When interest in skateboarding sparks, it’s hard for anything to stop it. When you start, facing fear may be one of the main challenges. However, as time goes by, practice and perseverance pay off. Get to know the best tips to start mastering skateboarding.
An alternative sport to enjoy and share
Being one of the most popular alternative sports in the world, skateboarding not only stands out for those spectacular tricks and the sensation of adrenaline but also for its values related to sharing among peers. That is why those who are taking their first steps in skateboarding will discover a sports practice and a space for fellowship. On the other hand, as in most sports, practice and perseverance are also essential. In this sense, there are some recommendations to facilitate the first contact with skateboarding for beginners.
One obvious question when starting the path in this sport is that only one element is needed: skateboarding. In this same line, several doubts may arise when there is no knowledge about this universe. One of them will be focused on: How to choose the first skateboard? However, there are a number of aspects that must be taken into account in order to carry out a good search for skates and the consequent acquisition. As usually happens with other elements, it is not the same to buy a skateboard for someone starting out in the sport as for a professional. The size of the wheels and the flexibility of the axles are some of the aspects that vary.
On the other hand, once you have the skateboard, the first challenges are presented. Fear can be the most difficult thing to face in the first attempts, but it will undoubtedly decrease over time. In this way, there are two basic positions once on top of the table: the regular and goofy positions. On the other hand, it is also appropriate to remember the importance of starting one step at a time. Inevitably you have to put aside the tricks in the first outings. The priority is to begin to gain balance and learn simple movements, such as turning or pushing and maintaining the correct position of the feet. Also, a detail to add about this sport is that it has no age limit. Both older and younger adults can enjoy it.
What to consider when buying your first skateboard?
Once the decision to start practicing this sport is made, it is time to get a skateboard. Although it may seem like a simple task at first glance, it is necessary to consider some aspects to make the practice easier. Along these same lines, it is necessary to correctly differentiate between a skateboard and a longboard. The latter is much longer and has a flatter shape. Also, the function of the longboard is mostly related to speed and not so much to freestyle.
One of the points to look at when looking for a new skateboard is its size. In this sense, the most useful thing is to analyze about the shoe size. For those who fit between 34 and 37, the 7.0″ mini skate is recommended. For those whose foot size is between 37 and 41, the medium 7.25″ skate is recommended. Finally, the large 7.5″ skate is more appropriate for those who wear a size 42 or more. Finally, although it is usually one of the most fun aspects when choosing a skateboard, design should not be paramount. This point should be left in the background, and priority must be given to adapting to skateboarding and personal goals.
Another aspect to take into account is also the width of the table. The wider the skate will allow you to have better balance. However, it will be more difficult to perform tricks. However, a wide skate is not bad for beginners since you won’t be doing complex tricks at first. On the other hand, the concave of the skate will also affect performance. In this sense, those skates with greater curvature are designed for freestyle, while the flatter boards are designed for touring.
5 recommendations to start skateboarding
When starting in the world of skateboarding, the main objective should be to master skateboarding with ease. That is why there are some key tips to launch and forget about fear gradually. Next, you will be able to know what are the first steps to achieve mastery of skateboarding.
Try to keep your balance on the skateboard
As with other sports where a board is used, laterality in skateboarding is key. In this sense, it is necessary to place one foot in the forward position of the board. Regarding which of the two, there are two ways: the regular and goofy positions. About the first, here, the left foot is placed in front. Therefore the foot to push will be the right one. Instead, the goofy position is the other way around. About which position to use, generally, the foot that provides balance goes on top of the board. However, testing will be the most effective way to discover your position.
Try to propel yourself
When stability fades into the background, it’s time to get excited about kicking. A fundamental point at this time is to find the right space. If you want to practice correctly, it is necessary to be in a large place with a flat and smooth surface. In this framework, once on the skate, you have to give a firm impulse with the foot placed behind. It should be noted that if the kick is large, it will be easier to maintain balance. Therefore, although fear tends to generate a small momentum, avoiding it is necessary for better stability.
Return to the starting position in a balanced manner
Once the skateboard rolls, you must return to the starting position correctly. Mainly the foot located in the front part should go transversely along the board. On the other hand, the foot that kicked to propel itself must return to the back of the skate. A relevant point in this instance is to slightly bend the knees to improve balance. Also, keeping your back straight is key with a low center of gravity.
Learn to spin
When rolling forward is already a challenge to overcome, it is necessary to learn to turn. To achieve this, it is necessary to carry the weight of the body forwards or backward through the movement of the ankles. The pressure required to achieve this varies according to the flexibility of the skateboard shaft. On the other hand, a different technique is to kick turn. For this, it is necessary to press the tail (the rear part) and thus slightly raise the front axle. Simultaneously you have to turn your body to one side to turn around. In this second technique, it is essential not to overdo the pressure of the rear foot. Otherwise, the skate can slide suddenly.
Forget about tricks
As in other sports, practice and perseverance are the only recipe for learning to skate. In this sense, understanding the importance of gradual growth is becoming aware that performing tricks in the first instances will be impossible. Therefore, although, on many occasions, the interest in the sport is born from observing spectacular movements, it is necessary to know that this will take time. However, once the balance is mastered, the first trick to try will be the popular ollie.
