A few tips for beginner skateboarders.
- November 14th, 2011
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Some Skateboarders can make skateboarding and doing tricks look and seem easy. If you have already tried to get on a board you know it isn't as easy as it looks. Like most things, its practice that will get you skating like a pro, there is no short cuts to it. Plus practice is fun, its what it is all about.
Being in good physical shape will help practice be a bit easier, also it will make it easier to practice more often and more intensely.
Also a lot of beginners worry about being too slow or not learning as quickly as they would like. Don't try and get ahead of yourself, I promise the more you get the basics down and are able to just skate well the easier and more fine tuned your tricks will be when you start learning. Nothing is a waste of time with skateboarding. I have seen "seasoned" skateboarders doing crazy tricks at a skate park but then watching one skate down the street he goes head first over his board and looked very uncomfortable just skating home.
Some beginners find it easy to get going but are scared of stopping the board. If you are in decent physical shape as with the first suggestion, this shouldn't be too much of a problem. If your "stop" doesn't seem to be working just jump off the board onto your feet and run or walk your stop. With time you will learn how to stop the board without jumping off but its good to know you have the option and it really helps curb the fear.
Almost anyone is capable of learning how to skateboard. If you're willing to put in the time and effort to practice and learn the right way you will learn how to skateboard. As with most things patience is key, don't give up and remember……. ENJOY!
Skateboarder's Start-Up 2nd edition: A Beginner's Guide to Skateboarding
by: Steve Badillo Doug Werner
publisher: ReadHowYouWant, published: 2011-04-12
ASIN: 1458785394
EAN: 9781458785398
sales rank: 10750697
price: $15.98 (new), $51.50 (used)
Providing updated and revised chapters on safety, equipment, and basic skills, this instructional guide discusses the fundamentals of skateboarding. Presented in a helpful question and answer format, beginners will find information on buying a first board, where to plant one's feet, how to stay safe while learning new stunts, and the history of this exciting sport. From ollies to kickturns, detailed techniques are presented on the 15 tricks every skater should know. Honest and humorous interviews with skating professionals are included, along with an invaluable list of resources – including books, camps, museums, skate parks, shops, websites, and magazines. With more than 500 new images, step-by-step instructions and photographs illustrate the foolproof methods to turn skateboarding novices into experts.
PRO Skateboard Complete KROWN Purple Flame 7.5"
publisher: Krown
ASIN: B002R796OU
sales rank: 12634
price: $24.99 (new)
This is a Complete Pro Skateboard, Which Comes Fully Assembled. Inluded is a Purple Flame Deck, Havoc Trucks (assorted colors), 52mm Krown Printed Wheels, Abec 7 Bearings, 1" Hardware, Black Griptape
Andy Mac Zon Complete Skateboard (7.625 x 31.625)
publisher: Andy Mac Skateboards
ASIN: B0009WRJOE
EAN: 0410000234273
sales rank: 3341
price: $52.26 (new), $99.00 (used)
Designed by world champion skateboarder Andy Macdonald, Andy Mac Skateboards are extremely high quality at an affordable price. The boards are suitable for beginning skateboard enthusiasts as well as advanced skaters.
Manufactured by Skate One Corporation, a leading skateboard builder for 29 years, the Andy Mac Zon Skateboard has been carefully designed and developed using the highest-quality materials and manufacturing equipment.
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A Message from Andy Macdonald
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Skateboarding has always been, first and for most, about having fun. As a professional, I've always wanted to be able to give back to the sport that has given me so much. One way to do that is to make skateboarding–fun skateboarding–more accessible to more kids. That's the idea behind Andy Mac Skateboards.
The age at which kids begin skateboarding has become much younger in the past five years. In most instances, these new skaters are not buying their boards at specialty skate shops. Rather, they get their board where their parents shop–at a discounter, mass merchandiser or a sporting goods chain. Most all skateboards found at these retailers are designed as toys, not sports equipment, meaning the quality and performance is poor, and the experience of using them not fun.
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And I was getting pretty tired of seeing kids have a bad first experience on their new skateboard.
"Toy" skateboards are available just about everywhere these days and they cost about twenty bucks. Although they look like true skateboards, they definitely are not. A real skateboard turns when you want it to turn and has wheels that grip and roll smoothly. Traditionally, the only place to find such a product was in a specialty shop, where even a first-time skater must spend more than a hundred dollars for a "complete" board. That’s a lot of money for a new skater or their parent to spend–more than most can afford. That's where my brand comes in.
An Andy Mac complete costs $59.99 and is the perfect entry-level skateboard. These are real boards–the same exact board I
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ride when I street skate. And I even use a modified version of this board in all my vert competitions! I spent two years developing this board with Powell Skateboards, a company that has been building skateboards for almost thirty years. The idea was that if we can build it good enough for me, it’ll be good enough for any new skater.
I want kids to have an awesome first experience skateboarding and I know my boards can provide that. My hope is that kids all over the world will discover the same fun and enjoyment I get from skateboarding every day.
So enjoy, and please let me know how you like this board. There is truly no other board on the market like it.
Peace,
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Andy Macdonald
About Andy Macdonald:
- Eight-time World Cup Skateboarding overall points champion
- Eight-time X-Games gold medalist
- Set a Guinness world record for his skateboard ramp jump of nearly 57 feet
- His image was published on a U.S. postage stamp
- Honored by President Bill Clinton at the White House for his participation in The Partnership for a Drug-Free America
“Step By Step: Ryan Decenzo” — Get some tips from the pros on how to do the basic tricks and some advanced ones too. Today skateboarder Ryan Decenzo goes through all the steps needed to land your first frontside flip.
When performing a lay back power slide skateboarding trick, let the body fall back and then catch yourself with the lead hand. Practice this trick with tips from a skateboarding instructor in this free video on extreme sports. 
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skateboard companies with their company logo next to their name (some do not have their full logos) and a board above put out by them.