How to start skateboarding?

Skateboarding made its debut as an Olympic sport in these recent Tokyo games. With this in mind, many people are undoubtedly interested in starting to practice this sport. Here we bring you a small guide that will help you take your first steps in the world of skateboarding.

How to get a good skateboard?

You need to take your weight, height, and foot size into account when choosing your board.

The larger your foot size, the larger your board size will needs to be. If you have a foot size between 36-39, you should choose 7.5-7.8 inch board, otherwise it could be very heavy. If your size is between 40-43, you should choose a board between 7.6 and 8.0 inches .

You should also take into account the type of skate you are going to do before choosing your board. The thinner width boards (7.5 to 7.9 inches) are often used for tricks and street skateboarding. The boards that are larger than 8 inches are used for ramps or for transportation, thanks to their greater weight, which gives them more stability.

On the other hand, you must also know how to choose the axles (object that joins the table with the wheels). These come in three varieties depending on your height: Low, Mid, and High. Low shafts are good for tricks, while high shafts are best for ramps or hauling boards.

Another important factor is the wheels on your board. Again the same logic applies: small wheels for tricks (between 50mm and 54mm) and large wheels for ramps or transport (between 54mm to 60mm).

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But how to use the skateboard?

Before you start, you should practice your balance on the board without moving. Your feet should be above the axles and your knees slightly bent. It is best to do this on grass or a soft surface, where falling will not hurt you.

Your dominant foot is the one used to push the board and gain momentum, so you must position the other in front.

From there, it is recommended that you start with basic skills, such as moving by yourself and changing direction, before learning more advanced tricks.

We can tell you that to change direction you must shift the weight of your body towards the desired direction without moving your feet, only passing the weight from the ankles to the tips of your feet. You better learn to change direction and control your balance before moving on to more advanced tricks.

Once you have these fundamentals, and also learn how to stop, you can move on to more advanced tricks. Don't forget that the key to learning any skill is to practice!