Is Skateboarding Hard To Learn?

Is Skateboarding Hard To Learn? 17 Tips For Growing Fast

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.

Why Is Skateboarding Hard To Learn?

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.

How should a beginner learn to skateboard?

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.

Flat Ground Location For Skateboarding

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.

FAQs Regarding Skateboarding Learning

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.

Wear Protective Gear For Skateboarding

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.

Record Video With Your Phone When You Skatebaord

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!

Ask For Advice On Forums, Blogs, And Social Platforms

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.

What Are The Important Factors While Purchasing the Best Longboard Bearings?

01. Size

8 mm bearings are commonly used. This size is perfect for the longboard bearing. You can choose the other sizes if they give you more comfort. But I will recommend you choose the 8mm bearing.

02. Type

You can get both the ball bearing and roller bearing around you. Most of the bearings are ball bearings. Ball bearings run faster and more smoothly than roller bearings. But ball bearings can not handle the load. In that case, the roller bearing performs well.

03. Durability

The bearing should be durable that can last a minimum of one year. You can increase its durability by cleaning regularly and running in dry places. Water and mud decrease their longevity quickly.

04. Performance

The performance of the bearings is the most important fact. If your longboard bearings are rough and run with less spin that will not satisfy you. Also, a smooth and fast bearing with noise will annoy you. So, check before buying if there is any defect in performance.

05. Precision

Precision is the exactness or correctness of the tolerance. The American manufacturers association uses ABEC to define precision. When the precision increases, the permissible range decreases. Precision is independent of bearing clearance. The higher the ABEC number, the tighter the bearing will be. Higher precision helps to move more smoothly and increase efficiency.

06. Lubrication Compatibility

Lubrication is a must before riding on your longboard. To convert your slow bearings into fast longboard bearings you have to clean them regularly and lubricate them. It will give a fast spinning movement.

07. ABEC rating

While buying bearings, you need to check whether it is ABEC-rated longboard bearings or not. ABEC rating stands for dimension. It only rates tolerances. Some ABEC classes are 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. ABEC rating 9 is tighter than ABEC rating 1. The more the ABEC rating, the more the precision will be.

08. Engraved seals

Engraved seals prevent entering dust and other material inside. It also holds the lubricant inside and prevents friction. Most of the brands use rubber material for easy cleaning and to prevent the entry of water inside. While buying, check all the seals properly.

09. Price

Price is a big factor when buying anything. If you get a bearing with better quality at less price, then that will attract you the most. People mainly buy this type of bearings the most. Also, you should not follow the misconception that more expensive things mean better. Most of the famous brands are budget-friendly and careful about quality.

10. Brand reputation

While buying high-quality longboard bearings, people follow reputed brands. If the reputation is good then people do not hesitate to buy from the brand.

11. Warranty/Guarantee

If the brand provides you with a warranty or guarantee, that will be a plus point for you. You can repair the bearings if any problem arises at no cost within the given time. Also, the refund policy is beneficial for the buyers. You can change the defective set or can return the set with a full refund.

FAQs About Longboard Bearings

These are some commonly asked questions by people about the best bearings for longboards.

Is it worth it to invest in more expensive longboard bearings?

No, it is not worth it to invest in more expensive longboard bearings. More expensive is not equal to best quality. You can get a high-quality bearing within a suitable budget.

How do I know if my longboard bearings need to be replaced?

If the bearings start producing noise and are rough to run after cleaning, then you need to replace your longboard bearings. Also, the bearing will not spin if it is worn out.

What is the difference between ceramic and steel bearings for longboards?

The difference between ceramic and steel bearings for Longboards is durability. Ceramic bearings are more durable, smooth, and corrosion-resistant. At the same time, steel bearings are easily damaged by corrosive substances and are less durable than ceramic ones.

Can I lubricate my longboard bearings myself, or do I need to take them to a professional?

You can lubricate your longboard bearings yourself. )r if you have no previous experience, then you need to take them to a professional. But choose the right lubricant for the bearings.

Can I mix and match different brands of bearings on my longboard?

You should not mix and match different brands of bearings on your longboard as they are different from each other in size, shape, durability, and performance. Mixing different brands is unable to balance your movement.

Can I use the same bearings for both my longboard and my skateboard?

Yes, you can use the same bearing for both your longboard and your skateboard. The only difference appears in the case of wheel size. Otherwise, there is no difference between the bearings. But you should be careful about the dimension of the spacer.

Conclusion

Now it will be easy for you to choose the best Bearings for Longboards. You can compare the bearings and choose according to your comfort. I will recommend you choose the bearings which are performing well and have good customer service. If you still can not choose a perfect one then you can select it by brand reputation.

Also, choosing the brands which are giving warranty is the safest to pick. You can get these ten best bearings within an affordable range. Do not choose the bearings which are rated below ABEC 3. Below 3 ABEC-rated bearings have less tolerance.

About the author

This is Kyle Spinks from Butte MT, USA. A skateboarding expert and lover since 2019. skateupdates.com is my blog where I share my skateboarding life experience daily or weekly. If you're a beginner skater, I'll advise you to follow my blog daily.

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