Skateboarding For Beginners
There are currently a bunch of articles on the site covering things that most new skateboarders are looking to know, however I still continue to get all kinds of questions about this and that, and I figured I’d throw together a FAQ page to point everyone in the
right direction.
I Want To Start Skateboarding. What Should I Do?
There are two steps to starting skateboarding. Number one, get a board. Number two, ride it. If you know nothing about skateboards then you can use some of the articles on the site to help you out. Skateboard anatomy will go through the basic parts of a skateboard and explain their purpose. Choosing a skateboard will give you some background on the different types of skateboard setups and help you figure out which one is right for you.
I Just Got A Skateboard And Want To Do Tricks. Which Ones Should I Learn First?
First you should get used to just riding the board. Being comfortable while pushing, standing, stopping, and turning are important skills to develop. You might not be sure which foot you should put in front while riding. For that, you can read the choosing a stance article. It’s also a good idea to learn how to push properly. Once you start to get good at riding your board you can move on to tricks. You’re most likely wanting to learn to do modern skateboard tricks, and most of those tricks are based on jumping with the skateboard which is a trick in itself call the ollie. For help with that you can go to the learn how to ollie trick tip. Some tricks to consider next are kickflips, heelflips, backside 180s, and frontside 180s.
I’m Trying To Learn To “Trick Name Here” But I Can’t. Any Tips?
First you should read the learning tricks article. It’s a general guide to help you learn any trick possible. After that you’ll probably want to get specific, so check out the trick tips section.
How Long Did It Take You To Learn To… I Can Do "List Of Tricks Here". Am I good?
These things honestly don’t matter. Everyone will progress at their own rate. My only reason for skateboarding is I find it fun to do. What about you? If you’re not having fun, why are you skateboarding? How long it takes to learn a trick, how many tricks you can do, and all those kinds of things shouldn’t really matter as long as you can go out, skateboard, and have fun.
does it matter at what age I start learning? I mean like in gymnastics or other sports so that the body grows once with the progression..
You can start at any age you want! I’m 22 and I still find it as fun as when I was 10.
im 10 and i just started 7 weeks ago. i can ollie but not while moving! im still working on it but do u hav any tips on how i can ollie while moving better???
I’m 12 and a took lessons when i was 8 or something like that. Iskated for about a year and stopped (I only learned a drop-in and Rock to Fakie) and basic stuff like kickturns, pumping, pushing, and thats it). At 11 I Started again for about 3 months and stopped. I learned a Tail stall and an ollie. As you can see i started again about a few months ago and i learned (got better at ollies, a 50 50 on a curb, better at manuals, almost mastered a pop shove it, and getting close to kickflips and 180s. I’m anxious to learn more and quicker. i would like to know what and how i should learn new tricks???
well i just started skateboarding about 2 weeks ago i can ollie when im moveing but not as high as i do when im not moveing i heard faster you go higher you ollie but not for me.
Sean,
The best way to keep improving is by trying new tricks, practicing the ones you can already do, and skating with people that are better than you.
Justin,
Keep working on your ollies and you’ll get more comfortable doing them at high speeds.
I am able to do a very VERY small ollie,but I can’t do a real big one.Can you help me???
I can’t get my tail of the ground or foot to slide whrn i ollie. Help!!
My pop shove-it is good but i can only land with 1 foot on the board what should i do
there are alot of tricks im close to landing but cant like the kickflip i can land with only my back foot shuv it ivwe only landed once rock tofackie i cant come come down(i almost had trip to the hospital last time i did a rock to fakie now i am scared and ollieing off a big kicker im to nervous please help me shake my scared thoughts.
i just started skating about 6 weeks ago.i already learnd how to push,but thats all i can do.iwant to learn how to ollie.please help!
i just started skating i thought it would be really hard but this website helps a lot
im 11 and i just started to learn how to skste but i have real dificulties turning i always slip wen i try turning
i haven’t skated in years i’m 26 i just watched stand strong, the mike valley vid now i’m gonna go skate till i hurt myself.
check out stand strong, it’ll make you realise why you started skating in the first place
The problem is my ollie. I can get up high and stuff but i can’t seem to keep the board from flying out under my front foot. I try to keep my self straight but because the board is going behind me i always land on it with both feet but not in the direction i was heading. Any advice?
Hey everyone, i’m 15 and just started skating a week ago and i can ollie etc etc but when i pop shuvit i can only land with my back foot on and i can do a kickflip and varial kickflip but i always land on the floor b4 the board does =\ please give me some suggestions, thanks.
ive been wanting to learn how to learn how to ride a skateboard and learn to do tricks with it. my balance kind of sucks while riding a skatebaord. i have been practicing my ollie( not while moving, like i said my balance sucks while riding a skateboard). i can only lift up the board a little bit. Help me please! i need rips to improve my balance
Im a beginner, and was wondering if any one could suggest a skateboarding tutorial dvd?
I’ve been skating for about a year, and i’m 15. When i skate, i skate regular, but i ollie goofy. and when i nollie, i nollie switch. also, i can’t heelflip unless i’m moving. and when i shuv or do a kickturn, the board goes the opposite way. i can nollie pop shuv it, hard flip, kickie, and my fave to do at sk8, fakie kickflip. can you help me fix my problem with the skating-ollie stances and how to do a proper heelflip? Thank you!
dylan, when trying to get more air when ollieing, just PRACTICE! it’ll help. if you can get any air at all, you can go higher. when you snap, don’t hesitate. kick slide your foot up the deck as quick as possible. and the mind is a very powerful thing. if you think you can you can, you can. plus when practicing do a couple three stair ollies. if you feel you wont land it. bail and kick your board away otherwise your bones’ll go in some very nasty directions. doing the stairs’ll help you ollie higher because when you panic before you go over the stairs, you’ll get an adrenaline rush and your muscles’ll take over.
sk8erperson, read my advic eto dylan. it’ll help
lil d, when shuving try to ollie higher. if you have a walmart board, go get a hanger 94 board or something. walmart boards are alot heavier. when you ollie higher, you’ll have more time to place your feet.
kaylie, just let your body take over. just do it. and you’ll feel better. kicker ramps are’nt that big and you can always bail.
cool kid, when you ollie, snap your tail back and slide your front foot up the board. if you dont’ hesitate, your board’ll go up. even if it goes without you, you’ll sitll know that you can ollie.
tyler, try doing your pop shuvit switch and when you ollie for the varial kickie, try to ollie harder and higher. you’ll have more time to place your feet.
illiana, if you are a girl, your center of balance thing is different from us boys. so learn from a female skater that is better than you. i recommend googling skate help.
also when you ollie, dont lift your board, snap the tail down. then at the same time, slide your foot up the board. practice that.
also iliana get Shorty’s How To Go Pro dvd. it’ll help.
im 12 and i want to try skateboarding but the only place to do it is on my street.i dont want to skateboard on my stree beacuse there are lots of people and they wil;l make fun of me if i fall what should i do.
Thx Ian, i tried with your advice and i can now land all my kickflips with 1 foot and im gonna go out right now and keep practicing to get that 2nd foot on there
i have been trying to do an ollie for a year and watching loads of vids – help me please i really wan’t to do good tricks
Hey, Im 12 I will be 13 in a couple days and I love skateboarding! I go to the skate park every day and watch and learn. My Problems are 1. I dont have a skateboard and 2. My mother dosnt want me to be a skater. What should I do?!?
Hey, Im 12 I will be 13 in a couple days and I love skateboarding! I go to the skate park every day and watch and learn. My Problems are 1. I dont have a skateboard and 2. My mother dosnt want me to be a skater. What should I do?!?
I have learned to do Ollies and can go on ramps but im afraid to ask someone for help.
hey kachena just tell your mom that youre different than other skaters and that you are more responsible and if its the whole skater crowd shes worried about, and that should work, it should also work if shes worried about you being injured because if you prove to her youre smart enough not to kill yourself skateboarding then she might let you, and start on a cheaper board like anywhere from 60-120 dollars it worked for me good luck!!
hi im 13 years old and i love to start skateboarding but my parents think thats it is a boy’s sport and they wont let me learn skateboarding, what should i do?? plss help!!
hi im 13 years old and i love to start skateboarding but my parents think that it is a boy’s sport and they wont let me learn skateboarding, what should i do?? plss help!!
well, no sports are man or women’s sports. Girls play little league right? Just go the the local skate shop and buy one out of ure own pocket.I am 13 too and my parents don’t skate but they accept that i like it and i’m a girl. Explain why u are worty for a board and beg a plee, just jokin. Just make a wager, say i’ll “ure chore hear” and u let me skate. so both sides can win!
hey i need help with tryin’ to do an ollie. i know how to skate and stuff but i’ve been tryin’ at it for a few weeks, maybe even months. please help me.. thanks!
I was wondering if anyone could help me, after about a month of skateing ive learned to ollie, pop shuv-it, and ride around on vert, but when i kickflip the board ALWAYS spins in the motion of a shuv-it as if im trying to do a varial and not only that but it only spins enough to land upside down, please help!
Ive been skating for 3 days and i can alredy ollie pritty high and i can almsost heel and kick flip but i can’t seeem to land them any advise
ive been skating for about a week and i can alredy ollie pritty high. i can almost do kick and heel flip but cant land them yet any advice