How to Do BMX Tricks? | Start With These Five

Learning BMX tricks starts with the bunny hop, manual, and 180 before attempting anything bigger.

Mastering BMX tricks isn’t about launching yourself at the biggest ramp you can find on day one. The riders who make it look effortless built their skills in a specific order, starting with core balance moves that every harder trick builds on. Whether you’re a teenager with a new 20-inch bike or an adult finally picking up the sport, the path is the same: nail the fundamentals first, then layer on the style.

Here’s the honest part—progress comes from repetition, not talent. The riders you see on Red Bull highlight reels spent months on the basics before their first full rotation. This guide walks you through the essential tricks in the order you should learn them, plus the gear and setup that make practice safer and more productive.

The Gear and Setup You Actually Need

Before your first manual, make sure the bike fits and you’re wearing the right protection. BMX bikes are measured by wheel size and top tube length; 20-inch wheels are the standard for freestyle riding. The right top tube length depends on your height, ranging from roughly 18.5 inches for shorter riders up to about 21.25 inches for riders over six feet tall.

The essential safety gear isn’t negotiable. Reputable beginner guidance consistently recommends a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and gloves. Your helmet should fit snugly and be certified for BMX or skate use—a loose helmet that shifts on impact won’t protect you properly.

Practice spaces matter just as much as gear. Look for open, low-traffic areas like quiet parks, empty parking lots, or dedicated BMX beginner zones. Avoid roads and anywhere with heavy foot traffic. A smooth, flat surface with room to roll out is ideal.

Our tested roundup of bicycles built for stunts covers the best beginner-friendly options if you’re still shopping for a bike.

The Manual: Your Balance Foundation

The manual—balancing on just the rear wheel without pedaling—is the first trick every serious rider learns, and for good reason. It teaches the weight distribution that nearly every other trick depends on.

Start with your body in the ready position: stand relaxed and balanced, pedals almost horizontal, hips over the bottom bracket, shoulders relaxed, elbows slightly bent. Shift your weight back to lift the front wheel, using small movements to hold your balance. Pulling up on the handlebars while pushing down on the pedals helps lift the front wheel at the start.

Two mistakes will end your manual early:

• Over-leaning your upper body — this causes you to lose balance and put a foot down.
• Overextending your legs — this makes the front wheel drop back down.

Fully extending your legs at the end of the manual is what pushes the front wheel back down, so keep a slight bend through the whole move. If you have a front brake, using it lightly can help prevent the bike from rolling away as you practice.

The Bunny Hop and 180: Building Air

The bunny hop is your gateway to getting both wheels off the ground. The technique builds directly on your manual: lift the front wheel higher using the same movement, then scoop your feet back and up to bring the rear wheel with you. Landing should absorb impact through your arms and legs—keep them slightly bent on the way down rather than locking out.

Once you can bunny hop consistently, the 180 is the natural next step. This trick starts with the same rolling speed and body position as your hop, but you turn your shoulders and hips 90 degrees as you leave the ground. The key is committing to the rotation—a half-hearted turn is how riders end up landing off-balance.

The most common hurdle at this stage is speed control. The beginner sources repeatedly stress that controlled speed beats full speed, especially when you’re still learning how the bike rotates under you. Overshooting your speed makes landing harder, not easier.

Transitions and the Next Steps

With your manual, bunny hop, and 180 feeling solid, it’s time to put them on transitions—the curved ramps that connect flat ground to vertical walls. Riding straight up a transition and hopping at the top allows you to turn 90 degrees for a side stall or continue 180 degrees for a fakie-based move (riding backward after a 180).

Beginner instructions recommend learning the manual first, then using it to build the bunny hop, and finally applying both on transitions. The important thing is to ride straight up the ramp, hop, and turn—not to carve or lean before you’ve left the ground.

Every rider progresses at a different pace, and that’s normal. The riders who improve fastest share one habit: they practice the fundamentals until they’re boring, then they add one new variable at a time.