Learning to Skate
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- kona
Yes, I'm 40 and am finally going to learn how to skate. What can I say, I grew up in the country and had a rock driveway and pebble road. Skating was impossible.
They say it takes 7 years to master a new skill so I'm going to give it a go.
I've already mastered:
- Snowball making
- Hair styling
- Meats and CheesesSome things I need to know to get started.
What kind of board should I be looking into?
How do I hold it? This is no joke. I remember a thread YEARS ago where people were getting on someone for holding it wrong. I need to know.
Any tips?
Should I pay some kid to help teach me?
How many ramps do I need?
I did play a lot of Skate or Die so I am familiar with ramps.Thanks in advance!
- Gnash2
good luck. maybe I'll see you in orthopedics.
- i've been using my son's longboard ...Gnash
- Sweet! See you there lol!kona
- I thought for me, a longboard might be better.kona
- i know nothing -- but i do know that longboards are easier to "stay on." note I didn't say, ride.Gnash
- I see these around SF: http://boostedboards…mrpt
- ^ they look like funGnash
- downside of longboards is less manoeuvrability so crowded sidewalks are harder to navigate.
but I highly reco starting with oneGnash - Never would have thought your 40pango
- studderine0
I tried when I was younger. Fell a lot—I sucked at it. That's my story Kona so learn from it (lol).
- monospaced0
Do you have good balance, naturally?
- I don't, so although I grew up in the world's skateboarding mecca, and everyone skated, I just rode my bike and took to body-surfing. Hahaha.monospaced
- I fall out of my chair at least once a day.kona
- good luck!monospaced
- duckseason0
In terms of type, I would go to a skate shop and just stand on a few to see what feels comfortable. There are a ton of subtle variations in shape/width/concave that can all give a board a different feel. Then you get into trucks and how tight or loose they are. And then wheel size/softness. Someone in a shop should be able to set you up with something appropriate for what you want to do.
Holding it wrong probably refers to the "Mall Grab." Just google it and then proceed to make fun of anyone you seen doing it.
In terms of tips... don't push mongo, and don't push from the heel (push off the ball of your foot). Stay loose.
But really,you just gotta get out there and push around to get comfortable standing, pushing, turning, stopping etc. Skateboarding is a lot about the feel. If this doesn't seem to be working for you, then go pay someone. There are certain things a person may be able to point out to you in person if you're struggling with something.
You'll probably fall a lot and look stupid in the process. Get over it and get back on.
- *see doing it.duckseason
- thank you duckseason! great insight! I googled mall grab lol, i'll be on the lookout!kona
- looked it up....
http://massappeal.co…Gnash - Just come out to BK and I'll show you the ropes. ;)duckseason
- I would say 1, 2 (in certain situations), 3 and 7 are acceptable. And the backpack.duckseason
- 3 is entirely necessary before you drop the deck to hop onmonospaced
- I'm mongo...necromation
- sureshot0
this! --->
- except pick better tricks... this is boringPonyBoy
- Um. I take it back. I don't want to try skating anymore.kona
- oh shit, sorry, camera wasn't rollingFax_Benson
- the only trick i'm going to focus on is the one where i don't skate into a telephone pole.kona
- @pony its not about the trick. its about persistence etc.sureshot
- skating in a nutshelldrgs
- persist on a less boring trickPonyBoy
- never seen somebody get so wrecked on such a stupid trick. also #lemmygarbage
- dream boatsea_sea
- nocomply0
Wow, man! Congrats.
I spent pretty much all of my teens and early twenties obsessed with skating and look where it got me... a career as a web developer.
Funny enough, I just bought myself a new setup last week in hopes to do some shredding on the side. But I'm getting into my mid thirties now, so I plan on only skating old-school, Mike V. style. Like this:
As for the size of the board... There's so much variety now. It's not like it was back in my day. It's more like surfing in that there's a shape and size for all different styles of skating and terrain.
I'm moving into more of the old-man shredder category so I bought a 8.375x32" board with 149mm trucks.
In layman's terms that's wider and slightly longer than I used to ride. It's bigger, heavier, and not as good for crazy, flippity stuff. But I don't care about that anymore. This board was built for carving up concrete transitions at the skatepark with the occasional kickflip when I'm feeling limber.
I got 58mm wheels. I like my wheels on the larger side. It's heaver, but a smoother and faster ride. Better for riding transition too.
And as mentioned above, there's no better way to look like a kook than pushing "mongo," or "penis-pushing" as we used to call it. This is coming from a reformed penis-pusher here. I literally pushed dick for the first 3-4 years that I skated. I didn't know any better and no one really called me out on it. Then one day I was called a "penis pusher" and you can bet your ass that the very next day I became quite adept at pushing with the proper leg.
I think the absolute, #1 most important thing about skating is to have fun. Don't stress about learning crazy, technical tricks. A lot of pros only land that stuff one out of every couple tries at best. It's frustrating.
Get comfortable cruising at speed. Learn how to ollie. Learn how to carve. Learn how to stop without looking like a kook. Learn how to powerslide. Powerslides are probably my favorite "trick" of all time. That's about all I would focus on.
Skateboarding is like surfing, and not to get too meta about it, but kind of like yoga too. It's about style and flow. You need to pioneer your own style based on what feels natural for you.
Have fun. Post questions. If I'm able I'll come back and answer them.
- < Yup!
Have fun, don't overthink it.duckseason - Weirdly enough, I think a solid no comply was always my favorite - and the seemingly infinite amount of variations.duckseason
- And weirdly enough, I can't even do a straight no comply.nocomply
- Great advice! Thank you for so much good info!kona
- < Yup!
- nocomply0
I meant to do this:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KQWdzMeurwg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
- nocomply2
No, this:
- By the way, this dude is 45. Get your ass out there already!nocomply
- remember a couple years ago when he challenged kip brenan to a hockey fight, classicterry_cloth
- He's also been skating every day of his life since he was probably 10 years old.mg33
- utopian1
If this guy can do it, you can as well!
- DRIFTMONKEY2
Protecting yourself > Looking cool.
Learn how to fall, or say goodbye to your thumbs and wrists.
- scarabin2
^ when i first started the board slipped forward out from under me and i fell flat on my back; my head hit the ground and i got a concussion. nobody was around, i just woke up that way in the middle of a street.
definitely consider wearing a helmet, at least until you're decent. also if you've got on gloves you won't fuck up your hands if you fall
- prophetone1
Join this FB group, we are all 40+ rippers punk!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/…
- formed0
Make sure you have great insurance and a team to support you!
Honestly, I think you are crazy, but hey, more power to you. As someone also past the 4-0, I do miss the activities youth presented, but also have had injuries I am well aware of how much longer EVERYTHING takes as you get older. It sucks, but it's life.
(totally different if you've been skating your entire life. The painful part is learning, when you are young you bounce back, when you are old, you break)
- ok_not_ok0
You can do it!
- set4
- my uncle is in his late 50s, and he shreds one one of these still ... and he lives in Santa Cruz and has been surfing for 40 years, almost dailymonospaced
- also, mad respect to you, set, if this is your cruisermonospaced
- I work in Santa Cruz, these are all over the place. I think if you're born here, they issue you one at the hospital.Arvizu
- SteveJobs0
I'm learning to skate... but I ain't got wings... falling down... is the hardest thing...
- Tom Petty