Skateboarding is one sport that takes everyone’s breath away. When you watch those skateboarders gliding through the road or even jumping across some blockages, you may hold your heart. But you know what, no matter how extreme it all seems, skateboarding is fun and thrilling. All you have to do is decide to explore it and be ready for the thrills.
Many beginners are often worried that they’ll not master the activity as easily as others. That’s why we’re going to help you with everything you need to do as a skateboarding newbie. The truth is that skateboarding is different from football or even gulf because there’re no coaches to put you through.
The good news is that we have everything here for you to learn and do it rights.
Skateboarding Tips For Beginners
- Choose your gear carefully
The first gear we expect you to buy is the skateboards for beginners. When you visit the local store, you’re going to find many brands for different skill levels. But no matter how many you see, pick the board according to your size and purpose. We usually recommend the heavy and thick deck that doesn’t have too many curves. At least, you can learn the ropes of skateboarding without falling off all the time. Don’t forget other important ones such as the helmet, knee and elbow pads, skating shoes, and wrist brace.
- Loosen the trucks
Don’t forget that you’re still a newbie and not a pro yet. So, once you get the skateboard, check to make sure that the trucks are loose. Of course, they’re often tight when they come, so; you have to unscrew the kingpins yourself to make them loose. Also, check if the kingpins are fixed appropriately to ensure smooth turns and less number of falls. Many people argue that tight trucks are better than loose trucks. Each has its pros and cons, but we recommend a loose truck since you’re not yet ready to speed on the skateboard.
- The shoe is important too
You’ve already seen the other gears, but have you thought about the right shoes to wear while on the board? Many people often think they can wear anything and be okay on a skateboard. It’s better to get a skate shoe instead of using any type of shoe you have. Many brands have different kinds to offer for your protection and comfort while on the board. So, look out for those brands that have a flat and even surface.
- Start on the right surface
As a beginner, the best place to start the whole journey is smooth concrete. The reason is that you’re still studying the sport and may not know how to dodge or jump over cracks or bumps on the road as you skate. Of course, you can navigate every kind of surface when you’ve mastered the ins and outs of skateboarding. But for now, take the simple surface and start your adventure.
- Don’t start from the tricks
The temptation to jump into the ollies can be impossible to resist. No need to rush. You must learn and practice the fundamentals before trying to show off your styles and tricks. First, learn how to be comfortable on your skateboard and how not to fall off before trying the whole tricks.
- How to stand on the skateboard
You have three options here. The first is the regular foot, which means pushing with the right foot and riding with the left foot. There’s also the goofy foot where you’ll be pushing with the left and riding with the right foot. Then you have the mongo foot, which means pushing with the front foot instead of the back foot. Even though the first two styles are okay, the mongo foot poses lots of dangers to a newbie.
- Push off powerfully
Many beginners prefer to start from many short stabs instead of a long push off. We advise you try hard to start with a long push off no matter what. This will help you to stay balanced on the skateboard. Don’t worry about falls because you may experience that but focus on achieving a powerful push-off to set you off on a smooth, natural ride before your board stops.
- Start riding
Once you push off and moves, the next thing is to shift the riding foot to stay sideways and the pushing foot behind the board. Bend your knees slightly but stand upright and keep your back straight. That way, you can master a correct balance on the skateboard. Also, turning is another challenge you’ll face. All it requires is a little weight into your heels, and you can turn right or left as you wish.
- Stopping the skateboard.
Yes, you should learn to stop it too. There’re many ways to stop a skateboard, but we recommend the foot-braking method. All it requires is to take off your back foot and grind it on the ground. Other methods include bail: powerslide, heel drag, or boneless.
Conclusion
Now that we’ve explored the tips you should use as a newbie skateboarder; we encourage you to pick your gear and start. Please don’t be afraid or worried that you’ll not do it well. You have all you need now, so embrace the sport.
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.