Video by Jessica Goldberg
They call themselves “trickers.”
They are members of an underground society that practices a sport called martial arts tricking — “tricking” for short — which consists of flips, spins and kicks all done in a fluid, aesthetic motion.
Public relations sophomore Steven Atkinson, 20, is one of them.
“If I didn’t have tricking, I feel like part of my soul would be missing,” Atkinson said.
His love for tricking sprouted from a long career in martial arts. His love for martial arts sprouted from boredom with other sports.
“I would just sit in the field and throw grass in the air,” Atkinson said. “I wanted to fight things.”
At 10, Atkinson began studying Kenpo Karate, a discipline that emphasizes a fluid form of self-defense. He also learned kenjitsu, kung-fu and kendo. At 17, he became a fifth-degree black belt in Kenpo.
In 2005, Atkinson placed first in weapons and first in creative forms at the U.S. Open Martial Arts Championship, one of the largest international martial arts competitions in the country.
A creative forms routine consists of a series of martial arts stances, punches and kicks strung together in a fluid motion. Most competitors practice these routines for months. Atkinson “had no idea” what he would perform, and said his first-prize-winning routine was improvised.
“I’ve always been able to spontaneously create things like that,” Atkinson said.
Photos by Evie Carpenter
Soon after the U.S. Open, Atkinson started to shift his attention completely to tricking, which offered Atkinson a chance to explore that spontaneity he had an innate talent for. He stopped competing in formal tournaments that same year and stopped testing for belts two years later.
“I just didn’t see the point,” Atkinson said.
Competitive martial arts no longer gave him a sense of accomplishment or satisfaction. Tricking did.
So Atkinson and Carter Harris, a friend from martial arts school, began teaching themselves how to trick by watching YouTube videos of other trickers and trying to replicate their tricks at gymnastics gyms.
“We taught ourselves everything we know today,” Atkinson said.
Harris said many gymnasts and coaches at the gyms would stop to watch him and Atkinson.
“They really had never seen anything like what we were doing,” Harris said.
Atkinson added that since it was new, some gym owners believed tricking was too dangerous and were hesitant to let Atkinson and Harris practice in their facility.
“We got kicked out of one gymnastics gym,” Atkinson said. He added with a grin, “The first one we went to.” Undeterred, the two found other gyms and continued practicing.
Atkinson has been tricking ever since, and has recently started to consider making it a career. He wants to do stunt work in Hollywood, giving the example of Anis Cheurfa, a tricker who recently played Rinzler in the movie “TRON: Legacy.”
Atkinson trains four days a week, three hours each day to accomplish this goal.
Harris, who has trained with Atkinson for the past seven years, said the training has paid off for Atkinson.
“He’s at a level where he’s probably top two in the state,” Harris said.
Atkinson’s father, Steve Atkinson, fully supports his son’s ambitions to pursue a career in tricking. After Steven graduates college, that is.
“Anything is pretty much possible at that point,” Atkinson said. “I don’t think there’s anything that would particularly get in his way.”
Neither does Harris, who believes the same trait that makes Atkinson so good at tricking will also lead to a successful career.
“He just has no fear at all,” Harris said. “He just goes for it.”
Contact the reporter at anthony.reda@asu.edu
