Skateboarding has never followed a set of rules, which means that a piece about learning to skate is likely to contradict its countercultural roots in some ways. And while it encourages the growth of a global community, skating is an individual sport, which is why it has likely become a newfound adult pastime during the pandemic.
As someone who grew up skating, I was amused some recent stories written by guys who took their first trips to the skate park in their thirties to escape the loneliness of the pandemic. Seeing adults learn how to spin, ollie, and pass on ramps is a fun lens to the collective unrest in society during COVID, but I applaud anyone who jumped on a board because they correctly thought skateboarding was one adventurous endeavor.
Here’s how you can learn to skate as an adult. Just don’t be surprised if you walk into the skate park and are surrounded by kids who are shredding infinitely harder than we will ever do.
Buy a current board
A complete skateboard is made up of several parts: a taped skate deck, trucks, wheels, bearings, and possibly risers to cushion the impact of your metal trucks on the board. There are also eight bolts and lock nuts to secure your trucks to your wooden deck.
Don’t skimp on buying a real board – you really don’t want anything from it Walmart (or some other wholesaler) made of crappy wood, with trucks made of weak metal. Unlike learning how to play the drums or any other instrument, you don’t look for lower priced equipment when you start out because the cheap stuff can make it easier for you to harm yourself.
I would recommend masking yourself and go to your local skate shop and ask who works there and what should you get. But the reality is that as long as you buy a board and accessories from reputable manufacturers, you are in good shape. There are many great – even iconic – legacy companies to choose from when purchasing your board: Flip, Baker, Element, Girl, Toy Machine, and Enjoi (among so many others) are great options.
It’s the same business when it comes to trucks and bikes. Companies like Independent, Venture, and Tensor (among others) are great truck options, while wheels from Spitfire, Pig, Bones, and many other companies should get you rolling. You’ll find some crossovers when it comes to companies that make skateboards and other products – sometimes companies that make boards also make wheels, but usually companies that make trucks focus solely on that.
The general point I try is to trust the brands. Companies that make legitimate boards and products almost always sponsor professional skaters, make skate videos, and make their own clothing. You can tell a real skateboard from an imitation pretty quickly once you have familiarized yourself with authentic skate products.
Find an easy place to skate and move on from there
Don’t expect to run down the hills like an animal just yet (but if you want inspiration from someone who does just that, look no further). What you should do is find a beautiful, forgiving environment to collect your first bruises. I was lucky to grow up on a cul-de-sac where I could walk around without the fear of being flattened by a car, but you probably don’t have that luxury.
Find an open tennis or basketball court to learn how to push, kick, and ollie. You need a smooth surface that you can slide around on easily. Familiarize yourself with the feel of the board under your feet and trust your instincts when it comes to learning new tricks. Once you feel a bit more comfortable and can trust your balance, you will likely begin to develop your own taste for tricks and obstacles.
The writer Steve Rousseau, who took up skateboarding during the pandemic, recommends setting low expectations and forgiving yourself for the steep learning curve that comes with the sport.
“Just go at your own pace,” he says. “Celebrate whenever you learn something new, no matter how small or nondescript you think it is compared to ‘real’ skateboarders.”
get inspired
Much of the creative impetus in the sport comes from the energy of other skaters. Skate videos offer a variety of styles to identify with and offer great history lessons in the evolution of the sport. When it comes to finding inspiration, Rousseau puts it this way:
Just watch a lot of skate videos! There are so many different styles and vibes and ways to skate – find one that resonates with you. Don’t think of skating as a sequence of tricks that you want to learn, but rather as a style that you want to emulate.
With all that said, there really is no “right” way to learn how to bet. Just understand that you will fall a lot, but that’s part of the process, even for the most seasoned skaters. The bottom line is, if you have a board, put it on the sidewalk and go from there.
