Skateboard Tricks 101
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.
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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