Skateboarding: Broken bones and bloody noses

[Fredthefighter]

Okay, I'm thinking about taking up skateboarding. I already have a skateboard, as well as a helmet, kneepads and elbowpads.
I have a few questions:
1) Is there anything else I need before I start skateboarding?
2) Does anyone have any tips/tricks/advice for not getting my bones completely shattered in every way shape or form?
3) Any tips for learning the basics of skateboarding?

[Cobra_Ikari]

Okay, I'm thinking about taking up skateboarding.

Why? O_o


I already have a skateboard, as well as a helmet, kneepads and elbowpads.

Look how much safety equipment you listed. Does this strike you as a sane activity? O_o


I have a few questions:

Oh, good. Caution. Caution is good.


1) Is there anything else I need before I start skateboarding?

Coordination. A general lack of respect for the intactness of your skeletal system. A will of some kind. Enough painkillers to choke an elephant.


2) Does anyone have any tips/tricks/advice for not getting my bones completely shattered in every way shape or form?

Yes. Don't skateboard.


3) Any tips for learning the basics of skateboarding?

Basics? Skateboarding has basics? O_O

Post was made in jest. While I am so klutzy that my reccomendations ARE necessary if I ever get it into my head to try to skateboard again, I'm sure you'll be fine. Good luck, man! ^_^

[Jack Squat]

Never grind down a staircase. It always ends up the same way.

I'd pick up some wrist guards if you're going for full on padding. I'd actually choose it before elbow/knee pads, because you're more likely to break your wrist trying to stop a fall than do some serious damage to your elbows/knees.

As far as learning, try and find some old skateboarding videos. I've got some on VHS, and there's probably some good lessons on YouTube. Seeing tricks get done makes it easier to do it than reading how to do it.

[xPANCAKEx]

lose the pads for a while - they'll impede your mobility while you learn the basics

start small

hold onto a wall/railing while practing you ollies to begin with

get some friends to skate with to encourage/teach you (make sure they're the patient type)

EDIT: as lame as it sounds, make sure you stretch to warm up and warm down at home after each sessions - keep your joints/muscles in shape.

and EAT RIGHT

[Darius Midnite]

Just watch a couple of skateboarding accidents on YouTube and that notion will long be gone. :smallwink:

[Fredthefighter]

Just watch a couple of skateboarding accidents on YouTube and that notion will long be gone. :smallwink:

I've already half-given up on it. Really can't be bothered with physical pain right now. :smallwink:

[xPANCAKEx]

skateboard bloopers ar epart of the fun of videos

same with climbing videos. I've seen so many falls, slips, and even some (apparently) fatal accidents caught on tape from climbing videos... yet every time i still think "know your limits... and push them!"

but i suppose some people have that death or glory mentality with climbing

[Anuan]

C'mon, skateboarding? Really?

You're in Britain, aren't you Fred? If you want to do something insane, at least look cool doing it. Look around the internet for a pair of SOAP or 'grind' shoes. I know that wheelies company bought out SOAP and still produce a few grind shoes without wheels in the back.

[thubby]

i don't skateboard, but from my experience with other similar activities:
be aware how easy it is to pull your groin.
wrist guards are good, knees are a life saver, elbows do little good

[DrakebloodIV]

3) Any tips for learning the basics of skateboarding?

Okay, first things first- A skateboard is not actually the best thing to learn how to skateboard on, especially if you don't plan on starting doing tricks early. Trust me, not doing tricks early on is the best way to make sure that the vast majority of your bones will not have screws in them. If you have the coin or can use ebay, go out and find yourself a longboard. It dosent matter if its some brand stamped fancy shiny thing that costs more than a bit of Jesus's cross or a crapped out hunk of wood with goofy wheels; longboards always trump skateboards for learning how to do boarding basics.

The next step for you is to go find an easy hill and teach yourself the basics of downhill boarding. You need to do several things in a specific order to get downhill boarding down. First, figure out your lead (not the metal, the concept) foot. Whichever foot feels more natural to have in front is your lead foot. For now it should be placed at about a fourty five degree angle from the outer edge of your board (outer meaning the bit of the board to your back) and should be at or around the screws which hold the front axle. Feel free to adjust this as much as you like, the exact angle varies based on the style of the board and the riders prefrence. As a general rule the following things apply

Angle too small- The lead foot has lots of weight on it and the back foot feels stretched too far, this makes turning difficult and can cause too much weight on the front axle, especially the toes of the foot. Dont combine with foot to far foreward.
Angle too large- The front foot starts to feel clunky and misplaced, losing its ability to effectively lead the board. This causes turning to change, rather than relying on the front foot to lead and a swiviling of the hips for control of the back foot, leaning will be required a lot more and weight in the heel will ruin the center of gravity. This one should feel really wrong, because you have to have some really arsed up posture to stand with your toes in at all times
Front Foot too far foreward- This one is really bad, if done badly enough this will throw you off the board, but if you let it intimidate you than your turns will be lame.
Front Foot too far back- Handling will be reduced, because your ability to control the front axle decreases with distance behind it. While it wont feel all that inherently wrong you will notice a great increase in the amount of movement in the back foot required to make turns. Avoid on heavy slopes when possible

Placing the back foot is a crapload easier. You can just about chuck it anywhere and it'll slide itself back as needed to make turns.

Having sucessfully (ish, you won't really have consistently good foot position till you get a feel for the board) put your feet on the board, let the hill you've chosen move you foreward. Acceleration requires changing foot position more and I'll talk about that later. Once you've picked up some speed you can feel free to try out some basic turns. Keeping your front foot firmly planted try shifting your hips in your back foot in such a way that the rear of the board moves in a pendulum like motion and the nose begins pointing toward the direction opposite the way your tail moved. If you are on a street you are probably headed toward some cars or a curb now, do the opposite turn to avoid having to bail or crash. You probably started with a turn in the direction of your dominant side, so the second turn will be slightly harder and feel more off balancing. Keep in mind these rules as you practice more turns

1.) Its OK to bail. Never forget this, bailing beats crashing. Even if you chip your board its way better than chipping your arm.
2.) Get a rhythm- As you turn try and find a beat to your turning, keeping the motion constant and symmetrical can keep you from crashing and helps dissipate speed.
3.) Know your limit- Every board, and boarder, has a maximum turning radius after which they will fall. Try and reach or pass this limit, and realize that falling doing this is an educational fall.
4.) Prepare big turns- Whenever you need to do a major turn be prepared for it at least twenty seconds in advance. Synch up your rythem with it and slow down if possible. Make sure you use your maximum turning radius and avoid leaning foreward or backward in an attempt to compensate for bad entry into a turn.

Possibly more later

[Anuan]

*snip*

Why do I now have the image of a Tzeentch Chaos Marine riding into battle on a huge, evil skateboard, screaming and laughing maniacally?

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Why do I now have the image of a Tzeentch Chaos Marine riding into battle on a huge, evil skateboard, screaming and laughing maniacally?

It's a screamer, not an evil skateboard.

Basically, an evil skateboard that will also eat your face.

[DrakebloodIV]

It's a screamer, not an evil skateboard.

Basically, an evil skateboard that will also eat your face.

Skateboards already eat your face, but only if you crash on them.