Carneddau Triathlon

Seriously - How tough can skateboarding be? You're only just standing, is that right? Is it true the board does all the work? When you're just starting, you may be thinking these questions. But for sure, you'll soon realize there's a lot more to it than standing on a moving skateboard. You'll need some skill, and you'll need to practice to get it.

You need to practice a lot. And before you can do anything fancy (like the pros who, no doubt, got you interested in skateboarding in the first place), you need to learn the basics of boarding. Here are some of the things you need to know when you are starting out. We are not going to say wear cool skate clothing like DC shoes UK we are going to teach you real tips.

It takes time to figure out which foot goes in front and which foot goes in back. Whether you are right handed or left handed doesn’t really come into play here like it would in other sports. Instead you need to figure out which of your legs is dominant and which isn’t. The best way to do this is to think about the way you approach things. When you kick a ball, which foot do you use? With which foot do you usually start walking up a staircase? If you stumble, which foot do you use to catch and balance yourself? The foot you use for all of these things will almost always be the foot that you keep on the back part of the board. How you stand has less to do with which way you want to face as you move on the board and more to do with which leg is stronger and sturdier. Face your fear. Many new skateboarders are too scared to do too much too quickly. It doesn’t take long for it to set in that there is not a whole lot keeping them safe from harm while they are on a board. It is important to come to terms with this fear, especially if you want to improve. If you never get over the fear you won’t ever be able to do much on a skateboard except sit still and watch others do tricks. The best way to conquer your fear is to practice as much as you can. The more time you spend practicing the more comfortable you will get on your board and the more you will be open to trying. Learn how to fall correctly and how to mend scrapes and minor skateboarding injuries. The more of these things you deal with the less likely they will be to scare you and the better you will be at skateboarding.

Ok, tricks - start slowly and learn one at a time. But make sure you have the basics down, first. Don't go skating down the stairs or doing big jumps. Start doing small lifts and change directions. Or try to jump the board with direction changes. Get these basic tricks down, then try something more dangerous. Remember with learning tricks it's always best to start small and build.

This doesn't need to be hard, but it will take some time to get some proficiency with. Just have patience and never worry about it. You'll get there. It's important to learn the basics before trying the fancy tricks. Too much, too fast will get you hurt. Never know, you could be another Tony Hawk.