6 Tips to Break into Longboarding - Ultimate Guide

Maybe the greatest appeal of longboarding – apart from the fact that it is unbelievably fun – is that it is open to everybody. Whereas most longboarder’s are youngsters, this enjoyable sport is indeed for anyone up to 50 years of age.

So no matter who you are, you are totally able to give it a go. Here’s all you should know 6 Tips To Break Into Longboarding before heading off for a ride on a longboard.

Choosing the right longboard:

If you have ever gone surfing or engaged in other types of boarding sports, you will see how longer boards differ from shorter ones. While short-length boards have more agility, longer boards bring you greater stability.

Land longboards are just as similar:

Greater length means higher stability. In particular, when riding a longboard, you’re able to gain much speed really quickly. However, if you are not experienced enough, how to stop yourself seems to put you in trouble

Shorter boards help you turn quickly and easily since they are agiler. Yet, as you go faster, they will start wobbling. In this case, you need a good sense of balance to remain stable, but it’s better if you try carving up the roads.

Also, you might think of picking a regular skateboard. Once again, it depends on you. Take a minute and think about the kind of riding you want to do. If you want to carve and cruise as skillfully as a surfer, then go for longboards. Otherwise, you should only choose skateboards for technical tricks in places like parks.

Are Concave Boards acceptable?

You may have caught sight of a longboard with its middle being concave. This design features a dipping-down middle and rising-up edges. As a matter of fact, these boards come in a couple of different styles.

While some are made to give your foot arches support so that you gain more control, others are supportive for both your foot arches and balls.

Depending on the way of riding you are favoring, these different shapes can come up to you as a blessing or a curse. So, to ride as smoothly as you wish, you should make a wise decision on how long your board will be. I highly recommend you try out some types to pick the one that makes you feel the most natural.

Get Kitted out:

You may say no to protective gear since it doesn’t look cool on you at all. However, it comes in really handy in case you have a bad fall. Unluckily, you run a higher risk of injuries with longboarding than with other regular board sports such as skateboarding. But don’t find that off-putting, what you need is to ride sensibly, and everything will be OK. Those statistics do not mean this sport is less fun, but you’d better be vigilant and take more care of yourself.

If you’re still new to longboarding, I think it’s best to equip yourself with a quality helmet. Next, if you plan to slide around, I hope you won’t do that with bare skin. Make sure you have slide gloves. They are designed with big pads stitched to the palm in order to prevent you from getting hurt when you pass along the hard ground.

Especially when you’ve just taken up longboarding, I highly recommend you put on well-fitting elbow and knee pads too. I’ve got some blacks and blues when forgetting to wear some. So, I hope you will take care of yourself.

Time To Skate!

After all preparation, it’s time for skating! But, wait, which foot should you go first? Oh, the answer is never minded. While ‘regular’ footing is left foot first and ‘goofy’ his right foot first. Indeed there are no fixed rules about this. Left or right, it’s all about what you prefer.

If you are a complete novice at board sports, you may be unsure about choosing the way around that feels natural to you. However, gradually you will find your own preference and stand more steadily once you’ve got accustomed to balancing on your board

The best place for your practice is a flat and concrete surface such as a quiet road where both flats and ramps exist. Put the front foot on your board, around seventy-five percent of the route along.

Assume the nose to be 12 o’clock and the heading you’re confronting is 3 o’clock (for those with goofy footing) or 9 (for those with regular footing) Then point towards 1:30 or 10:30 respectively.

As to the other foot, let’s push tenderly in reverse and put that foot over the board, slightly kneeling. Finally, feel your sweep – what a joy in life!

As You Progress:

As you improve, you will want to pick up speed and start to carve. Remember not to go so fast that you can’t control. You should only have a ride at a place free of traffic. You can practice turning by pressing down on the edge of your board so that it will turn in the direction you wish. To accelerate your turns, you can lean to the curves then use your arms to strike a balance.

If you keep going too fast and get out of control, you’ll probably stumble over. However, if your board is extremely long, it can ensure you’re still stable during your turns. Once you’ve seen great improvement, let’s have a go at sliding. Whilst you go downhill reasonably fast (but you should start at a low speed first), remember to tilt towards the board’s front part with your knees bending and your body squatting down

While grabbing your board on one side, use the other hand to push back onto the ground, with both your hands well-fitting in slide gloves of course. By doing this, you can slide forwards. When you are sliding, if you stretch out your body and allow the wheels to drift across the solid surface at a right angle, you will come to a full stop.

This only works when you slide fast enough. Yet, never overdo it at your first attempt. Anyway, failing because of insufficient speed is way better than going too fast then falling off the board.

Have Fun!

I am crazy about longboarding, and I’m sure you will quickly become a big fan of it too. There is nothing in life-giving you the sense of freedom as great as when you cruise around with your buddies on a bright summer day. Talking about longboarding, never forget to have a whale of a time

Once you’ve geared up, I know you will improve and master it quickly since there is nothing too troublesome. Even when you topple over, just dust off your hands and get back to your board.

Stepping on the right board with the necessary gear, you will surely be a skillful longboarder soon. Don’t hesitate to share this post if you find it useful!