Last Updated on November 8, 2020 by Jayda Salinas
Do you want to know how to skateboard for beginners? In our guide, we’ll tell you some of the basic tips so you can easily learn skateboarding.
There is no specific age for skateboarding; thus, if you think you are too old to ride a skateboard, you’re wrong.
The skateboard can handle weight according to its capacity. It is not simple to ride a skateboard for the first time. So you have to bring in some patience while learning skateboard because it is impossible to learn skateboarding in one day.
Contents
- Basic Tips On How To Skateboard For Beginners?
- How To Prepare Yourself For Skateboarding?
- Buy A Skateboard Of Good Quality
- How Much To Invest In A Skateboard?
- Buy The Right Shoes
- Buy Runner Socks
- Wear Helmet And Other Protective Gears
- Check the Skateboard
- Things To Avoid While Riding A Skateboard
- Easy Steps On How To Skateboard For Beginners
- How To Balance The Feet On Skateboard?
- How To Push A Skateboard?
- How to Kickflip?
- How To Turn A Skateboard?
- How To Stop A Skateboard?
Basic Tips On How To Skateboard For Beginners?
Skateboarders learn the tricks after they have learned the basic tricks. Therefore, skateboarding needs a lot of dedication.
Most of the skateboarding guides don’t teach the basic skills and jump on to the advanced skills. But wait! you can’t learn skateboarding properly before learning the basic skills.
Before learning how to skateboard for beginners, you need to know the following tips:
- Learn how to put the skateboard or longboard on the grass patch.
- You must know how to keep fit in the perfect position.
- Practice how to jump with the skateboard. For instance, learn the forward and backward jumps as well.
- You should learn how to exert force on the skateboard or longboard.
- Learn how to ride on your own and how to do curve with any skateboard or longboard.
How To Prepare Yourself For Skateboarding?
While preparing yourself for skateboard will let you know the basics of skateboarding. You will only enjoy while riding a skateboard when you know the basic tips and tricks. On the other side, you should know how to keep the feet balanced on the skateboard.
On the other side, the skateboard will glide perfectly on the surface when you know how to push it. In our guide, you will know how to choose the right skateboard. In addition, you will know how to handle the board while falling.
You should not give up after a few tries. So if you fell while for a few times while riding a skateboard, do not give up. Furthermore, you need to know how to balance the skateboard. You can prevent injuries when you’ve learned how to balance a skateboard.
Before we guide you on how to skateboard for beginners, you need to buy some essential gears.
Buy A Skateboard Of Good Quality
You have to buy a skateboard that has good quality. Besides, there is a wide range of skateboards and longboards in the market. You have to buy the right skateboard according to your age and weight.
On the other side, the skateboard should have lightweight so you can carry it easily.
You should not buy a skateboard that doesn’t have durable quality. In fact, you need to look at the features of a skateboard before buying one for yourself. A good quality skateboard will be expensive, but it has a durable construction.
How Much To Invest In A Skateboard?
You have to buy a skateboard that is not too expensive. However, some of the skateboards under $100 have great quality. On the other side, the skateboard deck should have durable material. You will make a worthy investment only when it has durable material.
The skateboards with cheap quality material will not last after some falls. Look for the budget-friendly skateboards on the market.
Buy The Right Shoes
You must wear the right shoes for skateboarding perfectly. Additionally, you have to buy shoes that have a flat sole, but they are impact absorbing. On the other side, the shoes must be comfortable, and you should have a wide toe area as well.
If your shoes are right, you can’t skate for a long time. Even your toes will have injuries if the shoes don’t absorb the shocks. On the other hand, we recommend buying shoes from Nike to skate comfortably. However, Nike shoes are expensive, but you can go with vans, Lakai, and more.
Best of all, you will not have pain in the feet after skating with the right shoes. Nevertheless, you have to skate with some breaks as a beginner. You might have some pain after riding a skateboard for the first time, but it will go away soon.
The fitting of shoes should not be extremely tight. Most of the vans shoes are ideal for skateboarding.
Buy Runner Socks
You have to wear runner socks with the right pair of shoes for skateboarding. Additionally, you will not feel uncomfortable after sweating in the runner socks. Otherwise, the regular’s socks will be soggy, and you have to take them off after skateboarding for some time.
You will find various runner socks in the market that will protect the heel in a better way. Also, the runner socks will absorb the shocks.
Wear Helmet And Other Protective Gears
As an adult, you might feel that there is no need for protective gear. However, the injuries can be severe if you aren’t wearing protective gear while skateboarding. On top of that, you should be a lot more careful while riding on a skateboard for the first time.
Especially as a beginner, you don’t know how to fall, so you have to wear protective gear. Once you have acquired the skills to fall from a skateboard, you can avoid wearing protective gear.
We highly recommend wearing the knee pads and helmet while riding a skateboard as a beginner.
Check the Skateboard
You have to check the old skateboard before using it.
- The bearings shouldn’t be broken.
- Wheels should have good conditions.
- The baseplate of the skateboard should not move.
- The edges of the deck should be fine.
- The grip tape shouldn’t be worn out.
Things To Avoid While Riding A Skateboard
- Don’t skate on the wet surface
- Find a smooth and flat surface
- Fearfulness
- Don’t feel shy to fall
- Be patient; you can’t learn skateboard in a day
- Feeling overweight? Try losing weight
- Avoid crowded areas
Easy Steps On How To Skateboard For Beginners
Now that you know about the skateboard and its protective gear, we’ll teach how to skateboard for beginners. The skateboarder should practice at least three times a week to progress in their skateboarding skills.
Other than that, you have to choose to keep one foot on the front. You can choose any foot to keep on the front side. Most skateboarders keep the right foot on the front, and you should keep it on the front.
Besides that, you cannot ride comfortably unless you don’t know how to keep the feet balanced, so if you feel that the left foot should be on the front, try skateboarding a few times and decide. Once you have chosen to keep one foot on the front, follow these instructions:
- You have to run forwards and slide the skateboard with the other feet.
- You can try a jump and land while keeping one foot in the forward direction.
- If you are having difficulty in sliding the skateboard, ask your trainer or friend to push you.
How To Balance The Feet On Skateboard?
It would help if you balanced the feet by placing them correctly on the skateboard. You might be scared for the first time to balance the feet on a skateboard, but it is not that tough. In addition, your first try might not be the best.
Thus, you have to try your best to balance the perfectly on the skateboard. Other than that, you have to try riding the skateboard on the grass. On top of that, you have to bend the knees slightly while riding a skateboard.
If you have bent the knees, it will help you to skate with less effort. Since the knees are close to the ground, they won’t be attracted to gravity with more force. Besides that, you have to push the other foot on the ground to glide the skateboard.
You mustn’t lose balance while pushing the skateboard forwards.
How To Push A Skateboard?
Now that you know how to place the feet on a skateboard and how to balance it. It is the right time to learn how to push a skateboard. Moreover, you have to push the skateboard with the feet that is on the floor.
Besides that, you might sometimes fail while pushing the skateboard, but you will get success after a few tries. Your position of feet should be right to push the skateboard forwards. In addition, you need to keep the balance between the feet while riding a skateboard.
Below are the steps on how to push a skateboard.
- Place the front foot close to the bolts of the skateboard or longboard.
- Now you have to push the skateboard with other foot.
- After pushing the skateboard, you have to place the foot on the tail of the skateboard.
- Lastly, you need to place the front foot on the side.
You have to focus and practice a lot of times to push a skateboard perfectly. Moreover, you have to be patient because pushing a skateboard is not easy, and it will take a week or more.
On the other side, your skateboarding skills will be better once you regularly practice.
On top of that, you have to practice pushing a skateboard at least four times a week. For instance, you can practice skateboarding while going to school or work. After learning how to push a skateboard, you can learn other techniques.
How to Kickflip?
Most of the skateboarders like to kickflip. However, you can only make the kickflips once you know the basics of skateboarding. Never try the kickflips until you don’t know how to balance feet on the skateboard.
Kickflip trick is not easy. This trick needs a lot of extension from the body. More than that, you need to build up a lot of confidence before trying a kickflip. Other than that, you have to learn how to stop a skateboard before trying the kickflips.
In our guide, we’ll teach how to stop a skateboard. Before learning how to stop a skateboard or longboard, we’ll teach how to turn it.
How To Turn A Skateboard?
Now we’ll teach how to turn a skateboard. You have to place both feet on the skateboard for turning a skateboard. However, it is not simple to turn a skateboard. Therefore, you have to be very careful while turning a skateboard.
There are two types of skateboard turns:
- Kick Turn
Kick’s turn is tough for beginners. Hence, you have to practice a lot of times for making a kick turn. In a kick turn, you need to flip the skateboard’s front wheels by putting pressure from the foot that is on the back.
- Carving Turn
The carving turns are easy for all skateboarders. Firstly, your trucks shouldn’t be tight, and you have to lean in the direction that you want your skateboard to turn at.
You should use the turning tricks when you are pro at the basic skateboarding skills.
How To Stop A Skateboard?
You cannot slow the skateboard when it is near your face. If you don’t know how to stop a skateboard, you might have severe injuries. So you must learn it before trying the advanced skills of using a skateboard.
Other than that, you have to stop a skateboard by sliding it with the back foot. Moreover, you have to drag the shoe to lessen the speed of the skateboard. Apply some force on the ground with the back foot to reduce the skateboard’s speed.
Reminder: do not try the turning techniques when you are not familiar with the basic skateboarding skills.
However, the pressure to stop a skateboard should not be strong. Otherwise, you will have some foot injuries.
Hopefully, now you know how to skateboard for beginners.
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