The order you practice ground tricks in makes a real difference. I got it completely wrong and took the long way around.

Early on I kept trying to spin 360s, just because they looked cool. Of course they never came around. In the end I went back to the ollie and presses and rebuilt from there — and suddenly a lot of things clicked. So let me talk about order.

【Start with the ollie and presses】 Every ground trick is built from these two. Move on while they're still sloppy and you'll get stuck later, without fail. That's exactly what happened to me.

The ollie is popping the tail to jump. A press is loading gradually onto your front or back foot to find your balance. Neither is flashy, but once you can do both consistently on a gentle slope, you've got the foundation for how to use your body.

This is the one place worth spending the most time.

【Learn to spin with a 180】 Once the base is there, start putting in the feeling of turning with a half rotation.

I started with the frontside (FS) — you can see where you're going, so it's less scary. The backside (BS) was frightening since you turn blind, but doing both early makes everything after easier. Get good at only one side and you'll usually plateau there.

The key: pop up with the ollie first, then lead with your upper body. The axis you built with presses really pays off here.

【A 360 is an extension of the 180】 Once both 180s feel solid, it's time for a full rotation.

FS360 first, then BS360 tends to come easier. One thing: don't think of it as "spinning twice as hard." That's where I tensed up and blew it. Instead of forcing more rotation, take a bigger lead rotation and pull your body in mid-air to accelerate. Once that feeling clicks, it comes around all at once.

【How to not take the long way】 If there's one thing I'd say, it's don't move on after landing something "once in a while." Wait until you can hit it 3 out of 5 on purpose. It looks slower, but it's the fastest way.

And mix in switch (opposite foot) a little from the start — it makes later tricks much easier.

Where are you now, and what's next? When in doubt, pick your next trick from the guide links below.