Are you new to skateboarding and find it difficult to perform even the simplest tricks? Is your skateboard gathering dust because you don’t feel confident enough in your skateboarding abilities to use it? Well, you have come to the right place because, in this article, we will be discussing the various tips and tricks through which you can learn how to get better at skateboarding using the best skateboard available.
How To Get Better At Skateboarding
When trying to improve your skills at skateboarding, sometimes you need to start from the basics. This is because, as it is a complicated sport, many try to find their own ways to make riding a skateboard easier for themselves. This can lead to them getting used to the wrong way to skateboard which can make it difficult for them to learn tricks or other skateboarding techniques in the future. This is why you need to learn how to correctly ride a skateboard before you can move on to getting better at it.
Learning the Basics
When it comes to riding a skateboard, the first and foremost thing you need to learn is to maintain your balance on one. For this, you need to practice standing on your skateboard along with figuring out your stance. Place your board in the grass so that it is not able to move, and climb on to it and decide on the position for the placement of your feet that you are the most comfortable in. One piece of advice that many professional skateboarders give for this step is to use the bolts on the board as guidance.
Place your front foot on the four bolts on the front of the board and your back foot on the bolts on the back of your board. This is not the ideal position for your feet when you are actually skateboarding, but it helps you figure out your center of gravity and helps you gain confidence and balance better on your board.
Now you need to find out your stance. This is basically about figuring out which foot you are going to place forward on the board that makes you feel the most comfortable. There are two stances; the first one is the goofy stance, in which you place your right foot forward on the board and use your left foot to push. The second stance is the regular stance in which you place your left foot at the front and use your right one to push. When you have figured out your stance and are comfortable enough on your skateboard, you can move on to actually riding it.
Place your board on the ground next to a sturdy structure like a pole or a fence that you can grab onto for support. Make sure that there aren’t any bumps or cracks in your path that might cause your board to shake and make you lose your balance. Now climb onto the board, holding on to the pole or fence, and take a few minutes to get comfortable standing on it on this new surface. Once you feel ready, face the direction you want to move and then push the structure that you are holding for support to slowly propel yourself forward.
To stop moving forward, carefully take your back foot off your board and place it on the ground, letting it drag against it for a few seconds to slow down the board and then getting a firm placement to completely stop it. Another way you can stop is through the toe drag method, in which you place your back foot on the edge of the board and let the front half of it drag on the ground while your heel is still resting on the board. This stopping method is great for those still struggling to keep their balance and so is much easier to execute for beginners.
This process might seem quite simple, but it is actually challenging for many beginners. This is why if you stumble on your first try, do not get disheartened and keep on practicing till you are able to ride your board without falling. Once you are able to maintain your balance on your board while riding, you can move on to learning how to push your board forward using your foot.
For this, you need to take your back foot off your board as it is moving and put it on the ground, then push back so that your board gains momentum and moves forward. Normally you do not need your whole foot touching the ground as you push; you just need to use the front half of it. This is because it will ensure that most of your weight is still on your foot that is on the board, which will maintain your balance.
Once you have pushed a few times and you are riding at your desired speed, lift your foot and place it back on the board, shifting your weight back on it. Some people like to use their front foot to push; it is called the Mongo style pushing. And while this style might be easier for some beginners, it is better to avoid it as it can make some tricks difficult to achieve and make you have less control.
Now that you have figured out your stance are able to balance your weight, know how to push, and stop; you can finally try turning. While riding your board at your desired speed, slightly lean forward on your toes to turn your skateboard to one side, maintaining your balance. Once you have turned enough, come back to your normal stance to stop turning. To turn to the other side, you need to lean backward on your heels, again making sure to maintain your balance.
And so, now you know how to properly ride a skateboard. Although you still need to practice a lot by cruising around your neighborhood or a skate park. Through this, you will be able to find the optimal riding styles for yourself and get comfortable enough so that skating seems almost natural to you. And so, after you have practiced enough, you can move on to learning the different tricks.
Learning Simple Tricks
When talking about how to get better at skateboarding, the first thing that comes to mind is performing elaborate tricks. But before you can learn the more technical skateboarding tricks, you need to master the simple and basic ones. This is because not only are they easier to do and let you get more familiar with your board, but they are also used in other, more elaborate tricks, making those easier for you to learn.
The first trick that every beginner needs to learn is the Ollie. This is the most basic trick, yet it can be quite difficult for beginners to execute properly. This is why it is important not to lose hope if you fail the first few times and keep on practicing. To do an Ollie, you first need to make sure that you are facing sideways rather than the front so that your shoulders are in line with your feet. Next, place your front foot a little behind the front bolts of the board and your back foot on the tail of your board.
The heels of your feet need to be slightly hanging off the board as you need to have your weight on your toes as it makes it easy for you to snap your board up faster and with less effort. When you have your feet in the correct position on your board, bend your knees and use your back foot to pop the tail down towards the ground while tilting and sliding your front foot up towards the nose of the board.
As you are popping the tail of the board with your left foot, you need to basically do a small jump so that the board gains enough momentum to jump with you in the air. Then bring your front foot down on your board so that when you’re in the air, both of your feet are at level, and when coming down, the nose of the board needs to dip a little downwards. Your board needs to make an arch in the air as it jumps up and comes back down for a perfect ollie, and while this is quite difficult to achieve right away for a beginner, with proper practice, you will be able to perfect it.
The next trick that you need to learn is the Nollie. This is basically the opposite of an Ollie because here, you need to pop the nose of your skateboard instead of the tail as you jump. To perform a Nollie, you need to position your front foot on the nose of your board and your back foot, just in front of the back bolts, again making sure to shift most of your weight on your toes. Next, using your front foot, pop the nose of the board and jump while sliding your back foot up towards the tail of the board and kicking down.
This trick is a great way to learn how to make transitions and as well as various other tricks. And after learning an Ollie, you will find this trick easier than the previous one as it has the same mechanics. Furthermore, as this is your second trick, the initial shock that comes with learning a trick, because it is something that you have never done before, is already over.
Another trick that you need to earn as a beginner is the Frontside 180. This trick involves you doing an Ollie while turning 180 degrees in the air, which is why it is important that you have mastered the Ollie for this trick. To do a Frontside 180, position your feet as you would for an Ollie, and while you are popping the tail and jumping, using your upper body and shoulders, turn a full 180 degrees. If done correctly, this will turn the rest of your body as well as your board with you, letting you face the opposite direction from where you started.
One more trick that you need to learn as a beginner is the Kickflip. Apart from looking extremely cool, this trick can also be quite beneficial for beginners as it makes learning other, more complicated tricks easier. There are also multiple variations of this trick that you can do after learning this one. For this trick, it is important that you know how to do the Ollie, as it includes lifting the board and kicking it so that it flips in the air.
To do a kickflip, you need to position your feet for an ollie, and bend your knees, and pop the tail as if you are doing a regular Ollie. But as you jump, while you are sliding your front foot upwards towards the nose of your board, instead of taking it straight up, you need to kick it a little sideways. Make sure to hit the bend where the base of your board curves upwards into its nose; this will make the board flip in the air. After this, you need to maintain your balance and land on your board as it hits the ground.
And so, once you have mastered the basic techniques, you will find it much easier to learn and perform the more complicated ones. This is because they make you feel a lot more comfortable with your board and provide you with the control over your board that you need to execute difficult tricks. Furthermore, perfecting and performing basic tricks also help boost your confidence in your abilities, which is extremely important for getting better at skateboarding.
Other Tips to Get Better at Skateboarding
Apart from the basic techniques, there are some small tips that teach you how to get better at skateboarding, the first of which is to wear protective gear. While learning how to skate, some people might not want to wear protective gear like helmets, elbow pads, or knee pads because they think that others would judge them. But it is extremely important to wear such gear, especially as a beginner, because not only does it keep you safe, it makes you feel less scared of falling and therefore more comfortable on your board.
When skating at a skate park or in an area where there are other skaters present, you can always benefit from asking for their help to figure out a trick or a technique. This is because these people have gone through the learning stages of skateboarding just like you are going through, and so they might know exactly how to help you or what advice to give you.
Also, skateboarding requires a lot of core strength, which is why if you want to get better at skateboarding, you need to strengthen your core. And so, you need to do various exercises like sit-ups, crunches, and planks that target your core muscles and make them stronger. This will make it easy for you to perform tricks such as jumps and various other actions that now need less effort.
Another important tip is to not give up if you aren’t able to successfully perform a trick, even after hours of trying it. This is because sometimes your body just needs a break to cool down, and so trying to continuously perform a difficult trick without a break can lead to no avail. Because of this, you might give up on trying out that trick and think that it might be beyond your abilities. But if you give yourself a break and continue to try it out the next day, you are sure to get it in the end.
Lastly, if you want to learn new skating tricks and styles to get better at skateboarding, then watching video tutorials on the internet can help you a lot. This is because they can provide you with the inspiration you need to try out new tricks, and as you are provided with a practical demonstration, it can make it quite easy for you to learn a difficult trick. Lastly, you can try out some cool electric skateboards under 500 dollars to take your skateboarding to next level.
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FAQs
How can I improve my skateboarding?
To improve your skateboarding, you need to go back to the beginning and make sure that your basic methods of skateboarding are correct. This includes the correct positioning of your feet on the board, making sure that your stance is right and that you are using the proper method for pushing. If your basics are correct, then you need to start off learning the basic tricks like Ollie, before trying to attempt the more technical ones.
How long does it take to get good at skateboarding?
The amount of time it takes a person to get good at skateboarding depends on their own capabilities as well as the amount of practice and effort they put in. Someone who practices almost every day can get good at skateboarding in a matter of weeks, while those who don’t practice as often can take months to get good at it.
Where can I practice skateboarding for beginners?
As a beginner, it is recommended that you practice at a skate park or somewhere else where they have a smooth and vacant path, like a basketball court, bike path, and so on. This is because when first trying out skateboarding, you don’t have much control over your board, and so if you try to ride in a crowded area, then you can risk getting hurt or hurting someone else. Furthermore, you need to make sure that the path you are riding is free of any small bumps or cracks; otherwise, you can lose your balance and fall.
Wrapping Up
Skateboarding is a great hobby as not only is it good for your body, but it provides you with a convenient form of transportation for short distances. And so, learning how to get better at skateboarding, so that you have better control on your board and are able to ride it well, can be quite advantageous. Furthermore, learning and attempting various tips and tricks help work out your core and keep you fit. And so, learning to get better at these tricks can also help you get physically stronger.
