How to commit in skateboarding

24 Tips to Overcome Your Fear of Skateboarding and Commit! – SkateboardersHQ

I remember my first time dropping into a vert. I was scared and afraid to hurt myself, this was something else compared to dropping in a mini ramp. Even wearing full protective gear still made it scary. I was standing on that ledge for minutes, walked away, came back again and at some point, I just did it while getting encouraged by my friends. I fell. It wasn’t a big deal and there was no pain. I went up again and did my first successful vert drop-in.

The only way to overcome your fear of skateboarding is by committing and making sure you are ready. If you’re attempting a trick that’s beyond your skill level you’ll hurt yourself. You need to question yourself if you are ready. If you are, just do it. If not work your way up.

Fear of skateboarding is perfectly normal, Without it, you’ll injure yourself but sometimes it can hold you back. While having fear is rational you sometimes need to get over it and just do. You’ll need to be able to fully commit and have the confidence you can make it. If you lack the skill, focus on another trick first and build up slowly until you’re ready.

Make sure you master the basics.
Slowly build up.
Fear is normal, don’t ignore it.
Learn how to fall.
Commit and don’t overthink.
Be confident but not overconfident.

first time dropping in is scary, just go for it.

Contents

1 1. Slowly Build up a Trick
2 2. Start on a Patch of Grass
3 3. Master the Basics
4 4. Believe in Yourself
5 5. Validate Your Fear
6 6. Make Sure You’re Ready
7 7. Don’t Ignore the Fear
8 8. Learn How to Fall Properly
9 9. Chickenfoot, Just Land It on One Foot
10 10. Listen to Music to Get You Stoked
11 11. Visualize the Trick in Your Head
12 12. Don’t Beat Yourself up About Fear
13 13. Slam and Get Up
14 14. Wear Protective Gear
15 15. Don’t Overthink Everything
16 16. It’s Not the End of the World
17 17. Do a Trick You Mastered First
18 18. Commit or Walk Away
19 19. Failure Is an Option
20 20. Watch Some Videos
21 21. Practice with a Buddy
22 22. You Don’t Have to Be a Pro
23 23. Don’t Look at Others, Focus on You
24 24. Don’t Be Scared to Skateboard in Public
25 Final Words

1. Slowly Build up a Trick

Many tricks require a couple movements and consist of different phases. Trying to learn a shove it? Land with both feet on the ground first until you feel like you know how to rotate your deck along the y-axis.

Find a trick that’s a bit related but easier and master it, after that go back and try again. Don’t spend too much time on it if you can’t seem to do it. Focus on something else and go back at it. Skateboarding is all about progression, sometimes you move forward and sometimes it seems like you take a step back in progression.

This is perfectly normal, it takes some time for your brain to process everything. One day you can’t seem to do anything and a week later you nail every trick. It’s funny how that works.

2. Start on a Patch of Grass

This is really helpful but doesn’t work for all tricks. If you fear to do your first boneless for example this works perfectly. It’s way easier to commit if you know your landing will be soft. Make sure you ‘slam’ the grass a couple of times so you know what happens when you move to concrete.

Remember there’s a huge difference in practicing something stationary and actually moving. 90% of the time moving is harder if you started out stationary. You might think you got the ollie down but once you start moving you think you’ll have to learn it all over again. Don’t worry, you’ll get it!

3. Master the Basics

Many skateboarders just skip the elemental steps and go right at practicing ollies and kickflips. This is a big mistake as you’ll never get familiar with your board. You might pick up wrong posture and it will take a long time to correct yourself later on. You’ll be more likely to be scared because you don’t know how your board reacts and don’t know how to fall properly.

Getting the basics will help you progress way faster than committing to tricks that aren’t at a beginners level. Still want to get that ollie down? There are some ways for you to get used to ollies while moving.

I had a friend who used an old bicycle inner tube wrapped around the center of his board. He pulled it up while jumping simultaneously. Later he got more creative and started doing 180’s, 360’s etc. Also, check out my post about beginner tricks, some really fun and relatively easy tricks that still look good (well, most of them).

4. Believe in Yourself

You can do it, you’ve skated for a while now and you know the basics. Tell yourself you already did harder tricks than this before and remind yourself that it doesn’t always hurt so bad anyway if you fall. Try it a couple of times without landing and then convince yourself you’re getting it down. Go for it, you can do it!

5. Validate Your Fear

It just could be that this basic emotion is trying to tell you’re not ready. Listen to your fear and ask yourself if you’re actually ready. Some tricks are more sketchy than others, some stuff is outright dangerous when you’re not ready. Never ignore your fear but use it as a tool. Deep down inside you know when you’re ready or not. If you do it, if not work your way towards your goal.

Don’t make your friends push you when your fear is valid. Nothing wrong with some friendly competition and encouragement though. It helps you improve but just make sure you’re ready.

6. Make Sure You’re Ready

Sometimes your gut is right, you’re just not ready to do a trick. Make sure you’re ready, have the skill and confidence you can do it. If you know the basics, feel comfortable riding and have the balance go for it. If you can barely ollie, a kickflip is a bad idea. You’ll end up tearing your ligaments for example.

7. Don’t Ignore the Fear

You need fear, being afraid is perfectly rational. Without it, we couldn’t survive. This is also why young kids pick up skateboarding so fast, they don’t see the risks in anything. You actually have to hold them back sometimes. I had a reckless friend when I was younger, the guy didn’t know any fear.

He was a great skateboarder but also got hurt pretty bad occasionally, it’s a trade-off. I rather progress a little slower while staying in one piece though.

Sometimes your fear of skateboarding is justified

8. Learn How to Fall Properly

One thing you could do to overcome your fear is to figure out which ways you are likely to fall. Seek out a patch of grass and actually practice falling. When everything goes south you’ll know how to fall and you can try again. If you’re wearing knee pads and wrist guards, try to slide on your hand and knees.

If you’re not wearing gear, try to roll. Never put your arms behind your back though when you fall.

9. Chickenfoot, Just Land It on One Foot

if you’re scared of placing both of your feet on your deck, also called chickenfoot, try just to place only one foot. If possible try to land first with only your front foot and after that your back foot. Not in that order, you can do it the other way around but it helps to get to know the trick. Soon you’ve built up enough confidence and you’ll able to land the trick.

10. Listen to Music to Get You Stoked

Music can really help you get motivated. I think motivation is stronger than fear so put on some of your favorite music to get you pumped. I wouldn’t recommend listening to music while you actually try to do a trick as it can be distracting, but some might disagree. Depressing music won’t really help, even when you’re an emo (is that still a thing?).

11. Visualize the Trick in Your Head

Let go of your thoughts and only think about the trick you’re going to do. Visualize every little detail and block everything around you. This may sound weird but focus on your breath and body. Breath in and out slowly, and relax your muscles.

It will help you focus, release the tension in your body, and gets you ready to commit. If your muscles are all tightened up and you’re stressed out, you can’t move your body properly.

12. Don’t Beat Yourself up About Fear

It’s frustrating, the fear holds you back and you can even get mad at yourself for being scared. If you’re angry, use the anger to push yourself. Anger doesn’t lead to the dark side, you can use it to your advantage and turn it into motivation.

13. Slam and Get Up

Pain helps, hitting the pavement helps. You just need to get back on your board and do it again (unless you’re seriously injured). If you quit after you fall it’s going to be harder next time. It’s all part of the game.

14. Wear Protective Gear

Protective gear helps you to build up confidence, the catch is you could feel too confident and take too much risk. While protection helps you to reduce the impact from falling, still many skateboarders end up in the emergency room. This has mainly to do with overconfidence and you not being ready yet, protective gear helps to a certain extent but always make sure you’re ready.

Still, it’s better than wearing nothing at all.

15. Don’t Overthink Everything

Sometimes when I try something new, just before I go for it something in my mind tells me “you can’t do this, you’re going to fall”. I instantly bail when that happens because the thought alone will make sure I get hurt. When you overthink your muscles will react to your thoughts and tighten up. Thinking too much about it will only hold you back so you need to find a way to let go.

16. It’s Not the End of the World

Fear is an integral part of skateboarding, you need fear. Busting a knee is not the end of the world. You might feel a bit sore the next day but you can say to yourself you did it or at least tried. You shouldn’t back out when you’re ready as you’ll regret it the moment you come home.

17. Do a Trick You Mastered First

Trying something over and over again or just standing on a ledge overthinking your first drop in? just walk away. Go do something else for a couple of minutes preferably something you’re already good at. Do some shove its, manuals or anything you feel comfortable doing.

It will make you forget about the fear and give you confidence. Go back and do that drop in or ollie those stairs. If you fall, do it again or else you’ll run the risk of a mental block next time.

18. Commit or Walk Away

Commitment is crucial if you don’t commit you’ll end up hurting yourself. Having second thoughts at the last moment usually ends up in falling on your face. There’s a certain point of no return where you just can’t bail anymore and you need to commit. You’ll either fall committed or you fall trying to avoid falling down (weird right).

19. Failure Is an Option

You probably know that you don’t land tricks on the first try. Like already mentioned you need to slowly build up before you make it. You’ll fail over and over again until you make it, just like life you can’t have success without failure.

Don’t get yourself worked up about it, yes it can be frustrating but just move on to something else. Once you get frustrated it won’t help you progress, you’ll lose focus.

20. Watch Some Videos

Nowadays there are tons of videos out there that exactly show the technique to land a trick. Watching videos won’t help you get the muscle memory needed but it certainly helps you to know the how to place your feet, how to balance, and gets you pumped.

I recently wrote a post about beginners tricks and decided to do them myself the next day. Watching the videos really helped and I was able to do most of them. Still need to work on my technique for most of them but I had a blast (and was pretty sore the next day from falling).

If you’re looking for motivation, here’s 40 of the best skate videos ever made (imo). Make sure to check it out.

21. Practice with a Buddy

If there’s someone you know don’t be afraid of asking for tips. many skaters are glad to help you out as they all know how frustrating it can be to learn a new trick. If you have a friend that’s into skateboarding go out there together.

Even if you’re both just starting out you can observe each other and point out what you’re doing wrong and right. It also makes skateboarding so much more fun and seeing your friend land a trick is very motivational to do it yourself.

22. You Don’t Have to Be a Pro

Skateboarding is about fun and progression, pushing yourself is good but pushing yourself too much could get yourself demotivated. There are some skateboarders out there that just have the right genes and progress really fast. You need to remind yourself you want to learn a new skill and this takes time. Keep at your own level and don’t beat yourself up, everybody was at that place once.

When I think of it, I remember a guy who quit because he could never be a pro. He watched videos and decided to just quit because he could never be like the pros from the videos. He was actually very talented so I wonder if this really was the reason or he just lost interest and just made it up.

23. Don’t Look at Others, Focus on You

While this doesn’t seem to relate to fear, it sort of does. We all had that friend who progressed really fast and learned a new trick every day. Everybody progresses at his own pace. If you get frustrated about what other can do you’ll end up trying to do tricks you aren’t ready for. You’ll hurt yourself and may fear to do a trick a second time because you had a bad experience.

24. Don’t Be Scared to Skateboard in Public

Many beginner skateboarders fear skateboarding in public. This fear comes with all ages, and yeah skateboarding is a little bit awkward when you just start out. You really have to let go of what others think, no skater is going to laugh at you because we were all there once.

Everybody who started skating know that it’s hard to learn. They know it takes persistence and dedication to get better. If a skateboarder actually mocks you, he’s just a jerk. Ignore it, you’re there for you and nobody else.

Now people that don’t skate is a different story, either ignore them or practice on a spot that is less crowded. Early morning skatepark visits, empty tennis courts, your own driveway or empty parking lots are great. You’ll have a smooth surface to practice on and you don’t have to worry about what others think, you do you.

Final Words

The only way to learn new tricks and progress is to commit yourself to skateboarding tricks. You will fall, it’s inevitable and part of skateboarding. Many people quit skateboarding because they hurt themselves trying tricks they aren’t ready for. Don’t skip the basics, make sure you have proper balance and control. Skipping the basics can potentially make learning to skateboard a lot harder.

Don’t care about what people think, you skate for you and nobody else. Also, remember that fear is perfectly normal and shouldn’t always be ignored. Ask yourself if you’re actually ready to commit or that you’re better of trying something else first. Now go out and commit, make that small victory and keep on progressing.

Ruben Vee

I’m an aged skateboarder and I still shred responsibly. I started skateboarding 25 years ago but also love surfing, snowboarding, or anything that involves a board.

How do I commit to skateboarding? [Archive]

Skateboard-City Forum > Skateboarding > Beginner Skater's Forum > How do I commit to skateboarding?

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Win-DOH

04-25-2008, 04:37 PM

I've been skating since last sept now, and I can only ollie and fakie ollie. All my friends think it's sad...even I think it's sad.

I started to think skateboarding wasn't my thing. I started to think I should quit. Hell, even my best friend said I should quit and he skates. But, I didn't give up. I kept going.

That's when I started skating everyday. Soon I learned the ollie. It was a good feeling to finally do the ollie moving.

Although, since then. I haven't progressed, instead of my fakie ollie. I still can barely ollie and I can't do it consistently. I practiced shove-its and I ALWAYS land them with my front foot and everybody tells me I'm scared when I'm really not, and when I DO land them with both feet, I fall. I never have landed my shove-it's clean.

Soon, I gave up on shove-it's and tried kickflips. I got the flick and everything but it'd always go to varial. So, my friend suggested practicing varial k-flips. So now, I'm practicing varial k-flips, and now I'm ALWAYS landing them with my back foot, just like my shove-it!

In summary. I can barely ollie (I can almost ollie over a board) or fakie ollie. I always land my shove-its and varial with one foot. I skate everyday for only 1-2 hours, idk about weekends. I always feel like a poser, feel intimidated in front of better skaters, or feel like giving up on skating.

Hell, i'm not sure if I'm even committed. I guess I'm not. So what's the point of this monologue or whatever u wanna call it. I'm not sure, but today's skate session I was in made my stress burst. Anyway, my question. How do I commit to skateboarding?

Ajallday

04-25-2008, 04:42 PM

man if you have to ask yourself it might not be your thing, skating should be the most fun ever and dont make it a task as it sounds like. Some people also just dont have the mechanics to skate, i had a buddy who tried to skate for so long but was so clumsy and uncoordinated it just wasnt in him, plus he was fat which didnt help.

S2K95

04-25-2008, 04:59 PM

just try the "fun stuff"
go down big hills for fun
because its still skating

Partially Flared

04-25-2008, 06:00 PM

Your friend is a dick if hes telling you to quit, the only reason you should quit is if you don't like it anymore. I think the reason why you're not progressing is that you're trying too many different tricks at once. Just keep working on your ollies until you can get over a deck, and then it will be easier to do other tricks

ShathabSkater

04-25-2008, 06:34 PM

agreed.

Sk8TillD8h

04-25-2008, 06:49 PM

well stop working on 5 tricks at once take some time learning one trick then advance to a kickflip 180s and other stuff
yea man read a bunch of trick tips watch some videos get inspired and motivated and dont be sad when u cant get ollies down real good at least u can ollie which takes hard effort to learn
have fun man dont take it so seriously

theantihero

04-25-2008, 06:53 PM

Skate with passion.

nixonz

04-25-2008, 07:47 PM

Man, why did you start skating in the first place? for fun, yeah? It does suck at times but you have to remember that you're doing it for fun and that should be your first priority. Everyone learns at a different speed, so don't get discouraged if your friends are busting out shit that you can't do, and DEFINITELY don't let anyone tell you that you should quit.

If you keep at it you will get the tricks you want down, I guarantee it. Just keep working on your ollies and get a better feel for riding the board as a whole, having that skill does go a long way and definitely helps you out when it comes time to learn new shit.

james fuller

04-26-2008, 11:22 AM

dude it took me 9 months to ollie and im fat and i can ollie like 2 foot high now i practiced like 3 hours every day and for the shovits just jump were u thinnk the board is going to go and suck ur legs up to watch your board

i can do tonnes of shit now and yeah they told me to give up wen i couldnt ollie but im better than some of my m8s that said it so yeah basiclly just spend all your tim on the ollie or just one trick to get better then you will improve

prover your m8s wrong like i did

Wessels

04-26-2008, 11:54 AM

Your friend sounds like an asshole. Just reading that made want to head on over to wherever your "friend" is and break his face.

Skate for fun, it's probably the very reason you started. Just practice 180's, ollies onto the curb, and shuvits (the key is to jump forward a teeny bit). Hell, I'll even make a trick tip for you, just because you sound like a cool person.

IRideAlmost

04-26-2008, 01:15 PM

Your friend sounds like an asshole. Just reading that made want to head on over to wherever your "friend" is and break his face.

loooooooooooooooool.

sk83r101

04-26-2008, 04:21 PM

I always feel like a poser, feel intimidated in front of better skaters, or feel like giving up on skating.

dont be intimidated in front of people better than you. if anything you can learn from them. if there insulting you and telling you that you suck dont let it get to you. but i always try to help people who aren't as good as me.
and i expect to get help from people better than me.

in summary. learn from people better than you.

sk8board15

04-26-2008, 04:23 PM

You sound like I was a while ago. It took me a year to learn kickflips, but now a year later, I'm actually pretty good. Don't give up on skating, you may start slow but then once you've got the basics down everything will be so much easier. If you get mad trying to land a trick, stop and practice tricks you can land until you calm down. Also, I recommend learning pop shuvits before kickflips. I learned kickflips first and it made me automatically flick out when doing pop shuvits causing me to land primo and fall. Just a tip.

reedee

04-27-2008, 02:07 PM

it's about having fun in skateboarding and not about who has the most tricks down in the shortest time.

e-merica.

04-27-2008, 02:35 PM

I always feel like a poser, feel intimidated in front of better skaters, or feel like giving up on skating.

in summary. learn from people better than you.

when im skating with someone better than me, i dont use it as intimidation.
think of it as a challenge, or better yet, motivation.
it makes me feel like damn, I can be that good one day.
like for instance if i go to this 10 and this kids here trying to kickflip it,
and ive only ollied a 8 or 9. then im gonna be gettin this 10 before i leave.
anyone feel the same?

jason530

04-27-2008, 05:01 PM

On your tricks try jumping more. And some people learn slower than others. Thats alright you will progress later on.

Brick

04-27-2008, 07:53 PM

If your having fun skating then it doesnt matter how good you are.

ziocs1337

04-27-2008, 10:51 PM

Skate with people who encourage you. And get stoked when they see you're having a good time. Don't skate with assholes who tell you to quit just because you're not progressing quickly or you're not as good as they are.

flip.the.board

04-28-2008, 01:09 PM

oh man your life is horrible maybe you should commit suicide jk jk jk
--visualize yourself landing the trick before you land it
--make sure you are having fun when you are skating.
--take a break from skating for a couple days or a week, that helps
--listening to music helps me land more tricks

Sk8TillD8h

04-28-2008, 03:36 PM

Your friend sounds like an asshole. Just reading that made want to head on over to wherever your "friend" is and break his face.

wessels....how the fuck would you know...u can BARELY ollie, u can't 180, u have shitty fs shuvs
and also you do a really gay pose after you land a trick and show a peace sign, u suck at skating a pool
http://www.skateboard-city.com/messageboard/showthread.php?t=157926 this is proof!!

saurus

04-28-2008, 03:44 PM

Ok, some of you shittalkers are going to laugh at this, but it works for me.
I just don't think of the trick when I try it. I set up in a trick, flick, but don't think about anything related to skateboarding when I"m doing it.
Most of the time, I focus on christmas trees. You see, christmas trees don't move, think, or do anything. They just chill. When I'm trying something, I cant be worrying about whether r not it will flip or ill slam or anything, I have to fucking dumb it down as much as possible or else I just kick out.
Think about fully flared, when Mike-Mo hardflips that four-block. He says "Ty" when hes in the air, to take his mind off of trying the trick. You can't think about trying the trick you just have to do it.

Skateboarding is 100% mental.

LIL OG PANDA

05-02-2008, 04:03 PM

Dude, if you really like skating, just do whatever you want to do and tell that friend to go f--- himself.

mipathiskate

05-02-2008, 06:28 PM

Oh boy, all right here it goes:
- try different foot positions when doing tricks
- your problem on kickflips is that your scooping, not just popping
- dont worry about others, if they have a small bit of intelligence they'll know not to make fun of beginners, they were once like that
- try to actually land the trick. alot of people just dont try, and they get pissed. if they tried, theyd land it. crouch down as low as possible, pop as hard as you can, and jump as high as you can.

Ok. thats all i got. Good luck. Im going to sleep.

Partially Flared

05-02-2008, 07:07 PM

Skateboarding is 100% mental.

You're 100% mental.

Sk8erGIRL722

05-02-2008, 08:50 PM

I'm having this exact same problem too, except for my friends, they're cool enough to even tell me im good when im barely a beginner and can barely even land a few kickflips here and there. I was trying right now and I was getting so pissed off cuz i couldnt land what i was trying. but reading this right now really helped me calm down. I was taking this too seriously and wasn't thinking but just wanting to landing it and i wasnt even commiting to it or even trying. Now Im gonna go out there, listen to my iPod and think about something to keep my mind off getting stressed out over nothing... wish me luck =]

Xaustx

05-09-2008, 12:10 PM

I've been skating since last sept now, and I can only ollie and fakie ollie. All my friends think it's sad...even I think it's sad.

I started to think skateboarding wasn't my thing. I started to think I should quit. Hell, even my best friend said I should quit and he skates. But, I didn't give up. I kept going.

That's when I started skating everyday. Soon I learned the ollie. It was a good feeling to finally do the ollie moving.

God im like your double only i have landed a kickflip bout 5 times but not the right way. Everything u said i can relate to. I totally pyced myself out on ollies up kerbs because i nearly got it but then i fell and damaged my leg and now it's like when i first tryed it.

Killing Stairs

05-09-2008, 12:32 PM

well, there isnt a special way to commit but, some people learn faster than others and really only skate to learn new tricks fast and so on, and other skaters just skate for fun

in other words,when u do a trick, so what u do is wrong like, u kick flip or so
and u see ur landing only on one foot( front one) well try landing it but with only the back foot then after try land both feet but the board is upside down.

just look where ur going wrong

Dillon-Zolkavich

05-10-2008, 09:25 PM

I've been skating since last sept now, and I can only ollie and fakie ollie. All my friends think it's sad...even I think it's sad.

I started to think skateboarding wasn't my thing. I started to think I should quit. Hell, even my best friend said I should quit and he skates. But, I didn't give up. I kept going.

That's when I started skating everyday. Soon I learned the ollie. It was a good feeling to finally do the ollie moving.

If you really like skateboarding dont quit. Your friends an asshole for telling you to quit. I was in your shoes for weeks with the shove-it's. Just today I finally can shove-it, Sad? I guess so, just try jumping with the board and no being hesitant, it worked for me. I landed my first kicklips today too, you can hesitate on those eather. I use to feel very intimidated in front of better skaters also, and would not skate in front of them, Now I could care less, they were like me once upon a time. To commit sto skateboarding you just have to be determined and really love it.

givemeabilljob

05-11-2008, 11:35 AM

you said you skate everyday for 1-2 hours, maybe you should skate alone infront of your house or if you dont want to go in front, maybe in your garage. this way theres no pressure if you dont land a trick or fall. throw on your ipod, and maybe watch a skate video before you start skating. dont be scared of falling, dont even think about it. thats the reason you're not landing your shuvs, just force yourself to get both feet on the board and youll land it.

enjoiyourlocalskater

05-23-2008, 12:04 PM

hahahahaha

rean2

05-23-2008, 03:21 PM

hahahahaha

lol wtf

anyway all that matters is that u practice, and try to enjoy skateboarding and not as something u should do but as something u love to do

and to be honest im in the same position as u

Bryan108

05-23-2008, 04:57 PM

I used to be the worst skateboarder of my friends also, but that actually motivated me to get better and now I am better than them even though I don't skate as much as them and started after them.

CTskater94

05-23-2008, 05:32 PM

once you get some tricks going, youll have alot of fun. just keep with it. its like practices for football, but once you get into the games, its worth all the work you put into it

Wayfarer

05-24-2008, 01:14 AM

too many kids just wanna get really good, really fast. its in our culture, where we can get whatever we want. skateboarding though, is not like that. it takes time and practice and dedication. Whenever I feel uncommited in doing something, I just remember that video where Bachinsky kicky's the 20, and whatever I'm doing doesnt seem so daunting anymore.

artificiallife99

05-24-2008, 04:33 AM

just cook up a big bowl of macaroni and steez. if that doesn't fix your problem, just ignore your friend. skate for yourself.

rippen in da mitten

05-24-2008, 05:28 AM

just try the "fun stuff"
go down big hills for fun
because its still skating

or cruise bowl

cnaryboy-zero

05-26-2008, 04:40 AM

I used to be the worst skateboarder of my friends also, but that actually motivated me to get better and now I am better than them even though I don't skate as much as them and started after them.

dude same now that i learnt the basics i only kept getting better and im the giving them the advice not them to me its the best feeling eh? i had to teach my mate to do down rails that was weird i couldnt explain it

Edit: With skating you can only get better skating is about where you wanna get not where other people say you should get and if they do then they arent worth your time

Xaustx

05-26-2008, 09:56 AM

Im getting better now ive landed proper kickflips nearly landing fakie pop shuvits and fakie ollies are in the bag.

Lakai Skate!

06-09-2008, 04:08 PM

Don't say that people think your a poser. As long as your trying hard and persevering on something your not.

meloongrab212

06-10-2008, 04:05 AM

don't listen to those dipshits who tell you you suck.. ive been skating for a few months and i can only land two tricks. when people say i suck i just say "i know" and start skating again. ..

i personoly skate every day no matter what

i skate to get my mind offa stuff

i skate cuz i love it

dgkdecks7

06-10-2008, 05:26 AM

I dont know if this will make you feel better, but my friend has been skateing for four years (seriously), and can heelflip (1 out of like 15 times) pop shuv it, 180, and ollie. Maybe flatland isn't your things, try steps, or try mini ramps, as long as its fun.

enjoiyourlocalskater

06-10-2008, 06:28 AM

this thread needs to die

RobSICKLE

06-10-2008, 06:32 AM

this thread needs to die

Why does this thread need to die ?

meloongrab212

06-11-2008, 01:08 PM

it doesnt need to die.. this person doesnt have much confidence and we need to help him get it :)

Black Label

06-11-2008, 01:18 PM

just hae fun when you skate and you will get the tricks eventually

Chip_Hanna

06-11-2008, 01:23 PM

Skateboarding is totally mental. If you tell yourself you can't do it then you won't ever do it. Just commit, take a fall, try something out of the ordinary. Another thing is to try stuff that you like. For example if your friends tell you that kickflips are the shit, don't push yourself just to land a kickflip, in other words don't follow the bandwagon and do something YOU want to do. That's what skateboarding is, doing what you want to do and have fun doing it.

3nj0i

06-11-2008, 05:46 PM

lol I keep seeing this thread being posted in this section and I just read it for the first time. Basically is practice, commitment, and trying new things. Oh and mainly having fun doing it. Not to look cool or for competition. Two of my friends act like complete douches to each other because one makes it a competition and insults the others ability when they are both decent skaters. Just have fun.

limerickcityskater

06-24-2008, 02:40 PM

Lads! Don't skate because you wan't to be better than someone or be able to do all the tricks! Only skate if you WANT to skate. To me it sounds like you don't want to learn tricks and stuff. If thats the case stick your ipod on and go bomb some really big hill or whatever! Let your style of skating decide how you want to skate and what your going to do. Above all just skate to have fun and forget about tricks and everything!

rean2

06-24-2008, 02:42 PM

omg let this thread die already

Ride The Sky

06-24-2008, 03:24 PM

I hate people who bump topics like this. Fucking let it die you cuntfucks.

oldschool

06-25-2008, 06:17 PM

Don't give up man.

rean2

06-25-2008, 06:46 PM

stop... bumping... old... threads...

IrenicShogun

06-26-2008, 07:32 AM

You shouldn't have to ask yourself this question...

rean2

06-26-2008, 07:34 AM

stop... bumping... old... threads...
a

Enj0i

06-29-2008, 08:05 PM

i progress really slow too to be honest. im not exactly the most coordinated person ever but, just stick with it man. im in the same boat as you and i did end up quitting skateing about 2 years ago, and im back with it now and just ordered a new enjoi today. just stick with it bro.

LisaM80

07-01-2008, 04:21 PM

Im not good either. But I skate fr teh enjoyment of it, Its not who can do the most tricks. Its not sad, who cares. Skaing is about fun anf relaxing. and just skaing. Bck in teh old days it was all about ollies and just crusin around. Now its triked up, but just because ou can do most the tricks dont mean your a poser.

If you relaly like to skate regardless of how well you are, you will find it easy to Stick iwth itl.

mc studda

07-09-2008, 07:47 AM

just skate man and have fun. ull learn tricks eventually.

I_Like_Cookies

07-09-2008, 07:56 AM

For stairs, i'm first scared, Then i just ollie and kick the board away, then i mostly fully commit, I just ollie watch the board, stick to it, and smile ;)

Newb Skates

07-09-2008, 10:08 AM

if you love it then you can keep going with it. hes so right.

skatermom

07-15-2008, 01:23 PM

Don't give up. I f you really like skating don't let anyone bag on you. People are down on me because I am a female. I don't let it stop me. It took me a while to learn the ollie then the kickflip, and so on ans so on. Start with the really easy stuff. You know the stuff that doesn't take much skill. Like a bomb drop. Just jump in the air and land on your board. That will get you used to catching the board and landing right. That will help with your commitment too.

Keep at it it takes time and effort to become good at anything.

Accuracy

08-09-2008, 02:22 PM

well... its kind of like asking yourself how you commit to living a life you know? I mean I cant skate that good either... I took many breaks and start again and give up again. Yet its fun, thats all there is to it. If you just skateboard to look cool and showoff, I dont know man... But dont let those hindrance bother you. ..

EL_Suicide_Machine

08-11-2008, 08:31 PM

okay, your friend is a serious douchebag, and just pace yourself with your tricks. take em one at a time.

nwodafometsys

08-11-2008, 08:50 PM

Ugh, i cant stress enough, YOU ARE SCARED. Even if you dont think you are, YOU ARE. I had the same problem, that i wasnt scared, but if you cant land with both feet consistently, or atleast got both feet on the board consistently, then youre scared. Anyway, your friend is a jerk, ignore him.

Everyone wants to quit at some point, maybe you just need a healthy one week break, but the reason you're not progressing is probably because you're not practicing enough. On the other hand, you can practice for 100 hours, but if you're doing the wrong thing, then it's not benefiting you at all. For example, say you're trying to kickflip for days and days, but if you're not flicking right, what good is that doing you?

Watch tons of skate videos to get stoked to skate, and watch many tricktip videos, even of tricks that you cant do, just so it'll push you and make you say "Wow, I cant wait till I cant do that. " You're not going to magically learn stuff, so just hang in there. If you're not pushing yourself, then who will?

obstacle2252

08-11-2008, 09:36 PM

dude i used not to be able to land my back foot on shuvs and esp. sets, just believe in yourself and dedicate yourself, the only reason your not progressing is because your letting yourself progress. Your friends aren't helping you, they seem like bitches, if they say anything, like you suck, block them out, and show them you can do it. like the dude above me said, push yourself, practice, and dedicate your time and effort, you will become good :]

mjl292

08-13-2008, 01:49 PM

just stop being a pussy...

Personal experience: how to start skateboarding as an adult

June 5 Column Sports and fitness

Dispelling the myth that this hobby is only for schoolchildren and students.

Igor Semenov

Skateboarding year

Igor Semenov

Chairman of the Board of Directors of ARMZ Mining Machines. Professionally engaged in skateboarding year

Skateboarding brings together an incredible community of people who are passionate about the same activity, but completely different in age, beliefs, appearance and social status. And it's never too late to start doing this sport - we tell you how to stand on the board as an adult.

1. Learn more about skateboarding

Anyone planning to get into skateboarding should learn more about how the sport has evolved over the last 50-60 years. It has a rather interesting history: it was invented in the 1950s in California by surfers who, during the absence of waves, could not do their favorite thing.

Skateboarding quickly began to gain popularity, and by the 1960s, the number of boards sold in the United States was in the tens of thousands. In Russia, his popularity began to grow rapidly only by the middle of 90-x, when the first specialty stores opened and international competitions began to take place.

Today, skateboarding is not only a hobby for many people around the world, but also a real Olympic sport - it was included in the competition program of the Olympic Games - 2020 in Tokyo.

To feel the spirit of skateboarding and become part of the community, it is important to understand the philosophy behind it. And this will help you to study its history.

2. Determine how you plan to practice

You can learn this sport at any age. The main thing is to find time and choose the appropriate format for classes.

If due to a busy work schedule you are limited in time and determined to make progress in the shortest possible time - enroll in a specialized school or hire a personal instructor. Classes with him will give faster results and avoid mistakes.

I recommend contacting a person who really loves skateboarding and will be able to instill this love in you, and not turn the process into coaching and training.

If you find it difficult to adapt to someone else's schedule and you consider skateboarding more as a hobby and a distraction from work, skate with your friends. You will independently try different chips, spy on other riders and exchange experiences with them. After some time, through trial and error, you will be able to find your own style of riding.

3. Schedule your workouts

Finding time to exercise isn't always easy, but try setting aside an hour before or after work at least twice a week: physical activity is a great way to clear your head.

The body of a skateboarder must be flexible and durable, so it is important to pay attention to general physical fitness, especially exercises to strengthen and pump the muscles of the legs. To do this, alternate classes on the board with regular workouts or combine them.

For example, I study three times a week in the morning, before the start of the working day. Usually it looks like this: my coach and mentor Yegor Kaldikov and I ride for about an hour in the agreed place, after which I go to a fitness center near the office and add some more cardio there. And then I get to work.

It's also worth adding sports muscle massage and exercise therapy to your schedule so that your body has time to recover between workouts. And for those who are not physically prepared, my trainer recommends that you first work out on balancing platforms in order to pump small stabilizer muscles.

4. Prepare mentally for the fact that you will fall

And many times. Skateboarding is not the most harmless sport. You need to be prepared for this, but you should not fixate on negative thoughts. Try to take failure as calmly as children do, because falling is normal, it is part of progress.

Adults are often afraid to make mistakes and look ridiculous, but there is only one way to fix this: just get on with it.

While riding, put aside all unnecessary thoughts and focus only on how you will balance after landing, because this is the main task in any trick.

This is what my mentor says: “I would like people to understand: we don't train, we catch fun. Skateboarding is an antidepressant and a cure for any adversity.”

5. Get protection

Protective equipment will help you avoid serious injury. It is definitely needed for all beginners, regardless of age. A standard equipment set may consist of a helmet, elbow pads, knee pads and gloves.

Specialized longboarding equipment, protective shorts and accessories are also available from specialized stores. But I would not advise putting on everything at once - it will simply make it uncomfortable for you to ride and balance on the board.

Over time, as you learn how to group correctly, it will become clear how you fall most often and whether there is a need for additional accessories.

6. Set realistic goals

When you have to combine such a hobby as skateboarding with busy workdays and family, you want to achieve results as soon as possible, immediately move on to complex flips - tricks with jumps. After all, from the outside they look incredibly impressive.

But it is better not to take on impossible tasks so as not to provoke injuries.

Mastering difficult jumps always happens gradually. First you need to learn how to balance, then how to ollie, and only then, improving the basic tricks, you get close to complex kickflips and grabs.

7. Get inspired by other athletes

At some point, it began to seem to me that all the tricks in skateboarding have long been known and mastered, but this is not so. This sport continues to develop, and I watch with great interest modern athletes - Russian and foreign.

And I recommend that you also follow a variety of championships in order to discover new names, better join the community, and also stay up to date with new trends in sports.

I especially advise doing this to those who still doubt that skateboarding can be started at any age. Watch the viral video of a skateboarder from St. Petersburg, who is 73 years old, or the inspiring story of the Japanese Yoshio Kinoshita, who decided to stand on the board at the age of 79 and still rides with young riders.

I would also advise you to subscribe to these YouTube channels:

Egor Kaldikov’s channel,
the official channel of the Street League Skateboarding series of international skateboarding tournaments,
the account of one of the most famous skateparks in the world The Berrics,
the official channel Thrasher, the premier skateboard magazine.

Among those who have reached great heights in Russia and abroad are Maxim Kruglov, Ksenia Maricheva, Maxim Yezhov, Lilia Sukhankova. On the Internet, you can easily find videos with the performances of the guys, and to see them with your own eyes, track events and tournaments - for example, on the official website of the Russian Skateboarding Federation.

everything you need to know

Skateboarding in short

Skateboarding is a cool sport, perfect for a great time in the city. With its simplicity and accessibility, skateboarding has become a popular sport around the world since its inception in California in the 1960s. Skateboarding has had its ups and downs throughout history, but today it is a multi-billion dollar industry. Thanks to the wide distribution of videos, games and wide brand support, the best skateboarders are known all over the world. Skateboarding can be safely called a global sport, because from 2021 it will be included in the Olympic sports program.

Origin story - the story of skateboarding

Skateboarding as we know it began in the late 1960s in California, where surfers used schoolyard inclines to simulate waves in the days when there weren't any, hence the origin called "sidewalk surfing". At that time, surfboard companies started making skateboards. A turning point in the history of skateboarding was the invention of urethane wheels, which provided more grip and allowed for faster speeds.

California experienced a severe drought in the mid-1970s. There was no water in the pools, and local skateboarders skated in the empty, smooth pools. This is how the spectacular style of skateboarding was born - vert. In the 80s, a new generation of skateboarders such as Christian Hosoy, Steve Caballero and Tony Hawk contributed to the development and improvement of the vert style. During this same period, Rodney Mullen from Florida surprised the world with his incredible stunts on flat ground. Rodney is credited with inventing many of the basic tricks that form the basis of modern street skateboarding.

As the 80s gave way to the 90s, the appeal of skateboarding increased exponentially due to the development of new technologies. The soundboard of a symmetrical, regular oval shape - popsicle, was considered optimal, the choice in favor of which many still make today. Currently, skateboarding is one of the most popular active sports in the world. The names of skateboarding stars have long become household names, they have a lot of followers. Competitive skateboarding has become so advanced in terms of difficulty and consistency that the sport is now included in the Olympic program with 80 competitors from all over the world vying for victory in the park and street disciplines.

So what's the point? What is the essence of skateboarding?

If we are talking about modern competitive skateboarding, then there are two categories of skate parks and, accordingly, competitive disciplines: street and bowl.

"Street" discipline means skiing on areas that imitate street infrastructure with its natural obstacles: stairs, railings, slopes, ledges, benches, and so on.

The bowl is a multi-bowl pool (usually made of solid concrete!). In bowling, you can perform spectacular jump tricks and high-speed lip-synching with (hopefully) an infinite number of reps for time. Both disciplines are evaluated according to different criteria, the main essence of which is the lack of repetition and monotony when performing tricks. Both disciplines require high qualifications from the athlete and are equally extreme in nature. Accidents can and do happen even at elite level competitions.

Street contests are held in areas that mimic urban obstacles

Bowling

The bowl is all about speed, smooth execution, brilliant transitions and tricks

The bowl has created some classic tricks

Street is the technical passage of various street elements and obstacles

Evaluation criteria maintaining a balance between the sequence of execution and the creative component. Judges evaluate individual timed performances according to the following criteria:

Overall execution sequence
The complexity and technicality of the tricks
Execution (technical landing)
The variety of tricks
Speed, smoothness and style
consistent execution (lack , I caught fire with this idea and I want to do it. What equipment is needed for skateboarding?

The beauty of skateboarding is that it requires the simplest of equipment. A skateboard consists of a wooden deck on which the skateboarder stands and suspensions that act as steering axles. Only two suspensions, each with two wheels. Each wheel has two bearings (eight in total) built into the core of the wheel, allowing skateboarders to reach the high speeds required to jump long distances or high heights.

Skateboard decks

Most often, a deck is made from seven rectangular sheets of Canadian maple plywood, cross-laminated and epoxy glued for added strength. Before a deck is shaped into shape, it is under steam pressure of thousands of pounds per square inch for several weeks. Modern skateboards have a symmetrical, regular oval shape that allows you to perform any trick while moving forward or backward (“fakes”), or even in a reverse stance (“switchstans”). In general, wide boards (often up to nine inches) with wide and impact-resistant noses and tails are preferred for verts. For street skating, narrower boards (up to 7.5 inches) are best because they are lighter, spin faster, and have a concave that gives you more control over spin.

Suspension

Suspension has a high-strength base to prevent shearing, and steering response is determined by the hardness of the cushioned bushings in the offset vertical head tube. Softer bushings provide free play and a less stable but more responsive turn, while hard bushings provide stability and stability, reducing the chance of wheel and bottom deck impact during hard landings.

Bearings

Elite level bearings are typically custom made in Switzerland and are either ball bearings or, in the latest trend, cast ceramic bearings with a polished finish to minimize frictional energy loss despite gravity.

Wheels

Skateboard wheels are made from urethane, a polymer developed by DuPont with a hardness rating of 100A. Vert style skateboarders prefer large diameter wheels (about 58–60 mm in diameter) with a wider surface and a durable coating having a hardness of about 97A, while for street skateboarding, wheels of a smaller diameter of about 50 mm are preferable ( which are more sensitive to small balance adjustments) with a higher hardness rating for optimal control of skids and exits during tricks. Urethane is an ideal wheel material because the polymer does not degrade from the heat of skateboarding.

Professional secrets: what are the basic tricks and tricks of skateboarding?

Named after its inventor Alan "Ollie" Gelfand, the ollie is the basic trick of modern skateboarding. This is a skateboard jump without the use of hands. As soon as the skateboarder starts the jump, he “flicks” the tail of the board, hitting it on the ground, and then begins to hold the nose of the board with his front foot in an outward movement. The ollie has many variations, the most common ones we have listed below.

An ollie during which the tail strikes the ground at a 45 degree angle, causing the board to make a 180 degree turn under the feet.

Kickflip

A trick that makes it easy to make an unforgettable impression. A variation of the ollie where the rider jumps up while hitting the board with their front foot so that it spins in the air before landing. A well-made kickflip from the outside looks simply incredible.

Hillflip

This is essentially a kickflip, but the rotation is in the opposite direction. Heelflips are not as common as kickflips, they require high precision and technique, and any mistake can cost the skater quite a lot!

Grinds/slides

Types of tricks in which a skater uses a board (slides) or suspension (grinds) and slides along the edges of objects. Grinds and slides are often combined and built into other tricks to create even more complex and technical combinations!

The jump is made from the nose of the board, not from the tail. Performing and practicing tricks containing the nolly element requires tremendous concentration on the part of the skateboarder due to the unusual position; therefore tricks with nolly elements are considered more difficult and are scored accordingly.

Skateboarding grappling is more of a spectacle than a basic element. Grab any part of the board with either hand to perform spectacular and technical flourish, tweak and stretch elements.

Switchstance

Switchstance is not so much a trick as it is an inversion of the standing position, performing movements in the standing position with a change in the usual position of the foot. Performing switchstances in skateboarding can be compared to the process of learning to play golf with a change of habitual hand. However, the consequences of miscalculations and mistakes when performing switchstans can be much more serious!

Names you need to know

Pedro Barros, skillful bowl 9 trickster0003
© Teddy Morellec/Red Bull Content Pool

Brazilian Skateboarding Queen Letizia Bufoni

© Atiba Jefferson/Red Bull Content Pool

Few do this trick as big and technical as Zion Wright

2 © Anthony ContentBufoni Pool

Brighton Zeuner shows a high level of technique while bowling

© Teddy Morellec/Red Bull Content Pool

Alex Sorgente is known for his smooth riding style

© Phil Pham/Red Bull Content Pool

Marjeelyn Didal's epic performance in the Philippines

© Dani Bautista/Red Bull Content Pool
- Pedro Barros - Barros is regarded as the best skateboarder of his generation, or perhaps ever specializing in the bowl discipline.
- Laetitia Bufoni - In 2019, Bufoni was part of Brazil's first national skateboarding team.
- Zion Wright — Wright has taken the skateboarding world by storm with his unique style and charm.
- Brighton Zeuner, an American skateboarder, became the youngest rider ever to win gold in the World Extreme Games at the age of 13.
- Alex Sorgente - Sorgente has been selected to the US National Skateboarding Team to join the first team of athletes qualifying for the 2021 Summer Olympics.
- Marji Didal is a talented skateboarder from Cebu City in the Philippines who dreams of representing her country in the most serious competitions.
- Ksenia Maricheva is a constantly progressing athlete from Russia. In 2019, the Russian woman won the international contest for the first time - the Mystic Sk8 Cup in Prague, and then climbed the podium of the Simple Session in Estonia. Moreover, in the summer of the same year, Ksyusha went to the semi-finals of the Street League Skateboarding.
Where can I see more?

Movies

Skateboarding culture is fascinating and unique - elements of it can be found in architecture, design, fashion, photography, video, art, tourism and philanthropy. Recently, one of the most important cultural trends in the field of skateboarding can be called a significant increase in the number of riders, especially in the field of female skateboarding. Enjoy a deep dive into the world of skateboarding!

Events
- The Street League Skateboarding Tournament is a worldwide series of professional street skating competitions held in various stadiums around the world.
- The Vans Park Series is the premier skateboarding bowling series. As part of the series, skateparks are being built, which, after the competition, are donated to the host city.
- The Red Bull Bowl Rippers is an annual contest held at the famous Bowl Du Prado skate park in fantastic Marseille.
  Learn more

How to commit in skateboarding

24 Tips to Overcome Your Fear of Skateboarding and Commit! – SkateboardersHQ

1. Slowly Build up a Trick

2. Start on a Patch of Grass

3. Master the Basics

4. Believe in Yourself

5. Validate Your Fear

6. Make Sure You’re Ready

7. Don’t Ignore the Fear

8. Learn How to Fall Properly

9. Chickenfoot, Just Land It on One Foot

10. Listen to Music to Get You Stoked

11. Visualize the Trick in Your Head

12. Don’t Beat Yourself up About Fear

13. Slam and Get Up

14. Wear Protective Gear

15. Don’t Overthink Everything

16. It’s Not the End of the World

17. Do a Trick You Mastered First

18. Commit or Walk Away

19. Failure Is an Option

20. Watch Some Videos

21. Practice with a Buddy

22. You Don’t Have to Be a Pro

23. Don’t Look at Others, Focus on You

24. Don’t Be Scared to Skateboard in Public

Final Words

How do I commit to skateboarding? [Archive]

Personal experience: how to start skateboarding as an adult

1. Learn more about skateboarding

2. Determine how you plan to practice

3. Schedule your workouts

4. Prepare mentally for the fact that you will fall

5. Get protection

6. Set realistic goals

7. Get inspired by other athletes

everything you need to know

Origin story - the story of skateboarding

So what's the point? What is the essence of skateboarding?

Professional secrets: what are the basic tricks and tricks of skateboarding?

Names you need to know

2 © Anthony ContentBufoni Pool

Where can I see more?

Learn more