Probably, you are amazed seeing skateboarders cruising on the sloping roads or in skate parks? Or in awe viewing them flying on the rail, ramps or stairs. You might be inspired and ask yourself “Can I do that?” Or “can I learn skateboarding too?”
Of course, you can have a thrilling skateboarding experience too. All you need is skill and determination to learn skateboarding. And you might also be thinking how long does it take to learn to skateboard. We have answers for you below.
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Things You Need to Skateboard
If you are a beginner skateboarder eager to learn this fun sport, then you must equip yourself with these things. First, you need a sturdy skateboard. Go for a good one so as not to waste your money on a poor-quality board. Also, you need a board that is stable and reliable.
Secondly, protect yourself by having gears such as the knee pads, wrist guards, helmet, and elbow pads. These gears can prevent you from having injuries in the head and body. As a first timer, there is a possibility that you might fall. So, be very careful. I think that is a normal thing too.
Lastly, you will need a smooth and flat terrain for your riding. You may begin rolling first on these surfaces before you go on cruising and carving on-ramps, parks, and skate pools. Practice more on flat surfaces till you are ready for tricks.
Learning the First Step or the Basics in Skateboarding
So, after equipping yourself with the things above, what do you think you will do first? You need to get into the basics of skateboarding.
You must learn first to balance yourself or stand on the board. To balance yourself on the board, place your board on the carpet or grass. This will prevent the board from rolling while you are attempting to balance or stand on the board.
Put both feet on the board and try to balance yourself. You may do this many times until you are comfortable standing or balancing on the board.
Then, try skateboarding on a concrete flat surface. Stand on the board carefully. You may put your left or right foot forward in front of the board and then use your other foot to drag the board slowly or gently. Then, hop a little and get into a 90-degree position.
You are now riding on your board. You push the board and roll on. Practice more till you are acquainted with riding the board.
Once you mastered the first step, you may now learn carving. This is the time your skateboard will turn. Learn how to shift your weight so your board will turn and roll. Make pushes, get on, and roll. Then, lean toward your toe or heel side and make the board turns.
The last step for the basics is learning how to stop the board. Simply, place your foot on the ground and drag it to stop your board from rolling.
Learning the Easiest Tricks
Skateboarding is not complete without the tricks. Are you ready for this? There are various tricks of skateboarding. Among the basic tricks are Ollie, Nose Ollie, Boneless, Biebelheimer, Nollie Shove It, Shuvit, and Power slide, among others.
What do you need in learning the tricks? Well, you need confidence, patience, and determination. Also, you need skills in doing these tricks.
Take into consideration yourself as well. You must be fit, able to handle fear, and flexible. Also, you need time to learn these tricks. You may begin with the easiest tricks of skateboarding.
How Long to Get the Basics of Skateboarding?
The time you learn the basics will depend on the time you spend practicing the first steps of skateboarding. Primarily, the more time you spend, the faster you will learn the basics of skateboarding.
Experts claimed that you can learn the basics in 60 minutes or one or two days. Those who know skateboarding may learn the basics technically in one hour. On the other hand, you need to spend more time practicing until you get the basics well.
For some skateboarders, they learn the basics in one or two days. Maybe because they have a difficult time balancing themselves on the board. Or probably a hard time standing on the board.
The good news is that with the right perspective and determination you can indeed master these basics quickly. Simply, just keep on trying and perfecting the basics.
How Long Does It Take to Learn the Tricks of Skateboarding?
The tricks of skateboarding are challenging. And you need enough time to do them. You can learn the easiest tricks of skateboarding in one month or two months. Of course, this depends on the period you practice them.
If you spend more hours learning and practicing the tricks, the span of learning tricks may be shortened. Also, it depends on the type of tricks you are learning.
For advanced tricks such as kickflipping stairs, rolling on the mini ramp, and doing several ledge tricks, these may take around three years of regular skateboarding.
The Bottom Line
So, how long does it take to learn to skateboard? You will learn to skateboard in about a day or a week depending on your capabilities, and the time you spend learning and practicing the basics.
Once you get used to rolling, you may begin doing the tricks for beginners that may take a few months. Keep on practicing and by the end of that period, you will see yourself doing some advanced tricks already.
If you have any opinions you like to share, you may write them down in the comment box. We are happy to read your suggestions.
Hi, I am Charles Harris. I opened this site to write as much as I can about my biggest passion – skateboarding!
I started as a clumsy yet passionate rookie 10 years ago to now a still passionate yet much better skateboarder! But I have to tell you, the whole journey has always been fun and rewarding, indeed not without hardship.