It is so cool when a girl knows how to skateboard, right? Too bad that is a skill not many can possess. So, how about I help you out with a few tips and tricks?
Jumping onto a skateboard and ride it around as though it is a part of your body is undoubtedly impressive, not to mention downright fun!
That is what crosses my mind every time I see a bunch of young people gathering around with really cool garments and stunning boards.
My eyes follow every movement on the board as my heart is filled with excitement. And the next thing I know is, I want to be the same as them: someone with a stunning skateboard gliding around skillfully as the others stare in awe.
So, I go around and make friends with some female skateboards in the park near my home, asking them for advice and stuff, and then begin learning.
I cannot say that everything goes off without a hitch because that will be a total lie. But I fall less than I expect, and only end up with bruises that can fade after a night. Still a victory to me!
Now, I have moved past my beginning phase and start to pick up some harder tricks. I figure out that some girls out there might need advice on taking up skateboarding, so I have decided to write this little guide.
Step 1: Prepare suitable clothes
I tend to go for T-shirts and jeans while gliding around on my skateboard. Any T-shirt will do as long as they are lightweight and comfortable enough, but you should put on one that looks a bit vibrant and has logos or graphics at the front.
Skaters love this kind of outfit. It’s comfortable, easy to move around, not too flamboyant, and yet, still reflect a part of their personalities.
As for your bottoms, I think you should stick to jeans. Their materials are thick enough to protect your legs in case you fall.
Now, here comes one of the most important parts: the shoes! Unlike shirts and bottoms, shoes play a vital role in skateboarding since your feet will be what do all the jobs here. Due to this, you need to have a pair of skates. They are designed to have flat and smooth soles for the most contact of your feet with the board’s surface. This will give you better control.
Step 2: Choose your board
A board is like a best friend to any skater. So, make sure you pick one carefully! If you have friends that like skateboarding, ask them to accompany you to a store. But if you don’t, you can join a Facebook group for skater and ask for advice or check out LongboardBrand website. Here, you can find all the information you need, liked as how to choose the best skateboard, what are the best skateboard for girls, top skateboards for beginner girls, etc. They are super nice and willing to give you a hand when you need.
These days, the skating market is flooded with boards. It will be pretty hard for you to get what you need without experience. So, here is my advice.
GO FOR A LONGBOARD!
You must be wondering why you must pick this while you want to skateboard, right? Won’t a real skateboard be much better? Well, actually, a longboard is much easier to control than other kinds of boards. So, starting off with it allows you to balance yourself and glide around in the shortest time.
Still, these little guys are not very good when it comes to performing complex tricks. If you want to practice them, switch to a skateboard once you have got used to being on four wheels.
If you cannot afford two boards at a time, you can still bring home a skateboard. It will take a bit longer for you to use it properly though. Just remember to buy something suitable for a beginner because skateboards are various kinds – some of them can only be used by the professionals. You can ask the store owner to pick the right one for you.
Step 3: Let’s start skateboarding!
There aren’t many public spots out there where you can glide your board around without annoying somebody. So, if you want to practice your skills, head out for a skating park. You can Google one near your home and begin there.
Now that you are ready, it’s time for action!
Keep your worries at bay
Standing on a board for the first time might be a bit scary, but try not to let that feeling get over you. Try to relax your mind, think of happy things like kittens, new shoes, chocolates or whatsoever, just make sure you don’t tense up. Skateboarding is all about control your body, and you can’t do that well if you’re nervous.
Try to balance yourself
The first thing to do when putting your feet on the board is to try not to stumble. Unfortunately, there is no trick for this, so you are on your own.
Still, here is some advice that I find useful. You should keep your board somewhere it cannot roll away easily. After that, you can try getting into a stance with one foot before another, make sure to place the one that you will use to put yourself at the back. Which one? You will have to find out yourself!
This part might be a bit hard. But just keep on practicing and you will reach your goal soon.
Start skateboarding
Now that you can stand on your board without falling, you can begin something much more advanced: gliding around!
Press your forward foot firmly to your board, then give a hard push with the other foot so that the wheels will take you on a pretty long ride (for beginner, of course). If you don’t push hard enough, your journey will end quickly, and you will start everything from the start.
And when you are new to the game, keep squirming on your board is nothing different from saying you want your butt to land on the ground. So, try to make sure that you give a strong push. This can even make your ride smoother and maintain your balance.
If you want to turn, simply shift your weight from one foot to another while both of them are on the board. If you lean forward and press your toes, you can turn right. And if you press your heel while leaning backward, you can turn left. This is not easy at all! And it takes a lot of practice to make things go smoothly.
Finally, if you want to stop, take one foot off the board and glide it on the floor until you come to a complete halt. Remember to never climb down a board until you feel yourself stop moving even when its speed has subsided. You might lose balance and hit the ground hard!
Learn to fall
The Bottom Line
And that’s it! A complete guide for a new girl to become a cool skating girl! I know I should probably have included some tricks but I do not want to make you feel overwhelmed. Plus, I haven’t even mastered any myself.
But this is just the fundamental part, whether you can skateboard well or not is up to you. So, make sure to practice a lot, and if you have time, watch a lot of skating videos!
Goodbye, and good luck.
Nicola Holder