Tips to Skateboard

Learning to skateboard does not mean you have to go out of your way and get actual lessons. Learning to skateboard is easy if you dedicate yourself to the art. The first step to becoming a skateboarder is to first and foremost get a proper skateboard. Depending on what you need to learn about skateboarding, you will have to choose your skateboard accordingly. For just regular cruising you can get a longboard and for learning to flip and ride ramps the shortboard would be perfect. Once you have your board then all you need to do is practice. Skateboarding is not as easy as it looks. But once you get the hang of it, you will undoubtedly have loads of fun.

Know your Skateboard

Skateboards are generally divided into two main types; long boards and short boards. In order for you to buy a skateboard you have to first decide what exactly you would be doing on your board. If you just want a skateboard to do some cruising around, or some downhill racing then longboards are for you. If you intend to use the board to learn to do flips and skateboard down ramps and stairs then the shortboards is definitely what you need. Unlike the regular skateboards, the longboards are just as the name explains, a little longer than the regular skateboard. These are mostly used in competitions and for just cruising from one point to the other. These boards are used to do big wide turns. In fact the art of using long boards is called longboarding instead of skateboarding. The other type of skateboard is called a shortboard.  Shortboards are used for doing flips and tricks. They are much shorter and lighter than longboards. Whichever you choose have fun skateboarding.

Flying on a Skateboard

When someone asks me what it feels like to go skateboarding I usually find it hard to come up with an explanation that adequately describes how I truly feel.  Well, it is definitely not like riding a bicycle, or a rollercoaster, skateboarding gives a much higher feeling. Most people who are not natural skateboarders or who have never been on a skate will never understand the sense of freedom that we skateboarders feel. The feeling is hard to explain to those who understand the concept of skating. You feel a sense of flying in the air with the wind going through you. Every now and again you touch the ground with a reminder that you are really not flying. Now and again the feeling returns as you do little touchdowns. Outside of flips and kicks, the aim of skateboarding is to just have free spirited fun. 

Skateboard your Way to a Healthier You

Skateboard has its benefits that go beyond just having fun. There are health benefits that you can acquire by skateboarding regularly. The benefits can be divided into physical and emotional rewards.  The physical benefits are the same as exercising. Skateboarding gets you all worked up just as if you are doing a workout. It takes energy to maneuver a skateboard. The mental health benefits are equally rewarding. Skateboarding helps you to learn how to overcome goals and to help t expand your horizons. Most skateboarders know no fear when it comes to knowing how far they can go. Ever seen a skateboarder go up a ramp and you are thinking how is it that they balance so well? Skateboarding builds confidence and makes one be more self assured. 

Great Skateboarders and Their Achievements

Some of the best skateboarders set the bar so high for the rest of us skateboarders to follow. One of the greatest Skateboarder of all time is Rodney Mullen, P-Rod and Mark Gonzales. Mullen is one of the best skateboarder and his name in freestyle and street skateboarding. In 2002 he won the Transworld Skateboarding Readers Choice Award for skater of the year. He was also listed as third on the list of 30 most influential skaters in the world in 2011. Gonzales is listed as the number one most influential skateboarders in the world in 2011. He has left an indelible mark in the world of street skateboarding. P Rod is another influential skateboarder that is still making great strides in street skateboarding. He has won a number of gold medals representing the US in the X Games. 

Difference between Skateboarding and Rollerblading

Rollerblading and Skateboarding might seem the same as they both have to do with cruising easily while balancing on wheels. Skateboarding is trying to maneuver a single board that is attached to wheels. In order to control the board the feet are usually used to manipulate the movements of the board. This differs from rollerblading. Rollerblading requires manipulating two separate sets of wheels that are attached to two separate entities. Unlike the single set board the rollerblades are shoe-like and fits snugly to the feet. It stays attached to the rollerblader right throughout skating. The Skateboard is in no way physically attached to the skater making it easy to separate the two.  The two are inevitably fun and both takes practice.