What a Boneless Is in Tony Hawk
A boneless is a classic skateboarding trick where the rider grabs the board with one hand, lifts it off the ground, and lands back on it. In Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, the boneless is a foundational trick that appears across multiple titles and is often one of the first grab tricks players learn. The move is also a real-world street skating staple, used to clear obstacles or set up grabs in lines. For a breakdown of how the trick translates from real life to the game, see the official Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series overview on Activision's site Activision.
How to Do a Boneless in Tony Hawk
In the standard Tony Hawk control scheme, you initiate a boneless by pressing the grab button while ollieing or already in the air. On PlayStation, this is typically the Triangle button; on Xbox, it is the Y button; on PC, it is the default grab key bound in the controls menu. The exact input can vary slightly between Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 and later entries, but the core motion remains a grab during or right after an ollie. You can find the full control layout and trick list in the game's manual or on the official Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 page Tony Hawk.
Timing and Execution
To land a clean boneless, press the grab button at the peak of your ollie so the board lifts with your character. Hold the grab input to keep the board attached, then release it just before you touch down to snap back onto the deck. In Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series, the trick's score depends on timing, speed, and whether you link it into other tricks. Practicing on flat ground first helps you master the grab-and-release window before trying it over gaps or on rails.
Common Mistakes and Tips
The most common mistake is releasing the grab too early, which causes your character to fall off the board or bail. Another frequent error is initiating the boneless without enough ollie height, leaving the board hovering too low to land cleanly. To improve, focus on a consistent ollie rhythm and practice the grab input in slow motion if the game allows input display or replay features. For broader trick guides and community tips, the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater community hub on GameFAQs GameFAQs aggregates user-submitted strategies and control references.
Advanced Variations
Once you can land a basic boneless consistently, you can combine it with flips, grinds, or transitions to build higher-scoring combos. In Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2, linking a boneless into a grab or a flip trick multiplies your score through the combo system. The same principle applies in later titles and in real-world skating, where a boneless can be a setup for a melon, tailgrab, or revert. Understanding these connections helps you use the boneless strategically rather than as an isolated trick.