If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you want to learn how to skateboard. And that’s great – skateboarding is an incredibly fun and rewarding activity. You can do it for leisure or for joining the Olympics. But like anything else, it takes time and practice to get good at it. In this guide, we’ll teach you the basics of skateboarding, from stance and balance to turning and stopping. We’ll also cover some of the most common tricks you can do with skateboarding. So let’s get started!
Skateboarding: What Is It?
Skateboarding is both a sport and a recreational activity that makes use of a skateboard for riding or performing tricks. This sport can be traced way back to the early 1940s. It was the surfers of California that got this idea to attach roller skates to pieces of wood and ride them around the streets and sidewalks. This was originally done to pass the time when the waves were flat.
As skateboarding became more popular, manufacturers began producing purpose-built skateboards, and the sport quickly evolved. Today, there are different types of skateboards for different styles of skating, and intricate tricks can be performed on both street and vert (ramp) skateboards.
How do you ride a skateboard?
The first step to riding a skateboard is to find your stance – that is, how you position your feet on the board. There are two main stances: regular and goofy. Your stance depends on which foot you feel most comfortable leading with. If you’re not sure, try pushing off with each foot and see which one feels better. Once you’ve found your stance, place your feet like this:
Regular stance: the front of the board is where your left foot is while the right foot is near the back
Goofy stance: the front of the board is where you place your right foot while the left foot can be found towards the back.
Once you’ve found your stance, position your feet so that they’re parallel to each other and about shoulder-width apart. Then, bend your knees slightly and lean forward from your ankles, keeping your back straight. This is your basic skateboarding stance. From here, you can start pushing off and riding around.
How do you stop?
To stop on a skateboard, you need to use your footbrake. The footbrake is simply the act of dragging your foot on the ground to slow down or stop. To do this, extend your leg behind you and drag your toe on the ground. The more pressure you apply, the faster you’ll stop. You can also use your footbrake to make quick turns by dragging your foot to the side.
How do you turn?
To turn on a skateboard, you need to use your front foot to push off in the direction you want to go. For example, if you want to turn left, push off with your left foot. The harder you push, the sharper the turn will be. You can also use your back foot to brake and make smaller adjustments in your direction of travel.
Practice these basic moves in an open area until you feel comfortable with them. Then, you can start skating around and exploring! As you get more confident, you can start trying different tricks. Just remember to practice safety first – always wear a helmet and pads when skateboarding.
Types Of Skateboarding Tricks
Ollie
The ollie is the most fundamental of all the skateboarding tricks – and once you learn it, you can start doing all sorts of other tricks. An ollie is a skateboarding trick that involves jumping off the ground and landing back on the board with both feet.
To do an ollie, start by rolling forward on your board until you have enough speed to jump. Then, your front foot should be placed on the tail while the back foot rests near the middle. Prepare to jump by bending your knees then jump into the air with your backfoot supporting the jump by using it to push off the ground. As you jump, snap your legs up. This helps you land your feet land on the deck of the board. Once you land, immediately bend your knees again and prepare for another jump.
Kickflip
This is a trick that would involve having to flip the board 360 degrees while you are in the air as you jump. To do this, start by rolling forward on your board and jumping into the air. As you jump, place your front foot near the center of the board and your back foot on the tail. Flick your back foot up and out to the side, using your ankle to snap the board around. The board should spin 360 degrees in the air before you land back on it with both feet.
Frontside Air
The frontside air is a skateboarding trick that involves jumping off the ground and spinning the board around in the air so that it lands in front of you.
To do this is similar to the steps of doing a kickflip. The only difference is that the board should spin 180 degrees in the air before you land on it with your feet.
Backside Air
The backside air is a skateboarding trick that involves jumping off the ground and spinning the board around in the air so that it lands behind you. A backside air is the same trick as the frontside air but performed in the opposite direction.
360 Flip
The 360 flip is a trick that involves flipping the board 360 degrees in the air while you jump. A 360 flip is the same trick as a kickflip but is performed in the opposite direction.
There are endless possibilities when it comes to skateboarding tricks. Once you master the basic moves, you can start combining them to create your own unique tricks. With practice, you’ll be able to perform any trick you can imagine. So get out there and start skating!
