Perhaps because of the adrenaline or due to its similarities, skateboarding can be considered the ground counterpart of surfing. However, since you will be managing a wheeled board on solid ground, the basic equipment needed in skateboarding is different from the one used in surfing.

While most of the gear is generally needed for protection, it is necessary to underline some of the elements you need to know before you purchase the skateboard. To put it simply, besides the sufficiently wide and long deck/board and appropriate skate shoes, the important characteristics of the board include proper wheel size, hardness of the board, truck height and the slopes. Learning how to skateboard may look intimidating at first, but it can be done if you follow these 5 next steps:

Step 1

In order to be able to learn how to skateboard, first you should get accustomed to your board. Therefore, in addition to ensuring you acquire the board suitable for your body type, you need to make sure that it feels comfortable under your feet when performing simple tasks, such as small jumps or standing on it.

Step 2

Once you learned how to keep your balance on the skateboard, it is time to select a skateboard style that fits you. Here you do not have a lot of choices to make, as there are 3 stances: left foot forward (regular), right foot forward (goofy) and mongo foot pusher. Essentially, the best approach to figuring out the best position for you is to know if you are a right-handed or left-handed person. An alternative is to ask somebody to give you a push and notice the foot that you use to stabilize your position as reflex.

Step 3

In order to avoid injuring yourself, it is best to practice on soft surfaces until you learn the correct positioning of the feet. For instance, when you start skating, place your toes on the hinges and push forward using your back leg. After you reach the desired speed, simply put the back leg on the board and control the skateboard with your front leg.

Step 4

One of the hardest things beginners need to learn how to do properly is pushing, especially since the skateboard gets away when they are trying to push. The correct approach is to imagine you are walking: while you are taking a step with the front leg, use the back leg to push the skateboard with power.

Step 5

Another tricky aspect of skateboarding for beginners is learning how to stop the board. The easiest way to stop the skateboard as a beginner is to put the back foot on the ground and drag it until you lose speed.