The backside air reverse is a neat and stylish trick that can be pulled off on shortboards.
This is done by catching a wave on your backside and doing a 360.
The trick is one for more experienced surfers and is one that is sure to draw some attention out in the water!
How to backside air reverse: 4 step process
Step 1: Set Up
To set up for a successful backside air reverse, you are going to want to pick the right wave for the trick because it is not one you can pull on just any ordinary wave.
You should find a wave that has a taller, more peaky wall so that you can gain good speed and have a nice ramp to pull your trick on.
A nice lip (the top of the wave) that has a curve allows you to use it to propel yourself better. Speaking of speed, you are going to want to be going very fast so you can pull that momentum you have created and use it to do a backside air reverse.
Step 2: Bottom Turn
You are going to want to do a quick bottom turn, one that won’t kill your speed too much. What I mean by this is that you should do a few pumps down the wave and do a half-bottom turn so that your board can start going up.
Step 3: Pull The Reverse
You are going to need to use both arms to help you out when pulling the air reverse.
Open them wide and let your front arm guide you up, once the tail of your board has slightly passed the top of the wave, immediately throw your front arm down and around to whip you and your board in the 360.
Your back arm will also be used for support in whipping around. You want to keep your board underneath you and your foot stance wide so you don’t lose control of it.
Step 4: Landing
After you have landed and you are fishing your 360, you should stomp on the tail of your board to get yourself going back into the right direction. It is said it is not smart to land on the flat surface of the wave, this trick should be done as a closer. Land your backside air reverse in the white wash as the wave is closing out.
Who Does the Best Backside Air Reverses?
Filipe Toledo
Filipe is one of the best air-pullers on the championship tour of surfing. See his technique- it’s perfect and incredibly fun to watch.
Carissa Moore
Carissa is a leader in beautiful airs when it comes to the women’s league- she’s ahead of the game. Watch the way she sets herself up for pulling an air reverse.
John John Florence
John John is a beast at pulling any sort of trick in the water- especially airs on crazy waves. John John’s air reverse is technical and flawless.
Backside air reverse: FAQs
Q: How do you do a backside reverse air?
A backside reverse air is done by catching a wave on your backside and propelling yourself up the wave and, once you’ve surpassed the top of the wave, around in a 360 motion.
Q: What is an air reverse in surfing?
An air reverse is a trick that is popular among more advanced very experienced surfers. This is when you see the surfer pull an air and spin themselves around in a 360 motion.
Q: What is frontside and backside surfing?
Frontside surfing is when you are surfing with the front of your body facing the wave.
Backside surfing is when you are surfing with the back side of your body facing the wave.
In a more technical way of explaining, there are both goofy and regular foot surfers. If your left foot is forward when surfing, you are regular-footed.
If your right foot is forward when surfing, you are goofy-footed.
When looking at the waves from the beach, a wave going your direction to the left, a surfer who is regular-footed will be on their front side and a surfer who is goofy-footed will be on their back side and vise-versa.
Backside Air Reverse
Overall, a backside air reverse, or an air reverse in general, is a really cool trick to see pulled off and is one for the more experienced surfers.
A trick like this can gain a lot of attention out in the water and in competitions as well.
Get out there and give it a go!
Looking to improve your surfing?
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