Miller Flip is a combination of a Backflip, a Frontside 360, a Handplant, and Fakie landing on transition. Everything you like is in one trick. Still, it's not like you flip your body through effort. The laws of physics provide semi-automatic assistance, and it's far safer than you might think.
Summary
Miller Flips Looks Risky but Physics Makes It Safer
The Miller Flip combines movements like a backflip and spin, but the trick’s real secret lies in physics. Ramp momentum redirects forward motion upward, creating semi-automatic rotation and lift. This natural assistance reduces the need for raw strength and makes the trick far less dangerous than its appearance suggests.
Mastering the Blind Handplant by Using Ramp Physics, Correct Timing, and Body Control to Avoid Dangerous Mistakes
The hardest part is committing to a handplant without seeing where it lands. By pushing on the tail, you can keep your body weight inside the ramp, reducing the weight your front hand has to bear. Common errors—early rotation, shallow ramps, or letting centrifugal force push the board away—cause dangerous falls. Correct timing and control keep the landing secure.
Key Concept
The greatest challenge lies in placing your hand on a spot you cannot see. Let's simulate my perspective with a 3d model. As you ride up the transition, you can see your back hand grabs the board. In the very next instant, however, the only thing in view is the landing. You can't see where you plant your hand.
The key concept is to keep your weight on the inside of the ramp. This force, combined with the momentum of going up the ramp, will lift your body. While you're in the air, there's only a little pressure on your front hand, so you can safely place it down.
Step-By-Step Breakdown
On flat ground, your body is propelled forward by its momentum. As you climb the transition, this forward force gradually redirects upward. Unless you are skating on a vert ramp, some portion of the forward momentum remains, pushing your body outward. So, you have to fight the momentum and stay inside the ramp.
The Tail Block is a great way to practice it. Grab the center of the board, pull it in with your arm, and push down on the tail with your back foot. Doing this allows you to become accustomed to the sensation of staying inside the ramp. And you don't have to worry too much about landing, as you can "rest" on the coping without having to go back onto the transition directly.
This inward momentum, combined with the upward momentum acting on your body, creates a momentary state of vertical suspension.
The Miller Flip follows the same principle. As you go up the transition, wait until the momentum of your body has fully shifted upward. At that instant, push your back foot into the ramp while leaning your body axis backward. The reaction force keeps your center of mass anchored within the ramp, while at the same time lifting it vertically.
By doing so, the body becomes momentarily suspended in the air. While the front arm does make contact with the transition, the weight is already lifted, meaning it bears almost no weight.
Common Mistakes
The most frequent cause is mistiming. If you begin the rotation before you have fully ascended the transition, your body still carries forward momentum. Planting the hand in this state puts immense strain on the arm, and I don't want to imagine what would happen. The same risk appears in shallow ramps. Even if you reach the top of the transition, the forward momentum does not fully convert upward. As a result, it becomes harder to lift your body high enough, increasing the chance of landing on your hips.
Once your body begins to rotate, focus on landing. From a first-person perspective, it feels as if you are slamming the board onto the ground. In this motion, centrifugal force acts on the board and legs, encouraging them to get away from your body. However, if you let the board swing too far away, you will land on your hips. So, pull your back arm and keep your board directly under your body.
