This Will Interest You
- A skateboard is made of 7-layered maple plywood.
- Anaheim, CA, held the first ever international skateboarding competition in the year 1965.
- In the year 1976, the first ever outdoor skatepark was built in the state of Florida.
- In the last decade, more people have learned skateboarding that even popular sports like baseball and basketball.
- Skateboarding daily can help you lose anywhere between 5 - 10 pounds in a month.
- Dave Cornthwaite skateboarded more than 3,700 miles across Australia for a charitable cause, and managed to raise an amount of $100,000.
- Less than half the people who skateboard wear the correct protective gear.
A skateboard is a wheeled board for riding or a short narrow board to which a set of small wheels is fitted on the underside, used to move rapidly or to perform jumps and stunts. They say that it can be a good alternative for surfing. We will discuss are the things you should use and will need before learning how to skateboard. First and the most important is of course the skateboard, the others will simply be for your safety, like protection gear for your elbows and knees, and of course you have the helmet to protect your head. As much as possible, you should also be wearing your proper attire for this activity. As much as a hundred thousand people yearly need medical attention as a result of a skateboarding accident, and the most vulnerable part of the body at such times are the wrists. Therefore, there are certain things to consider when choosing the right skateboard that will fit you, be it in size or in style.
- Length and width of the deck (deck is the actual board), it should have a space big enough so that when you step on it, your feet can relax on both sides, and according to studies 7.5' deck is better
- Concave or the slope of the board
- Wheel size
- Truck height and
- Skate shoes
Know Your Skateboard
It is important to understand your skateboard, that will be your soul when you perform. The skateboard is made of wood that is covered with paper glass. The underside consists of lagers, screws and wheels. The front part is called the nose and the rear side of the board is the tail. People who stand with their right leg on the board are called goffies and people who use their left leg are 'regular'.
Best Way to Learn Skateboard
Learning how to skate especially for beginners is really difficult and challenging but when you get into the habit, it is very fulfilling. There are many tips and advise, not to mention formal education, that people give just to teach other aspiring skateboarders to widen their present population.
After making sure that you already have all the necessary paraphernalia with you and that you are already dressed up with the proper protection gears that you need, the next thing you have to do is to follow the following instructions. But first, keep in mind that you are still starting to learn and you should start from the basic.
ABCs of Skateboarding
First, is you need to have a good camaraderie with your board, you should be at ease with it, the length, the width and so on, feel your board and be comfortable in doing your basics like standing on it or even jumping.
Second, is choosing a position that suits your style, in some studies it says that there are 3 kinds of stance you can choose from and for some only 2. Those are:
- Regular or skating with your left foot forward,
- Goofy or skating with your right foot forward.
- And for others they have mongo foot pusher.
Third, learn to get comfortable with your board. You should first attempt to skate in your home on a carpet or on asphalt. This will help minimize your injuries, if you fall. Try different poses and stances and learn to place the legs at the correct angles. When you start skating, place your front leg fingers on the hinges. Use your back leg to push you forward. Once you reach the desired speed, place the back leg on the board. Control the board with your front leg. If you wish to turn, place your weight on your back leg for just a second and then, attempt to turn the front wheels using your front leg.
Fourth, is pushing. Beginners are having some trouble in doing this, because the tendency is that the skateboard gets away when they try to push it away. The proper way to do it is imagine that you are just walking, you are just making a step forward and the foot stepping forward is the foot pushing in front of the skateboard. Another trick is that you have to make a powerful push and not a lot of less-powerful pushes. Just lean forward and bend your front leg slightly. Bend the back leg, at an angle of 45 degree to your body and push the ground. When you reach the speed, place the back leg on the tail.
Fifth, is stopping. There are several ways or techniques in stopping a skateboard, that include:
- Foot breaking, this is the easiest way because you will just take off your back foot and drag it on the ground.
- Heel drag, skateboarders who have skated for a while are the ones who usually do this. You have to step down on your heel but you have to make sure that the front half of your foot is still on the board, your heel should drag a short ways and you should stop.
- Power slide, this is the advanced way to halt and since it is for advanced it will be better if we will not discuss it as yet.
- Lastly is, when you don't have any other choice but to jump off and just buy a new board.
Once you learn to manage yourself on a moving board, it is time you get familiar with various styles. We shall enlist some of the popular skateboarding styles tried by many enthusiasts around the world. These styles include:
- Ollie 360 kickFlip
- Ollie one Foot
- Pop Shove it
- Air Tricks