SKATEBOARD TRICK | Tips & Guides

Conquering your fear is a huge part of skateboarding. Rolling along on a small wobbly plank of wood, doing tricks and trying not to eat pavement – it can and should be scary.

Yes, I said it should be scary. You can get hurt skateboarding. Your fear comes from you being aware of that fact. So, it’s a good thing. It shows that you aren’t stupid! But, it’s only a good thing to a point. Once you understand that you might get hurt, and once you have a healthy respect for what you are doing, continuing being afraid only holds you back.

And so, here are some steps that might help you get past your unhealthy fear of skateboarding:

Skateboard Fear Tips – Take Your Time

A lot of the time, fear in skateboarding comes from pushing yourself too hard. Maybe you just bought your skateboard last week, and today you’re trying to jump off a ramp. If you are scared, well, that might mean that it’s a little too soon for you to try jumps. Take your time with skateboarding – learn at your own speed.

Being relaxed and loose will help your skateboarding in so many ways. Relax, breathe, and learn at your own pace.

Skateboard Fear Tips – Fall a Few Times

That might sound weird, but falling actually helps a lot in building your confidence in skateboarding. Every time you wipe out, you get a little bit better. Your body starts to learn whatnot to do.

You can also practice falling. For example, if you are skating on ramps but you are afraid of dropping in, then practice running up the side of the ramp and dropping to your knees (you’ll want knee pads for this!). Just run up, drop to your knees and slide back down. Then, if you fall while dropping in, you know how to fall. This should help reduce your skateboarding fear.

Skateboard Fear Tips – Ramp Up Slowly

As you learn to skate, there are some things that are just scary to do. For some of these, you can slowly build up to having more confidence. Here are some examples:

• Dropping in – Dropping in is one of the scariest things to do for the first time! Find smaller, shorter ramps and practice there first. Then, build up to higher ramps slowly.
• Ollies – First, practice on grass, or on your living room carpet. My first ollie attempts were in my brother’s driveway, and I jacked up my wrist for several months. I should have started on something softer!
• Hills – Skating down hills can be terrifying. Start with small hills, and work your way up. NEVER just start with the largest hill in town! I know a guy who borrowed a longboard from me to skate for a week, and the first hill he hit he ended up in the hospital. Start with smallslopes and work your way up!
• Jumps – Jumping off of kicker ramps can be fun, but unless you know how to land, the trip can end with some pain! Practice riding off of smaller edges, like curbs, and work your way up.

Skateboard Fear Tips – Practice

Most skaters don’t want to hear this, but practice is very important in skateboarding! Practice will help your body learn to skate, and will help develop your reflexes. If you are scared of doing something, then follow the above tips, and practice a lot. Eventually, you’ll be fine.

Skateboard Fear Tips – Commit

You can’s skateboard half way. You need to commit to it. If you are trying a trick, you have to commit to seeing it through, or it simply won’t work. Understanding that is important!

If you don’t commit to tricks, then you actually have a better chance of hurting yourself. I know, it sounds strange, but it’s true! If you only dive in half way, then you have already decided to fail.

I remember learning to drop in, and I would get all set up, tip my nose in and then immediately take my back foot off the board and catch myself. every time. I wasn’t committed, and if I would have been clear headed enough to think about it, I would have known that I had already decided to fail. I was scared. The only way for me to conquer that was to commit to dropping in. I had to decide that keeping my feet on that board, and getting hurt if I fell, was worth it (by the way, I didn’t get hurt! Dropping in is freaky, but once you do it, it’s not so bad!)

Skateboard Fear Tips – When All Else Fails…

All of these tips and all of this advice should help you on your way to conquering your skateboarding fear. Sometimes, however, you just need to push through it. Just reach deep, grab a hold of your courage and do it. Whatever the trick or maneuver is, if you know it’s at your level, and you are as relaxed as you are going to get, and you’ve practiced and ramped up as much as you can – if, after all of that, you are still scared, then just kick yourself in the butt and just do it. You might fall, you might get hurt, but like I said, that’s OK! Falling and failing is part of learning. You’ll heal (if you wore pads!), and you’ll just do it again later. But that time, you’ll be wiser, and closer to landing the trick.

[By Steve Cave]

Article Article, skateboard safety

Skateboarding looks like a hard skill to master to many. But this is far from the truth. Skateboarding is more of a lifestyle than a hobby. If you know any skateboarder, you know the level of commitment required to acquire the skills. You can usually tell if someone is an avid boarder just by looking at the way the dress, walk and talk. There is a certain aura around people that skate that really doesn’t exist in anyone else. With that being said, we all know just how important it is to set yourself apart from the pack. Every one that skates wants to show off their unique sense of style and flavour. So what is the perfect way to do this? By investing and riding on unique skateboard designs and decks.

Sure you can pick up a deck at the local shop, but do you really want to be seen riding the same board as all the kids on your block? If you want to be taken seriously you need to get a skateboard deck that sets you apart from everyone else and portrays your individuality. Generic boards do not garner the respect that you are after on the streets, it is as simple as that. The internet is a great place to start searching for some skateboard designs that represent everything that you stand for. On top of this you can be sure you will be the only one on the block riding it.

Think about the first thing you notice when you see someone else skateboarding. You look at their deck don’t you? You can tell a lot about a person by checking out their board. Are you going to really classify someone riding on a Bugs Bunny board as a truly credible rider? Probably not. But what if you see someone fly by and pull of a 360 heel flip of the railing at the local mall? Take a look at their skateboard and it surely will be a creative and unique skateboard design. Serious boarders have serious boards. The best of the best even have handmade, customized boards that represent more than their ability. Their skateboard designs represent their personality.

So now you are thinking, “How can I go about finding a unique skateboard deck?” Well the internet is a great place to start as you can be positive that you will find a plethora of options when it comes to your style and tastes. Whether you are looking for a simple and bold design or a totally off the wall colourful board, you are sure to find what you are looking for. And the best part of it all is that you can be sure no one else you ride with will have the same board. This is the perfect way to represent your unique personality through your board.

The internet is essentially the world’s biggest skate shop. You can browse a number of stores, designs and compare prices all the while without the hassle of having to deal with an inexperienced pushy salesperson. And the best part is that you don’t even have to leave your house. Take a quick twenty minute break from boarding, pick out a great skateboard deck and get right back out on the street. All you have to do is wait for your board to arrive at your house, unwrap it and then watch as people glare with envy at your all new deck.

Invest in a creative design and you are sure to command respect from all the boarders at the local park. It doesn’t matter if you are surrounded by pro boarders or kids that are just beginning, your board will get you noticed and ensure that you get noticed for all the right reasons. No one wants to be the guy riding down the street on the Mickey Mouse board they got for Christmas when they were twelve. Your skill and style has changed since then and you should make sure that your board reflects that.

So stop getting attention for all the wrong reasons at your local skate park and get your hands on some skateboard designs that represent who you really are. Unique skateboard designs are a must have for anyone that treats skateboarding as a lifestyle and not just a hobby. Beginners, novices and professionals alike all need to portray their personal sense of style and your skateboard is the perfect way to do it. So stop riding on that generic, plastic board and pick out a skateboard design that reflects skateboarding as a lifestyle and not just a passive hobby.

[Gen Wright]

Article Article

As I write this, we are coming up on the Christmas season, but this skateboarding equipment gift buying guide can be used or referred to year round because it isn’t just Christmas time when we need to buy gifts for people. Since skateboarding and all extreme sports are becoming so popular, there is a good chance that you will need to buy a skateboarding equipment gift for somebody who skateboards, snowboards, rollerblades or does one of the many emerging extreme sports made so popular by ESPN and the X-Games.

I am going to start with a list of ideas (in no particular order) then expand a little on some of them. Remember, a lot of skateboarding equipment like skateboard shoes are popular with all extreme sport athletes and are used every day even when not skating.

* Skateboard Shoes

* Complete Skateboard

* Skateboarding Equipment like helmets and pads

* Magazine Subscription

* Beanie with Company Logo

* Baseball Cap with Company Logo

* Sweatshirt or T-Shirt

* Backpack or Bag

* Gift Card

If you know what kind of skateboard your skater wants, buying him or her a new skateboard is probably the best gift you can give. Before you go out and buy a skateboard, though, you need to know what you are buying. Don’t be shy, just ask what they like. Their friends can probably tell you what they like if it isn’t obvious by the clothes they already wear or posters hanging in their room. You need to know what brand they want. Even though their isn’t a lot of physical difference from one skateboard company to another, it makes a world of difference to the person that will be skating on it. You also need to know what size they want. There are different widths of skateboards. Wider boards are typically for skating ramps and narrower boards are for doing street skating and tricks on the ground. Again, the best thing to do is ask. Get some general information and you can apply it to whatever skateboarding equipment choice you make.

Another good choice for skateboarding equipment that any skater will appreciate is skateboard shoes. They can wear them every day even when they are not skating. The one bit of advice I have here is to make sure you know exactly what they want or need. You may want to cut out a picture of a skateboard shoe and put it in a box with a note saying you will go out with them and pay for the pair of shoes they pick out. You can put a limit on the price if you need, but for the most part, skateboard shoes are pretty reasonable compared to many other specialty sport shoes.

Skate clothing is probably the most popular gift. It is easier to buy and you can get lots of different things for under $30 which you can’t really do with a skateboard or shoes. All you need to know is what brands the person likes and what size to get. In both cases, even if you don’t know the exact size or favorite brand the item can still be worn.

If you are worried about injury, you can help to protect the skateboarder you are buying for by getting them some safety equipment. I know it might not be cool, but buying a helmet, elbow pads, or knee pads will be appreciated every time they wreck. If they are skateboarding and doing tricks, it will happen. Now the only trick is to get them to wear this skateboarding equipment.

A skateboarding magazine is another good choice. As I have said a couple times, ask what they have or want. You want to make sure they don’t already have a subscription to the magazine you want to get them. This is another gift in that under $30 category.

I am going to close with one more idea that is sure to give them what they actually want. I am talking about a gift card. You can get one for a shoe store so they can pick out shoes, a sporting goods store where they can get clothing or skateboarding equipment, or you can even get them for skateboard shops. Many people don’t think this is very personal, but if you really don’t know what they want or like, a gift card lets them pick out whatever skateboarding equipment they want. I know I never worried about a gift card being too impersonal.

[by David Vanbergen]

Article buy skateboard

Skateparks

A skateparks is a purpose-built recreational environment for Skateboarders, BMX riders, and rollerbladers to ride and develop their technique. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, quarter pipes, handrails, funboxes, vert ramps, pyramids, banked ramps, full pipes, stairsets, and any number of other objects.

Skateparks were originally designed for skateboarding, but have evolved to support mainly roller bladers and BMX riders. Skateboarding and BMX riding have been known to create safety issues if done at the same time, leading some skateparks to ban BMX riding. There are many skateparks that are an exception to that rule and even several exclusively “bikes only” parks have been built. An example would be Espee Bike Park in Chandler, AZ.

Skateparks may be privately or publicly owned. Privately owned skateparks usually have admission fees, while publicly owned skateparks are generally free. Many privately owned skateparks are indoors, usually in warehouses, roller rinks or buildings with high ceilings, especially in areas with snowy winters. Public skateparks are usually outdoors.

Concrete parks, now “pretty much the industry standard”, according to an editor of Transworld Skateboarding magazine, concrete parks can cost three times as much to build as parks with ramps and wooden obstacles, but in the long run they require fewer repairs and less maintenance.

History

Skateparks first emerged in the 1970s, and were primarily private, for-profit endeavors, although several public parks were built globally. Parks then included pools, bowls, snake runs, freestyle areas, banked slalom areas, half-pipes, and full pipes. Most were concrete and were outdoors In more extreme climates parks were built indoors, often of wood.

None of the private parks of the 1970s remain, with the notable exception of Kona Skatepark in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. Many of that country’s public parks remain, such as Derby Park in Santa Cruz, California. Most of that era’s parks were poorly designed, being built by business people seeking a quick profit. Better parks, such as Upland, California’s Pipeline, designed by skateboarders and carefully built, survived into the 80’s, until escalating land values made their sites vulnerable to development. Exorbitant liability insurance premiums also contributed to the demise of the original skateparks.

Modern skatepark design can be traced back to 1990, with the commencement of the Burnside Skatepark, a DIY “barge build” beneath the Burnside Bridge, in Portland, Oregon. Skateboarders used an area populated primarily by the city’s “undesirable elements” to create a skatepark, building one section at a time. The process is called “design/build” (D/B), and is a characteristic of nearly all the best skateparks today. The design/build process ensures that adjacent skatepark features are harmonious and rideable, allowing skateboarders to create endless “lines” to ride among the many features.

The modern public skatepark is relatively new, made possible by legislation such as California’s 1998 law stating that skateboarding is an inherently “Hazardous Recreational Activity” (HRA), and therefore municipalities and their employees may not be held liable for claims of negligence resulting in skateboarders’ injuries. Parks are usually for persons 14 or over.

In recent years, estimates have it that a new skatepark opens somewhere every three days

Controversy

With its history of fringe social acceptance, skateboarders have only recently gained significant legitimacy. Still, there is no shortage of controversy surrounding skateboarding.

Many urban areas face widespread property damage caused by skateboarding and some have addressed the problem by creating skateparks. However, the design and materials often lead to heated discussions within the skateboarding community. But if they had a skatepark they wouldn’t damage property and get hurt as much.

Common Obstacles

Quarter pipes – Literally, quarter of a pipe – riders air from it and perform tricks in the air or on a platform above the skateboard ramp or drop in on it to gain speed.

Spines – Two quarter pipes back to back.

Flat banks – These can vary in angle but are simply a angled wall for which to ride on.

Wall rides/vert walls – A vertical wall above either quarter pipes or flat banks.

Mini ramps– Two small quarter pipes facing one another, like a halfpipe, but with a short flat area between.

Hips – Essentially two quarter pipes or flat banks, each with one edge at a right angle or a more aggressive angle to the other.

Funboxes – A steep quarter pipe like lip with a deck extending to a landing often less steep than the lip.

Pyramids – A four way wedge or transition box.

Launches – A curved ramp that launches the rider into the air, like a quarter pipe, but less steep.

Roll-ins – A long sloping ramp. Also used to refer to very tall ramps (15+ feet).

Euro – A ramp where the platform drops like a step to a flat ramp.

Noteable Skateparks

The Flow Skatepark – Columbus, Ohio – One of the largest indoor skateparks in the nation at 50,000 square feet (4,600 m2).

Alamosa Skatepark Environment – Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Stockwell Skatepark – South London, UK

Harrow Skate Park – Harrow, UK

Louisville Extreme Park – Louisville, Kentucky

Skatepark of Tampa – World famous skatepark in Tampa and home of the annual Tampa Pro and Tampa Am.

FDR Skatepark – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Shaw Millennium Skatepark- One the world’s largest outdoor skateparks, designed by Spectrum Skateparks with Landplan associates. Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Concrete Wave Country – Nashville’s first public skatepark.

Skatopia

Pedlow Skate Park – Encino, California great for pool skating, 12,000+ square feet.

Skateboard Decks

Since there are a lot of retailers where you can buy a skateboard , you must buy only from one that is right for you. A few important things you must keep in mind when you shop for one. If they can’t put forward these crucial things, in that case you have to do your shopping for a skateboard someplace else.

You don’t desire to settle for anything fewer than you be worthy of as it comes to the money you will pay for one. Find out how long this skateboard seller has been in trade. If they brag some prolonged existence behind them it is commonsense to presume they are doing a great job towards consumer satisfaction. This isn’t to declare you be obliged to not give new skateboard seller a try though. Only be certain they are skilled to show their significance prior to you buy.

Check the awareness of their employees regarding skateboards. Make certain your queries are being answered. But if they don’t give the impression to know much on the matter of skateboarding or the products they deal it can be tough for you to get exact information. Surely, you can’t anticipate them to be well-known with the whole lot; still they have to be smart to offer you information on the essentials. The store has to also have a good variety of different kind of skateboards designed for you to pick from.

If you feel demands to make a purchase you must go away. Several workers are working on a commission as a consequence they are going to drive you into making a purchase instantaneously. If you don’t think that they are giving you scopes to think about it use your right to go away. Definitely, if they are being supportive get their business card so you can buy it from them afterwards should you make a choice that is where you will be purchasing your skateboard and related items.

Examine if the skateboard dealer is prepared to go further to indulge you. Are they equipped to modify a certain variety of skateboard for you? Do they have replacement parts so you can without problems repair your skateboard if something needs to be repaired on it? This can prove to be really suitable and more practical than purchasing a new one. Look for a retailer that in addition offers you rate cuts along with exclusive promotions in order to keep you as a patron. You must be really comfortable while you go into any skateboard retail store.

As you will want to inspect equipment and even test it out previous to buying, they have to give you the right to do so. If you sense that they keep very stiff control in such area then it can discourage your means to find a high-quality skateboard that you are going to be truly satisfied by. You might perhaps want to talk about with the owner too so that they are clever to help find a superior resolution. Moreover, you should match their rates to those of other vendors in addition to online vendors. Maybe, they are offering you excellent service; yet why pay extra money for the identical skateboard that is offered for less by other retailers. It is the clever consumers that compare such aspect previous to they make the purchase. Also, even if you carefully pick a skateboard, you could end up buying one that isn’t correct for you.

Therefore, make certain you are satisfied with their return policy also. A small number of them would not take a skateboard return. Others will merely allow you to exchange for store credit within an awfully short time. Be certain of these policies earlier to purchasing your skateboard from such vendors.

The World’s Coolest Skateboard Trick

This skateboard trick is called the 360 flip. Doing the 360 flip is very easy to do if you are a good skateboarder. 

Now, to do the trick, position your feet much like when you will do the Ollie. To do the 360 flip, you need to slam your back foot on the board just like you would when doing the Ollie but you need to hit it extra hard to get bigger air. You have to remember that you will need bigger air in order to perform the 360 flip.

To convert from the Ollie trick to the 360 flip, you should allow your front foot to slide off the board and you should use your toes to flip the board while in the air. After flipping the board successfully, you will need to catch the board with your feet and center on it again. On the landing, you have to remember that your knees should be bent no matter what. Bent knees are one of the most important factors when landing after doing a trick on the skateboard. 

Complete Skateboard

Deck

Most decks are constructed with a seven to nine-ply cross-laminated layup of Canadian maple. Other materials used in deck construction, fiberglass, bamboo, resin, Kevlar, carbon fiber, aluminum, and plastic, lighten the board or increase its strength or rigidity. Some decks made from maple ply are dyed to create various different coloured ply. Modern decks vary in size, but most are 7 to 10.5 inches wide. Wider decks can be used for greater stability when transition or ramp skating. Skateboard decks are usually between 28 and 33 inches long. The underside of the deck can be printed with a design by the manufacturer, blank, or decorated by any other means.

The longboard, a common variant of the skateboard, has a longer deck. This is mostly ridden down hills or by the beach. “Old school” boards (those made in the 1970s-80s or modern boards that mimic their shape) are generally wider and often have only one kicktail. 1970s variants often have little or no concavity, whereas 1980s models have deeper concavities and steeper kicktails.

Grip tape, when applied to the top surface of a skateboard, gives a skater’s feet more grip on the deck. It has an adhesive back and a sandpaper like top.

Skateboard Trucks

Attached to the deck are two metal (usually aluminium alloy) trucks, which connect to the wheels and deck. The trucks are further composed of two parts. The top part of the truck is screwed to the deck and is called the baseplate, and beneath it is the hanger. The axle runs through the hanger. Between the baseplate and the hanger are bushings, also rubbers or grommets, that provide the cushion mechanism for turning the skateboard. The bushings cushion the truck when it turns. The stiffer the bushings, the more resistant the skateboard is to turning. The softer the bushings, the easier it is to turn. A bolt called a kingpin holds these parts together and fits inside the bushings. Thus by tightening or loosening the kingpin nut, the trucks can be adjusted loosely for better turning and tighter for more control.

Longboard specific trucks are a more recent development. A longboard truck has the king pin laid at a more acute angle (usually between 38 and 42 degrees) to the deck, this gives a lesser degree of turning for the same tilt of the deck. This adds stability and allows riders to go much faster while still maintaining stability and control.

Skateboard Wheels

The wheels of a skateboard, usually made of polyurethane, come in many different sizes and shapes to suit different types of skating. Larger sizes like 65-90 mm roll faster, and also move more easily over cracks in pavement. Smaller sizes like 48-54 mm keep the board closer to the ground, require less force to accelerate and produce a lower center of gravity, but also make for a slower top speed. Wheels also are available in a variety of hardnesses usually measured on the durometer ‘A’ scale. Wheels range from the very soft (about 75a) to the very hard (about 101a). As the scale stops at 100a, any wheels labelled 101a or higher are harder, but do not use the appropriate durometer scale. Some wheel manufacturers now use the ‘B’ or ‘D’ scale, which has a larger and more accurate range of hardness.

Modern street skaters prefer smaller wheels (usually 45-53 mm), as small wheels can make tricks like kickflips and ollies easier. Street wheels are often quite hard as this allows the wheels to ‘break away’ from the ground easier. Vert skating requires larger wheels (usually 55-65 mm) as vert skating involves higher speeds. Vert wheels are also usually very hard which helps with maintaining speed on ramps. Slalom skating requires even larger wheels (60-75 mm) to sustain the highest speeds possible. They also need to be soft and have better grip to make the tight and frequent turns in slalom racing. Even larger wheels are used in longboarding and downhill skateboarding. Sizes range from 65 mm right up to 100 mm. These extreme sizes of wheels almost always have cores of hard plastic that can be made thinner and lighter than a solid polyurethane wheel. They are often used by skateboard videographers as well, as the large soft wheels allow for smooth and easy movement over any terrain.

Bearings

Each skateboard wheel is mounted on its axle via two ball bearings. With few exceptions, the bearings are the industrial standard “608″ size, with a bore of 8 mm, an outer diameter of 22 mm, and a width of 7 mm. These are usually made of steel, though silicon nitride, a high-tech ceramic, is sometimes used. Many skateboard bearings are graded according to the ABEC scale. The scale starts with ABEC1 as the lowest, 3, 5, 7, 9. It is a common misconception that higher numbers are better for skateboarding, as the ABEC rating only measures tolerances which do not necessarily apply to skateboards. The ABEC rating does not determine how fast or how durable a bearing used for skateboarding will be. In particular, the ABEC rating says nothing about how well a bearing handles axial (side-to-side) loads, which are severe in most skateboard applications. Many companies do not show the ABEC rating, such as Bones Bearings, who makes bearings specifically for skateboarding. these bearings are usally called swiss or ceramic and are better for skating.

Hardware

Mounting hardware is a set of eight 10-32 bolts, usually an allen or cross head, and matching self-lock nylock nuts. They are used to attach the trucks to the board. Some have a different colored bolt to show which side is the nose of the skateboard.

How To Skateboard

One basic skateboarding skill is Kickturning. This particular skill can be easy to look at but it is rather complicated or confusing to do it. In this skill, you will need to have good balance on your skateboard.

Kickturning is basically where you will balance your back wheels for movement and swinging the front of the board to go in a new direction. This takes some practice to master and a lot of balance

The first thing you need to learn is how to balance your body and skateboard on two wheels, particularly the back wheel. Try to practice it on the carpet or on the grass outside to prevent it from rolling too much which can send your skateboard flying off and land your bottom on the pavement.

To balance the skateboard on two wheels, you need to get your back foot across the tail and your front foot just behind the front trucks. Try imagining your foot when you are going to attempt an Ollie. This is the same stance that you need to have to attempt Kickturns.

Keep your knees bent and relaxed. Your shoulders should be level to the skateboard deck.

Then shift your weight to your back foot. Just a bit of weight shift is good. Now, lift your front foot just a little. This will make the front of your skateboard pop up. To turn to the direction you want to go to, just rotate your back foot to the left or right along with your body.

Skateboarding Videos

Skateboard Shops

Girls Skateboards

Skate Clothing

Pants. Skateboarders are known to wear baggy pants. Denim jeans are a mainstay. Consider corduroy pants as well. If you want to be authentic, wear the same denim jeans over and over again. Wash them only when you want to. Shorts? Are you kidding me?

T-Shirt. Any t-shirt will do but the most popular are graphic shirts and just plain white and worn out t-shirts. Basketball jerseys are okay too.

Beanies or caps. Any baseball cap or beanie will do but it would be better to wear old ones.

Underwear. Go for bright colored underwear. Now, since you chose to wear baggy pants, you may want to expose your underwear to complete the hip-hop look.

Socks. Optional! But if you want to wear a pair, get ankle-length pair of black socks.

Belts and buckles. A nice quality belt should keep your baggy pants securely fastened to your waist. Wear leather or a web belt with belt buckle design of your choice.

Sweatshirt and Hoodie. If its cold and you need another layer of clothing, then a sweatshirt or hoodie that is street-themed is better than jackets.

Shoes. It is okay to skate on regular shoes but if you are planning to do some serious skateboarding, buy a good pair of skateboarding shoes.

Cheap Skateboard

Don’t buy cheap skateboards from the toy store or from your nearest superstore. What this means is that you should not buy skateboards that are mass produced by companies that have little concern about the quality of the products they produce.

By nature, you have to face the fact that skateboards are dangerous. So, you wouldn’t want to buy a cheap skateboard that is poor in quality which will make it even more dangerous to ride on especially when you plan on practicing your tricks on it.

Cheap skateboards will usually mean weak trucks, poor quality wheels that can break easily, freezing bearings, and boards that break easily. Good skateboard manufacturers will spend a lot of time to make the skateboards that are safer, better and last longer.

Instead of that mass produced cheap skateboard, try to buy a complete pro grade skateboard. This is high in quality and will last a lot longer. It will feel more comfortable when you ride it. Usually, skateboards like this will cost around $120. There are specific skateboard brands that you can choose from. If you are not sure which one to buy, try to take a look at skateboard brand reviews on the internet. It will give you an idea which brands will suit your riding needs best.

Skateboard Online

If you love to skateboard then you may already know that it can be an expensive sport. To be able to perform well and to be safe, routine maintenance needs to be done on your skateboard. Those different parts can become expensive as well but there is a way to save money without sacrificing quality. That is to buy your skateboarding parts online. There are many advantages to doing so.

The main reason why you can usually get parts for your skateboard at a lower cost online has to do with the lower operating expenses they have. Since they don’t have to pay for a building, utilities for it, and other aspects of the business they can charge you less but still make a profit. They also know there is plenty of competition online so they must make their prices reasonable. They know that people are going to look for a good deal online and so they strive to offer something beyond what their competitors are.

In order to keep you as a loyal customer, these online sites tend to offer great promotions as well. They will send you discount codes via email or offers that are only for repeat customers. It is to your advantage to sign up for such newsletters and promotions. That way you can save money on your future purchases. You may be able to save 10% on the order or even have it shipped to you for free.

You also have the chance to quickly compare prices for skateboard parts when you shop online. Make sure you include their shipping costs as well when you are comparing them though. You may find the part on one site for $10 less but if it costs you $15 more with the shipping it won’t turn out to be such a good deal in the long run.

You will find the widest selection of parts for your skateboard online as well. Most retailers have a very limited supply of them on hand. They also only carry a few brands. Not all of them are willing to special order you the parts you want and need. Those that do often charge an additional fee for such a service. There shouldn’t be any part out there for your skateboard that you can’t find online.

By looking around you may discover there are parts for your skateboard that you find online to try. Without running across them online though you would never have thought about trying them out. You can find some very unique parts that can help you to accomplish what you want to on your skateboard. This can be an exciting way to experiment with new aspects of the world of skateboarding.

Most people have a very busy schedule, so it isn’t always possible to run to the local skateboarding retailer and get it. You may live in an area where you don’t have such a store. Driving to get to one can be time consuming which means you may have to wait a while to get your skateboarding parts. When you shop online for them, you can get them any time of the day or night. You can do so when it is convenient for you even if it is 2 am or it is a Sunday afternoon when most retail stores are closed.

You will find many online retailers of skateboarding parts also send them out the very next day. You won’t have too long of a wait for your parts to be delivered right to your door. This is a very convenient way to get everything you need to keep your skateboard operational. You may even consider buying some extra parts online so you have them readily available when you do need them.

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DIVERSE SLATE SPANS MANY GENRES INCLUDING LIVE AFTERNOONS, SPORTS, REALITY, FASHION, COMEDY AND ANIMATION

NEW PROGRAMMING DIRECTION DRIVES FOUR NEW HIT SHOWS IN Q1

MTV: NUMBER ONE RATED FULL-DAY AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORK FOR P12-24

THE HILLS RETURNS THIS FALL WITH MORE EPISODES

NEW YORK, April 28 /PRNewswire/ — With more top 10 shows for P12-34 than any other network (four out of ten), MTV has announced a diverse new programming slate including nine new shows and five returning series. Genres include reality, fashion, sports, comedy, animation and a live afternoon show that embraces the active habits of the social networking generation. The network’s 2009 programming slate continues to reflect a directional shift geared toward the millennial generation, with shows that are aspirational, escapist and optimistic.

“There’s a palpable generational shift in attitudes that’s informing a new point of view as we develop content and the brand. The change in our audience is reflected in new formats, tonal voices and storytelling cadence,” said Tony DiSanto, head of programming for MTV. “Millennials have a great sense of optimism and are filled with a ‘can do’ spirit that’s infused into all areas of their lives. Just as we’ve shifted with our audience in the past, we’re now embracing a new brand filter … one that inspires us to break boundaries, bust our mold, and reinvent.”

“Change is in MTV’s DNA and this generation is demanding their own MTV,” said Stephen Friedman, General Manager, MTV. “Because they expect more of themselves — they also expect more of us. Whether it’s escapism, aspirational reality or comedy, they’ve demanded that we raise the bar. That’s what Tony and his team have done with our new slate of programming.”

• MTV has been the number one rated full day ad-supported cable network P12-24 for 16 straight years. The network’s ratings were up in first quarter, having launched four new hits including Nitro Circus, Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory, Daddy’s Girls and The City. The network was #1 in prime time (8-11pm) across cable on Wednesday and Thursday nights for P12-34 during the runs of America’s Best Dance Crew and Real World. MTV’s Sunday night block of programming geared toward young men, tripled its ratings in its time period (9-11PM). During its first season, Nitro Circus was #1 in its 10-10:30PM time period among M12-24, even outperforming broadcast. 

MTV SERIES GREENLIGHTS:

• THE ALEXA CHUNG SHOW [working title]: A one-hour, daily, live entertainment show that our viewers help to create, taking viewer interaction to a new level, making them the stars of the program. Hosted by smart and witty British television personality and model Alexa Chung, the program will include celebrity guests, musical performances, and the best of the web. The Alexa Chung Show brings MTV’s always-on audience together with Twitter’s instantaneous feedback ability. In keeping with the real-time nature of the show, Twitter will enable the audience to interact with Alexa, celebrity talent, their own friends and the rest of the pop culture loving world on the spot, and in the show. Whether Alexa’s audience is at home, on the move or on the set, Twitter and MTV will capture their experiences and bring them right into the show. Additionally, the RockYou Live video sharing application will let users submit their favorite viral videos and videos they shoot themselves to the show. Fans of The Alexa Chung Show will be able to constantly communicate with the show even when it’s not on air. Alexa’s network of friends are always doing things that matter and now with Twitter and RockYou they’ll be able to constantly keep in touch. Alexa is a brand new face to the U.S. audience — and a new voice for MTV. Executive Producers: Tim Healy, Sebastian Scott. Executive Producers: Howard T. Owens and Mark Koops (Reveille). 

• THE BURIED LIFE: The real life adventure of four young men on an epic quest to prove that anyone can do anything. With cameras rolling, Duncan, Ben, Jonnie and Dave set out with a list of 100 dreams: everything from kissing Rachel McAdams to Getting in the Guinness Book of World Records. But they also made a promise to themselves … for every goal they achieve on their list, they help a stranger do something on theirs. This series explores the exciting wonders of human potential and the exhilaration of going after one’s dreams — those dreams too often buried by everyday life. It’s all in the question: “What do you want to do before you die?” Executive Producers: Howard T. Owens (Reveille); Mark Koops (Reveille); Adam Paul. Co-Executive Producers: Noah Oppenheim (Reveille), Jared Tobman (Reveille), Dave Lingwood, Ben Nemtin, Duncan Penn, Jonnie Penn. Executive Consultant: Jan Coleman. 

• DJ AND THE FRO: MTV brings animation back to the network with DJ and the Fro. It’s Beavis and Butthead for the Millennial generation. DJ and the Fro work for a big corporation — though they aren’t sure exactly what the company does. Aimed at the generation that eats, sleeps and breathes technology — DJ and the Fro combines animation and the best of the web. The internet clips are arguably the stars of the show — the funniest, weirdest videos on the internet, made funnier and weirder by the observations of DJ and the Fro. Exec Producers: Dave Jeser (Drawn Together) and Matt Silverstein (Drawn Together). 

• THE STYLIST [working title]: This new reality series follows a diverse group of struggling junior assistants as they toil for three glamorous, highly successful celebrity stylists. The series follows the young junior assistants on the job — music videos, movie premieres, photo shoots — and in their personal lives as they find romance, plot against each other, and try to make it big in a cut-throat industry. At the end of each season, one junior assistant will be signed to a stylist contract with the Margaret Maldonado agency. The Stylist turns the reality competition format upside-down, with no staged challenges or eliminations. The jobs are real, the stakes are real and for these young people, the prospect of success or failure is very real. Organic performance evaluations will always allow the viewer a sense of who’s ahead and who’s in trouble. And because the junior assistants are always faced with the knowledge that only one of them will get signed, they are always looking into the faces of their competition. Executive Producers: Jon Murray and Jeff Jenkins (Bunim-Murray). Co-Executive Producers: Margaret Maldonado (Margaret Maldonado Agency) Russell Jay (Bunim Murray), Gil Goldshein (Bunim-Murray). 

• ULTIMATE PARKOUR CHALLENGE: MTV brings the world’s fastest growing extreme sport to American audiences for the first time with the Ultimate Parkour Challenge. The essence of Parkour is a sport with virtually no limits. Athletes run as efficiently as possible from point “A” to point “B” but unlike a track and field race, Parkour is performed on any and every environment. Walls, cars, stairs, railings, rooftops and ten-foot gaps between five-story buildings, force runners to leap, roll, climb, vault and fly, using the obstacles in their way to increase speed. MTV’s Ultimate Parkour Challenge captures the essence of the Parkour movement with a new special event sports competition that will thrill audiences as eight of the World’s best Parkour athletes defy gravity, showcasing seemingly superhuman skills in an easy to understand competitive format. Three rounds of competition will ultimately crown one winner with $10,000 and title of the Ultimate Parkour Champion. The show is produced in association with the WFPF, World Freerunning & Parkour Federation. Executive Producers: Bob Kusbit & Francis Lyons, One Louder Productions. Executive Producers: Kemp Curley, Transition Productions. Co-Executive Producers: Victor Bevine & David Thompson. 

• PRANKED: A weekly 30 minute show of the very best pranks pulled straight off the internet. The show taps into the era of technology democratizing the media process. These homemade pranks are engineered, executed and filmed by kids themselves. No producers; no professional editors, no camera men — just the thin line of technology between the pranksters, their victims and the audience. When it comes to silly humor — MTV curates the best of the best. Executive Producer: Cheri Brownlee, Cheri Sundae Productions. 

• POPZILLA: Nobody is safe from Popzilla. A rapid-fire half hour animated sketch show that relentlessly skewers the excesses of pop culture. With a unique creative voice and style, the show uses animation that allows for quick turnaround — Popzilla is built to take on the headlines of the day. With a quick pace, and many sketches under a minute, Popzilla is made to live on-air, online and on mobile platforms. Executive Producers: Dave Thomas (SCTV), Tim Hedrick, Jared Miller, R.J. Fried, Kevin Pedersen. Animated by Animax. 

• GONE TOO FAR: A series of one hour episodes, each with a unique protagonist who has a serious addiction and needs help. These young adults, aged 18-25, are not recreational users or occasional binge drinkers. The addict is in a downward spiral, his family in crisis and desperate to get their loved one the help they need. The show is hosted by DJ AM, one of the most sought-after and highly paid DJs in the world, who is uniquely qualified to help young addicts, having formerly suffered from multiple addictions, weight problems and depression. Working with a local addition expert, AM leads an intervention with the addict’s family and friends, and then follows the patient through rehab and back into society. Executive Producers: Michael Hirschorn and Stella Bulochnikov Stolper, ISH Entertainment; Cheryl Sirulnick, Gigantic; Paul Rosenberg. Co-Executive Producer Larry Vavra. 

• DISASTER DATE: It’s comedy in the afternoons, with a hidden camera show that guarantees laughs as unsuspecting daters get set up on disastrous blind dates by their friends. The friend (our accomplice) watches from the control room as our team of improv actors put the gullible dater through the worst date ever. Our dater unknowingly rings up cold hard cash for every minute they stay on the date. After going on a disaster date, Friday nights alone never looked so good! Executive Producer: Sally Anne Salsano, 495 Prods. 

MTV RETURNING SERIES

• The Hills: MTV viewers will find out life in Los Angeles only gets more complicated as friendships, relationships and loyalties are tested like never before as “The Hills” returns this fall with more episodes of season five. Lauren has moved on, but Heidi, Audrina, Spencer, Brody, Stephanie, Lo and Justin Bobby will be back as the drama continues with fresh faces, new stories and shocking surprises. Spencer and Heidi will be newlyweds so the stakes are higher than ever before for the two to make things work. 

• Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory: Somewhere between Diddy and Willie Wonka lies Rob Dyrdek, a capable entrepreneur with a comically offbeat way of realizing his own fantasy world. Rob commands operations in a massive, 25,000-square-foot industrial — and fully skate-able — warehouse and office complex near downtownLos Angeles. This is the home of Dyrdek Enterprises, the nerve center and hatching ground for all of Rob’s crazy schemes, business plans and uniquely ridiculous ideas. Anything from zip-lines and giant skateboards, to trampolines and indoor blobbing can be achieved in Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory. 

• Nitro Circus: Centered around the world’s greatest freestyle motocross rider Travis Pastrana and his crew of top action sport athlete buddies, the show follows Travis and the Nitro Circus Crew as they travel around the world setting up outrageous stunts and pushing the human body to the limit, constantly looking to innovate the world of action sports. Whether they’re base jumping, sky diving, riding, driving or relaxing, this group of tight-knit, highly-skilled, adrenaline-fueled friends always take the action “to eleven” with the hammer down. 

• Randy Jackson Presents: America’s Best Dance Crew: “America’s Best Dance Crew”“America’s Best Dance Crew” is hosted by Mario Lopez and shot on location in Los Angeles as dance crews of five to seven members perform their hottest moves for dance supremacy and a $100,000 cash prize. Every performance-themed episode gives insight into the crews’ emotion, spirit and inspiration as they step up to the challenge and showcase their innovative choreography and skills. Viewers from around the country choose their favorite crews via text messaging, phone and online voting (http://dancecrew.mtv.comhttp://dancecrew.mtv.com). One crew will be eliminated each week, ultimately revealing the nation’s best dance crew. 

• Run’s House MTV’s first family of hip-hop is coming back for Season Six. It’s time to step inside Run’s House as patriarch Rev Run and the rest of the Simmons clan once again open their doors — and hearts — for our cameras. And, once again, no matter how high the highs or low the lows, they remain grounded by their strong faith and tight family bond. 

About MTV Network:

MTV is the dynamic, vibrant experiment at the intersection of music, creativity and youth culture. For over 27 years, MTV has evolved, challenged the norm, and detonated boundaries — giving each new generation a creative outlet and voice that entertains, informs and unites on every platform and screen. On-air, MTV is the number one rated full-day ad-supported cable network for P12-24. Online, MTV.com averaged 8.5 million monthly unique visitors during the first quarter of 2009 — up +6% from Q4/2008 and up +6% year-over-year. Total video streams for the first quarter of 2009 increased 21% over the same time period last year. And MTV’s successful sibling networks MTV2, mtvU and MTV Tr3s each deliver unprecedented customized content, super-serving music fans, college students and young American Latinos like no one else. MTV is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Wanna know more? Come on in …www.mtvpress.comwww.mtvpress.com.

SOURCE MTV

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