Skateboarding Fun
Not since it's conception in the 1950's when surfers sought a way to keep surfing without having waves to ride, has the skateboard been more popular than it is today. In fact, skateboarding has graduated from a fun way to pass time to being recognized as a sport and even elevated into International competitions like the X Games. But, before you jump on-board and start riding the concrete waves, there are a few basics to have and understand in order to keep the activity fun and as safe as possible.
Safety First!
It's easy to look at the skateboard, which isn't really made for very high speeds and only raises you a couple of inches from the ground, and think skateboarding is a much safer activity than it really is. But, the fact is that you will be traveling at speeds that your mind and inner balance aren't used to, and the surface you board on is going to be hard, so the slightest loss of focus or balance can lead to a nasty spill.
For that reason, you should keep yourself as safe as possible by wearing the appropriate safety gear, such as a helmet to protect your head, and elbow and knee pads to protect your arms and legs. You may not think it looks cool to wear these things, but wearing casts looks (and feels) a whole lot worse.
Balance Rules!
A lot of people approach skateboarding for the first time believing that speed and tricks are what it's about, but the truth is it's all about maintaining balance. You can't gain speed, or even stay on the board for a simple trick unless you are focused on keeping your balance.
And, once you do gain speed and begin trying to do some of the cool tricks associated with skateboards, it will still be balance that you find yourself focusing on more than anything else. The upside to that is that once you realize your focus has to be narrowly tuned to keeping your balance at all times, doing some pretty amazing tricks and stunts on your board will seem to come much easier to you.
Stopping!
When we step onto a skateboard, all we want to do is go...but knowing how to stop, where and when you want to, is a vital skill for avoiding damage or injury to yourself or others.
It seems counter-intuitive really, but that's just the way it is. It sort of reminds me of my first day at Karate class when I was young. I went there expecting to learn how to kick and punch, but the whole first class was focused on teaching us how to fall down. Because in martial arts, in training or competition, everybody goes to the ground sometimes, and knowing how to protect your body properly so that you minimize the impacts of hitting the floor is a vital skill, just as knowing how to stop is to skateboarding.
There are several ways to stop yourself while boarding, but the easiest and most common for beginners is to simply drop your back foot off of the board, dragging it on the ground behind you, and using the friction from that dragging to slow and eventually stop yourself. You'll probably want to jump right into action and test speeds and tricks from the start, but spending just a little time when you first get onto a skateboard to learn how to stop yourself, and judge how long it takes to stop yourself with a foot drag, is really a good idea.
Get out there, have fun, and be safe riding the concrete waves.
This article written by a member of The Sports Pitt staff