Once you learn skateboarding and perform skills, one question always comes from people, how to learn skateboarding. Is skateboarding hard to learn? I have been skateboarding for the last seven years.
And I have faced this kind of question a ton of times. Like other sports, skateboarding is not easy at all. However, if you practice it and start with the basics instead of trying some extraordinary skills, it will be easier for you to learn skateboarding.
Indeed a lot of people need to know the proper methods of learning skateboarding. Therefore, I am here to clarify how to start skateboarding and why it seems hard to learn.
Why Is Skateboarding Hard To Learn?
Is skating easy or hard? It is no secret that skating is hard for beginners. But is skateboarding dangerous? Well, you can say that based on your age. But this argument makes most sports dangerous. But why is it hard? There are a few reasons behind it.
I. Fear
If you know how to ride a bicycle, you can relate to it. At the beginning level, it always feels like you will fall from the bike. The same thing goes with skateboarding too. Overcoming the fear is the biggest challenge and most complicated part, among others.
II. Age
Skateboarding requires pure athleticism. And that drops when your age is over thirty. However, age is not a barrier when you are physically fit. Yet, age plays a big part for beginners while learning skateboarding. Your reflex and agility go down after a certain age.
III. Physical Fitness
It is a big challenge to stay physically fit no matter what sports you try. And you need to be 100% fit to do skateboarding. Also, you can overcome the age barrier if you are physically strong and fit.
IV. Foot Placement
You will suffer a lot from finding the right foot for skateboarding. Also, foot placement is the key to learning skateboarding. And this is called the basics of skateboarding to get the foot placement right. Learning how to place your foot properly on a skateboard will make it much easier for you to learn the rest.
V. Balance
All the above factors play a part in making a good balance on a skateboard. You have to learn to balance on a skateboard which is hard for beginners.
How Should a Beginner Learn to Skateboard? 17 Tips are Here.
While talking about skateboarding, is it easy to ride a skateboard? Surely not for beginners. I know it is not easy to keep patience while learning anything new. But, you should never learn skating tricks such as ollie before learning the basics.
So, as a beginner, you should follow these 17 tips to become a master of skateboarding day by day.
01. Make Sure Age And Fitness
Undoubtedly age and fitness play a big part in sports. If you start early, it will give you a bigger advantage in learning skateboarding. As a kid, you have better agility and reflex that helps to learn anything new quickly.
Also, your muscle memory will work better. Even if you start in the early thirty or late thirty, you should get yourself in shape to gain that flexibility. And it will help you to maintain balance on the skateboard.
02. See “How to Skate Old Members Behind You”
We have been following our ancestors for years. Apply the same logic here to learn the proper form of skating from an experienced person. It will allow you to take a closer look at the expert skaters to learn the basics to advance skateboarding with real-life experience. Your observation will guide you to become a better skater with the help of consistent practice.
03. Find A Smooth And Flat Ground Location
You are a novice. Let’s admit that. Therefore, you have to find the smoothest surface possible to avoid the risk of getting injured. A field with too many obstacles or a busy park is not the right option for learning skateboarding.
Until you learn the basics, find smooth ground with minimum crowds and vehicles. In this case, your parking lot can be a great alternative and convenient option.
04. Start With The Basics
After finding the right spot, you must try and practice every day to make yourself a master of skateboarding. Let’s start with the basics by trying to step on the skateboard with a foot.
You have to try with both feet to see which one is comfortable for you. Then, try to move the skateboard backward and forward to feel the movement and act accordingly. Here you need a flexible body to move with the skateboard movement to adjust the balance.
Now try to put both feet on the skateboard to check your balance. Practice more and more to make your balance better on the skateboard. While stepping on the skateboard, start by keeping your foot position straight and slowly try to go sideways. It will increase balance and agility to improve overall skateboarding skills.
05. Practice Often
Skateboarding is not something that you can learn overnight. Therefore you have to practice often to master the basics and eventually master some cool skills. I suggest you practice daily and try balancing for more than a week to make your stepping right.
Also, you should practice every skill for ten to fifteen days to master it. As a beginner, you have to give all of yourself to ensure your muscle memory is getting the skateboard in your mind and moving with your mind. Only by practicing enough can you make yourself a skateboarding master.
06. Learn How To Fall And Turn
When you first start skating, you are going to fall off a lot, so it is essential to know how to fall safely. To fall safely, you need to tuck your chin, keep your head up, and relax your body. You should also try to fall on your side or your back rather than your stomach.
Once you have learned how to fall safely, you need to learn how to turn on a skateboard. To do this, you need to shift your weight to the side that you want to turn to.
For example, if you want to turn to the right, you need to shift your weight to the right side of the board. Then, you need to push off with your left foot and drag your right foot behind you. You should also keep your arms outstretched to help you balance.
07. Practice-Without Being Afraid
It is important to practice without fear. Fear can lead to hesitation, which can lead to falls. Falls are a natural part of the learning process and are the best way to learn how to skateboard.
When you fall, be sure to stay relaxed and try to learn from the fall. Remember always to wear a helmet and other protective gear.
08. Use The Right Footwear
When learning to skateboard, it is important to use shoes that have a good grip. This will help you stay in control of the board. Shoes with a smooth sole are not recommended. They can make it more difficult to stay on the board.
09. Wear Protective Gear
The most important piece of safety gear is the helmet. A good helmet will protect your head from serious injury in the event of a fall. It is also important to wear elbow and knee pads, as these joints are particularly vulnerable to injury.
Wrist guards are also essential, as they can help protect your hands and wrists in the event of a fall.
10. Slowly Buildup Skills To Learn Tricks One At A Time
Skateboarding or other sports is not easy to learn. You may want to flex by learning a few quick tricks. But, that will eventually make you one of the failures in this journey.
Therefore, go with a trick and practice it more and more. After learning a trick properly, go for another one. In the meantime, you should practice your old skills to stay sharp on them.
11. Practice With A Better Skateboard Setup
It doesn’t mean getting an expensive skateboard setup; you have to get the proper setup skateboard that goes with your height, weight, and age. However, you should check the bearings, and the wheels are working smoothly, allowing you to easily move the skateboard in any direction and feel the flexibility.
12. Skate With Friends
While learning skateboarding, you can do a ton of things wrong. But no one will see your mistakes if you skate alone. Therefore, skating with friends is the easiest way to identify mistakes and eliminate them quickly. In addition, if you have friends who know skateboarding properly, it would be a plus point for you.
13. Record Video With Your Phone
When you are skating alone, no one can tell you whether you are doing right or wrong. So, it would be better to record your skating with your phone to see later, find the errors, and work accordingly. Therefore, you can solve the issues and learn to skate quickly.
14. Watch Skateboarding Videos
There is no way to learn skating without knowing the right form. Therefore, you have to watch as many skateboarding videos as possible to know the right way. You will find a ton of videos online based on skateboarding. I suggest learning from an expert who shows beginner to expert-level skills.
So, you do not have to roam around different people to learn a skill. However, seeing different people is better for ensuring the correct form. Overall, you have to watch skateboarding videos daily to see how the experts are doing it and practice the same way to gain that skill.
15. Ask For Advice On Forums, Blogs, And Social Platforms
When you’re starting, getting all the advice you can is important. Skateboarding forums, blogs, and social media platforms are great sources of information. You can find tips, tricks, and advice from other skaters who have been skating for years.
Plus, you can get feedback on your skating and learn new tricks. Be sure to take advantage of all the resources to improve your skills and have a lot of fun skating!
16. Set A Practice Goal For Regular
There is no question that regular practice is key to improving skateboarding. However, figuring out how much practice is enough and what type of practice is most effective can be a challenge. Here are a few tips to help you set a practice goal for regular skateboarding.
First, identify what you want to improve. Do you want to learn new tricks? Improve your balance and coordination? Or just get better at carving and cruising?
Then, determine how much time you can realistically commit to practice each day or week.
17. Make a plan for achieving the goal
Based on what you want to improve and how much time you have to practice, come up with a specific goal for each session. For example, if you want to learn a new trick, your goal might be to make five attempts at the trick within a half-hour session.
Make a plan for how you will achieve your goal. For example, if you’re learning a new trick, you might need to break it down into smaller steps and practice each step separately.
Here are answers to the popular questions regarding skateboard learning.
What age is good to start skateboarding?
From 5 to 10 years old is the best age to start skateboarding. If someone can start from this age, it will be easier for him/her to become a master skater at a young age. However, you can start late as long as you are physically fit.
At what age should you stop skateboarding?
There is no age number to stop skateboarding. If you’re not able to safely and confidently skateboard, then it’s probably time to stop. As you get older, your body begins to change, and you may not be able to skateboard as well as you used to.
Additionally, if you’re not in good health, you may want to consider hanging up your board, as skating can be risky for those with health conditions.
Is it worth learning to skateboard?
Yes, it is a fun and thrilling sport. Also, skateboarding is good exercise for your body. And there are a lot of opportunities now in skateboarding. So, it is worth learning to skateboard.
How long does skateboarding take to learn?
It depends on you. Based on your learning speed, you can learn skateboarding somewhere between a year to three years. However, there is no limit to learning new skills. You will learn a few tricks with the basics within the first year. And by that time, you will learn tough skills.
Conclusion
Learning skateboarding is not easy or complicated either. As long as you can keep patience and start with the basics, you will develop excellent skateboarding skills gradually. However, you should always get tips from the experts to practice appropriately.
Also, you have to practice regularly to learn the skills quickly. Compared to other sports, skateboarding is one of the toughest sports to learn. You will need more than a year to become a skater.