driving with your shoulder towards the point on the coping where you intend to plant your hand. This helps initiate the necessary body rotation and lean.
- Crucially, spot where your hand goes on the coping. Your gaze should be fixed on the exact spot to ensure accurate placement.
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The Plant and Lift:
- As your hand reaches the coping, place it firmly down, fingers gripping the edge if possible for stability.
- Simultaneously, lean back slightly. This counterbalances the weight of your body as you lift your feet.
- Kick your feet up a little bit to get your board off the ramp and your body centered over your planted hand. This is the moment you achieve the handplant position. Your body should be relatively upright, and your eyes should remain focused on your hand and the coping.
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Balance and Hold:
- Once in the handplant, maintain balance using your core and the stability of your planted hand. The height of your kick-up will depend on the style and type of handplant (e.g., one-footed vs. two-footed).
- Hold this position for a brief moment, feeling the equilibrium.
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Recovery and Ride Away:
- To exit the handplant, use the leverage of your planted hand.
- Once you have a hand firmly on the coping, begin to pull yourself back through the transition. This means shifting your weight back towards the ramp and allowing your feet to descend back onto the board.
- Bend your knees to absorb the impact as your wheels touch down, and roll away smoothly.
Tips for Success
- Practice Handstands: Building upper body strength and balance off the board can significantly help.
- Visualize: Mentally walk through each step before you try it.
- Start Small: Begin on smaller quarter pipes or mellow transitions to get comfortable.
- Commitment: Hesitation often leads to bailing. Commit to the motion once you start.
- Spotting: Always look where your hand is going. Your body tends to follow your eyes.
- Experiment with Hand Placement: Find what feels most stable for your grip on the coping.
Common Handplant Variations
| Variation | Description | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Invert | A one-handed handplant where your body is fully inverted, with both feet above your head. | Full inversion, usually one foot off board |
| One-Footed Handplant | Similar to a basic handplant, but one foot is taken off the board and extended. | Added style, requires more balance |
| Sad Plant | A handplant where the leading hand grabs the board's tail, and the other hand plants on the coping. | Board grab incorporated |
| Fakie Handplant | Executing the handplant while riding fakie (backwards). | Approach in switch/fakie stance |
Learning the handplant is a rewarding challenge that opens the door to many other advanced vert tricks. Focus on breaking it down into manageable steps and practicing consistently.
