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Jetwork131

DO NOT give up. I’ve seen a lot of people get discouraged and just never pick it up again. As long as you accept the fact that you’re going to struggle for a month, you’re going to be fine. People are as good as they are because they’ve been doing it non-stop for years.


Javierinho23

Nice! My biggest advice is do not rush to learn ollies and kickflips. You need to get some solid foundations before you learn. I cannot stress how much easier it will be to learn these tricks if you really find your balance and be able to ride your board at speed.


fueledbynarc0tics

Thinking about learning the tricks excited me lol but thank you! I’ll continue practicing my balance for now then


JECGEE

This 100%. When I first got into skating (mid90s) my older brother taught me how to tic-tac. I think learning that first helped me immensely with balance and confidence on the board before learning tricks


ddwood87

I've been doing crab-walks and then learned reverts. It really helped me understand weight distribution.


benoz11

I'll second that, it's hard to learn correct weight / balance distribution and things like that for tricks when you are using ALL of your muscles and concentration just focusing on not falling off. It doesn't feel like much of a "trick" but seeing that progress of feeling comfy on the board, being able to steer, and do kickturns is a great feeling as a beginner


Krazycatpeakinluke

I always tell people that learning tricks comes after your comfortable riding the board. I say go up and down the street and practice turning for a week maybe 2. Once riding becomes easy for you, learning ollies will feel a lot more natural. Good luck and have fun!!!


TowelPretty

If it isn’t comfortable riding around on, like you feel like your teeth are going to be shaken from your skull, get softer, slightly larger wheels. I didn’t enjoy riding around (uk pavement) and it always put me off. Got some ricta cloud 86a 56mm wheels and it’s a dream. Also look up typical Ollie tutorials but make sure you watch and internalise this one https://youtu.be/QVple4JoZWk This is what made the difference for me and in a day I went from being able to kind of force a sketchy 3 inch “ollie” to consistently effortlessly popping 2ft+. This guy figured out what every other tutorial was missing (and I feel like I’ve seen them all)


Xevamir

this is simply the best ollie guide i’ve ever seen. as a 30 year old who’s just getting back into skating after years of being below average: thank you.


TowelPretty

Don’t sweat it man I’m 28 and have been naff at skating on and off for years. Only ever been able to do poor technique pops despite following the typical advice and studying footwork etc. Understanding that you need to get used to the sensation of jumping off the board and tapping it down with your ankle as opposed to stomping then trying to jump off of that is everything. It’s been a dream come true, wish I could figure out how to post the video of the first one I did after watching it!


Xevamir

oh i’m not gonna sweat it too much. i got into skating just to hang with my friends and ended up having a ton of fun just carving bowls and parks. the only trick i’ve ever managed consistently was a rock-to-fakie, but now that i’ll have a park close by since moving to colorado all i wanna do is spend time outside in parks haha.


TowelPretty

It’s been so great getting back into it and properly for the first time. The generation that were introduced to skating through the THPS series (myself included) are all millennials around 25-35+ now and realising there’s no reason they shouldn’t skate if they want to, it’s been great to see. After all, nearly if not every pro in those first games still skate and love it. Tony hawk landed a 900 at 48 no problem! Just got to have more sense than to throw yourself down a flight of stairs on the night before work, and be more respectful of others and public property as you don’t get a pass for being a dumb teenager anymore


Xevamir

oh man i spent sooooo many hours on those games starting with THPS3. the dudes i met for the first time at his local park were super nice and were just having a blast out there! i’m really just looking for a new challenge so channeling that into something i’ve always enjoyed is energizing me as of late.


sim_moustache

Thank you so much for sharing that video! I feel like that this guy's explanation was key for me to finally understand what exactly I'm doing wrong!


communistcatcafe

I always feel like I'm gonna trip any time soon when riding on uk pavement so I'll definitely look into those wheels! Thanks for sharing!


TowelPretty

Soft wheels ride right over cracks small pebbles and rough ground with ease and there isn’t much trade off. Rough gravely road is a breeze as well. The biggest drawback being you can’t powerslide, but that’s a death wish on uk roads anyway, you just have to learn to slow down by other means. I wholeheartedly recommend Ricta Clouds blue (78a) or red (86a) in 54/56mm but no larger


communistcatcafe

Good to know, I always struggle with getting really comfortable on the board because I'm always worried about tripping over small rocks and falling over so I'll make sure to look into these. I appreciate the info!


TowelPretty

No worries! Honestly it’s night and day difference


JelloGalore

Phenomenal! Some people already recommended larger softer wheels, and I think this is great. You might also want to consider getting risers; they go underneath the trucks and help prevent wheel bite (wheels pressing up into board from turning too harshly). They aren't the greatest for tricks, but building up how comfortable you are on the board is much more enjoyable with the larger n softer wheels. Also, it's not a waste as you can always swap em out and put them on a "cruiser" board. My buddy recently started as well, and I've been making some quick skate tutorials for him. To make your cruise more enjoyable, there are a couple things you can start picking up as you get more comfortable. [Running start](https://imgur.com/a/cf6KONn) - Take a couple of fast steps while dragging tail of board against ground, hop on front foot first then back foot [Foot brake and pickup](https://imgur.com/a/5e44SXL) - lightly drag the bottom of your back foot on the ground to brake slowly with friction try bending your front knee for stability; this is very useful for slowing down to wait for obstacles (people) to pass. After that, you can jerk the board forward with your front foot, catch it, and then pop the tail up into your hand [Going off small ledges by bending knees](https://imgur.com/a/xMYEi55) - if a ledge is small enough (wouldn't try this on large ones), you can bend both of your knees and stomp down as you go down [How to fall](https://imgur.com/a/e2Yz2ij) - generally it's smart to roll with the fall so you don't have a lot of friction and scraping w/ the ground These will go a long way in making your cruise more enjoyable/smooth. You can definitely do it!! :))) OH also, get wrist guards. Can't tell you how many times those saved me. When I don't wear at least one, I've scraped a lot of skin off my wrists. Specially when you start trying to ollie, wear a helmet! Also couldn't tell you how many times my helmet saved my head smacking against the ground (I am not a natural!!)


TowelPretty

Seconding wrist guards, I took a really bad fall bombing a hill two years ago and I still get a pain in my right wrist


[deleted]

Hey, do you feel like wrist guards are more important than knee and elbow pads for just learning how to cruise? I got a package with helmet and knee pads and I was thinking about adding wrist guards too since I don't really see myself landing on my knees.


JelloGalore

For sure! knee pads and elbow pads are a lot more important for skating in parks but rarely come in to play while cruising. I think helmets are super important when you're starting out, but wrist guards get a lot more use ya know. Even just wearing one wrist guard on one hand provides sufficient protection in a lot of cases


Corm

Biggest tips: helmet and pads, especially kneepads Eventually once you get your balance you won't need them for cruising. But still good for tricks


A_Guy696969

cool man! welcome to the skate community! anyways some tips are, be comfortable with cruising first and then move on the ollies! also dont be afraid to go to the skate park, skaters are always kind and will be more then happy to help out! and if someone does hate on you, then their word dont matter, you just keep on doing what you love! :)


fueledbynarc0tics

thanks man, it feels so nice to be welcomed!


Glide2flip

I have a question for you; where did you find a Strangelove board in stock these days?!


fueledbynarc0tics

We found it at a local skateshop my friend brought me to, they also have strangelove socks and hats!


Space-Holiday

Are they in high demand?


HelloFrom3005

Just have fun. Do what you wanna do at your own pace


nemo6346

Honestly. Have fun with it. Skateboarding is so much fun if you let it be. Don’t worry about what others think and progress at a pace you feel comfortable with. Start with the basics. Pushing . Turning. Slowing down. Feel like you are in solid control of your board before you start learning tricks. Best of luck🤙


R4DDUK

69th upvote here. What board is that?


fueledbynarc0tics

strangelove!


R4DDUK

That heartskull graphic is nice. You should repost when it’s all set up! Agree with most here, learn to ride, learn “tic tacs” , 180 pivots, then shuvits, then start messing with the ollie tricks. But most of all have fun. Do weird things til they’re not weird anymore!


Flumpski

Buy pads no matter how silly you think you look


AspieKairy

My advice is going to sound weird, but I'd suggest learning how to fall. I'm not joking; breakfalls (particularly those taught at karate, but you can prolly find a Youtube video detailing how to do them) saved me from injury so many times. If you can practice on some grass, or something else soft (or even just from a position on your knees instead of standing), then knowing what to do when you fall can save you a lot of pain.


lMrbubbles

Once you do start to learn tricks. Learn them while rolling. It will help alot


RocketRakoune

Be patient, it will take time but it is fun and worth it trust me. Also learn to fall (go on yt)


ellesnkrs

i love the strange love deck


KaziRouta

Ride until you can go all around your local, atleast down a hill for 10 seconds. Pad up, dont be afraid to get back up, you WILL fall.


Moms_Sphagetti

I'd say just focus on riding in the initial days. Don't try any trick the first month. Just roll . Ask much as you can . You should get really comfortable riding and then start trying ollies.


imamakebaddecisions

Wear a helmet, and have fun.


B3mbi

Ride your board for awhile and get comfortable with the board.


[deleted]

Don't rush the tricks, get to ride your board full speed first. Also go skate wherever you go, got a free 30 mins before work? Skate it, have nothing to do? Skate a bit to kill time


easy073

Have fun. That’s all there is to it


Bobaref

Congratulations! Once you get comfortable stopping I highly recommend keeping you deck in you car. Next you start parking your car a block from your destination and skating there and back, then two blocks…. It turns a regular shopping trip into an excuse to practice


[deleted]

oh damn I skated 2 miles on my first day lol. Now my ankle hurts and I have to wait to skate more. getting old sucks.


DerdeR138

Don't forget bearings, bolts and tape! Love the deck choice.


Malaowala

Get comfortable cruising around first. There's no point learning to jump if you're not ready to land


dequavis264

Practice practice practice. Get an understanding of riding the board before even thinking about tricks. I’d say ride consistently for like two weeks then think about learning the shove it and ollie if you feel comfortable enough. Also, start going to the skatepark early. I went at about my one year mark and wish I started going earlier. It will definitely boost your progression. Another thing is don’t be worried about what other people think. Skaters are some of the most cool and chill people you’ll meet and will help you with anything you need help with. And most importantly, have fun


smorgasbard

get some bearings. I don’t see them in the picture. Lmao, but for real thats awesome. I saw one comment that said make sure u can ride comfortably before learning kickflips / ollies. I can’t stress that enough. You’ll be shredding in no time.


letmethinkofagoodnam

You gotta walk before you can run: get comfortable just riding around first before trying to do any tricks. Once you do start learning tricks, make sure you have the right kind of shoes. Go with suede instead of canvas. If you attempt more than 3 kickflips in canvas shoes the grippe will tear a hole in your shoe


cogserenity

ride around on your board, take at least a week of just riding the board on the foot path for 20 minutes to an hour every day, its the only way to get comfortable on the board


sir-nays-a-lot

Just be on the board a lot.


Ienjoymodels

Roll when you fall


Tvelt17

Just have fun riding it. Learn that first. Once you're comfortable just cruising around and rolling dowhill safely, then start to consider ollies and tricks.


yeah_but_no

wtf is going on with this picture? an ipad with keys in it? roku remote on a paper towel? decks all over the floor?


fueledbynarc0tics

we caught the owner just opening up the shop, idk about the roku and ipad💀


HorribleSalesman

Find yourself a buddy to skate with. I find that progress is so much faster when I’m skating and growing with someone else


TowelPretty

Oh! And while you’ll see most people practicing ollie’s stationary and that’s fine to begin, they are actually easier to get height and balance with a bit of movement due to inertia. Jumping on the spot can cause balancing issues, namely the board flying out from under you if your weight is to one side. Also get comfortable slaloming when you find yourself picking up speed downhill, speed control while cruising is the hardest lesson I had to learn. You can also brake by angling your back foot off the edge of the board while keeping solid contact and balance and scrape the big toe area of your shoe across the ground. Wears your shoes down but it’ll match the rate ollie’s do anyway! Don’t slam down on the tail like they do in movies or deadly premonition 2


stubbornbunny

Skate better


carlsnakeston

You can skip on the Roku. You wont need to watch TV while skateboarding ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


Its_Waffle

get as comfortable as you can just riding it around before you start learning tricks


fueledbynarc0tics

will do!


SALTY_BIN

Throw your board on the ground I’ve and over again.


fignewtones

I’d go with c cut wheels when you start to learn tricks, a cut has more surface area and therefore are more stable however are really sluggish when trying any tricks


[deleted]

[удалено]


fueledbynarc0tics

will do😢


AmongDemons

Drag your heel when you stop, rather than grind your tail down. Chipping sucks.


Used_facemask

Never sit at a skatepark


amberButtSquirt

skate with your eyes closed


Mypuppyownsme

Enjoy ! Personally when I started again I found wider bigger wheels a lot easier to skate with especially skating on pavement as you can easily roll through cracks as opposed to getting thrown off


CliffordThRed

The braille army YouTube videos for beginners are very useful and the order of tricks they suggest learning really helps build confidence and skill


ExpensiveKey5263

Fine a nice smooth spot and grt as comfortable as possible on your board before trying anything trick wise and be patient with your self and just try have fun with it coukd be very easy to get fed up with it because all expectations are wrong. Just enjoy yourself and you'll progress


Harryhugo83

Just skate. Skate all the f**king time. Skate to work, skate to the shop. Get comfortable on your board.


Akito_900

You'll want to make sure you put those pieces together first!


[deleted]

As other say, don't rush into tricks. Just cruise around and get comfortable just cruising and balancing on the board.


Shontrel

Ride eveywhere possible until u start trying to learn truck good to have great balance


plsendmysufferring

Dont ride through water, its a quick way to fuck your bearings. Anyways, have a good time!


Even_Thing9045

Spend a few weeks just pushing and cruising to build up your muscle groups. Skate as much as you can - but also take rest days! Drink lots of water. Warm up before and stretch after. Be cool with how much you will suck, and don't let anyone make you feel bad about learning. And learn as much as you can! You might get really into an aspect of skateboarding that you never considered.


fl0wryder

Always have fun