Unleash The Past: Your First Skateboard Adventure

On

Ready to roll? Learn how to choose your first skateboard, essential gear, basic riding techniques, and easy beginner tricks. Kizworld is your guide to skateboarding fun!

Table of Contents

Picking your first skateboard can be exciting! At kizworld, we know it can also feel overwhelming with so many options. This guide walks you through everything you need to know about choosing your first skateboard, getting the right gear, and taking those first steps (or rolls!) as a new skateboarder.

Topic

Key Points

Choosing Your First Skateboard

Consider your riding style, complete vs. custom boards, deck size and shape, trucks, wheels, and bearings.

Essential Gear for Your First Skateboard

Helmet, pads, appropriate shoes.

Learning to Ride Your First Skateboard

Finding your stance, pushing, turning, stopping.

First Skateboard Tricks for Beginners

Ollie, shove-it, fakie, tic-tac.

Choosing Your First Skateboard

Complete or Custom?

So you're ready to hit the skate park! The first big decision is whether to get a complete skateboard or build a custom one. Think of a complete skateboard like a brand new bike – it’s ready to ride straight out of the box. This is perfect for beginners because you don't have to worry about choosing all the different parts. It’s like getting a starter kit for skateboarding! A custom board is more like building your own bike from scratch. You pick each part – the deck, trucks, wheels, and bearings. This gives you more control, but it can be trickier for someone just starting out.

  • Complete skateboard: Ready-to-ride, great for beginners.
  • Custom skateboard: Choose individual parts, more control but trickier for beginners.

If you're just learning to ride, checking out how to get started with skateboarding might be helpful. A complete skateboard is a great choice for your first time. You can always learn more about the different parts and build a custom board later on. It’s like learning to ride a bike with training wheels before you take them off and go wild!

Deck Size and Shape

Think of the skateboard deck like a surfboard – it comes in different sizes and shapes depending on what you want to do. You wouldn't use a tiny surfboard to ride big waves, right? Skateboard decks are similar. Smaller decks (7.5" to 8") are great for doing tricks and flipping the board because they're lighter and easier to control. It’s like learning to juggle with tennis balls before moving on to bowling pins! Larger decks (8.25" and up) are more stable, making them better for cruising, carving, and just riding around.

Deck Size

Best For

Smaller (7.5" - 8")

Tricks and flipping

Larger (8.25" and up)

Cruising and carving

Choosing the right size and shape depends on your skateboarding dreams! If you're drawn to the idea of park skateboarding and landing cool tricks, a smaller deck might be your jam. If you want to feel the wind in your hair as you cruise around town, a larger deck is the way to go.

Choosing Your First Skateboard

Choosing Your First Skateboard

Essential Gear for Your First Skateboard

Safety First!

Before you even think about doing a cool trick, let's talk about safety gear. Imagine you're a knight getting ready for battle – you wouldn't go in without your armor, right? In skateboarding, your armor is a helmet and pads. A helmet protects your head from bumps and falls, which is super important because you don't want to get a concussion. It's like wearing a seatbelt in a car – it keeps you safe! Pads protect your knees, elbows, and wrists from scrapes and bruises. It's like having extra padding when you fall, so it doesn't hurt as much.

You can find the best skateboarding helmets at your local skate shop or online. Make sure the helmet fits snugly on your head and the pads are comfortable to wear. Don't be shy about asking for help if you're not sure what size to get! Remember, safety is the coolest thing you can wear when you're skateboarding.

The Right Kicks

Now let's talk about shoes. Regular sneakers will work, but skateboarding shoes are designed to give you better grip and board feel. They're like special tires for your feet that help you stay on the board. Skate shoes have flat soles that maximize contact with the grip tape, giving you more control. They're also made with tough materials to withstand the wear and tear of skateboarding.

You can find some awesome skateboarding shoes from brands like Vans, Nike SB, and Adidas. Try on a few different pairs and see what feels most comfortable. And don't forget to wear socks that are thick enough to cushion your feet – you'll be doing a lot of walking and pushing!

Essential Gear for Your First Skateboard

Essential Gear for Your First Skateboard

Learning to Ride Your First Skateboard

Alright, you've got your first skateboard – now it's time to ride! First things first, find your stance. Are you a regular or goofy foot? Regular means your left foot is forward, like you're about to kick a soccer ball. Goofy means your right foot is forward. Experiment and see what feels most natural. Now, finding a flat, smooth surface is key for practicing. A driveway or empty parking lot is perfect. Start by just getting comfortable on the board. Put your front foot on the board, right behind the front trucks. Once you feel balanced, give yourself a little push with your back foot. It's like learning to ride a bike – it feels wobbly at first, but you'll get the hang of it.

Once you're comfortable pushing, try turning! Gently lean in the direction you want to go. It's all about balance and shifting your weight. To stop, you can either drag your back foot on the ground or, if you're feeling brave, try a tail stop. Put your back foot on the tail of the board and press down. This will make the board come to a stop, but be careful not to fall backward! It's all about practice. The more you ride, the better you'll get at balancing, pushing, turning, and stopping. And remember, even the best skateboarders fell a bunch when they were learning. So don't be afraid to take a tumble! It's all part of the fun.

Skill

Tips

Pushing

Start on a flat surface. Use your back foot to push, then place it back on the board.

Turning

Gently lean in the direction you want to go. Shift your weight for balance.

Stopping

Drag your back foot or try a tail stop (carefully!).

Learning to Ride Your First Skateboard

Learning to Ride Your First Skateboard

First Skateboard Tricks for Beginners

1. The Ollie: Your Ticket to Airtime

Imagine jumping over a crack in the sidewalk, but with your skateboard stuck to your feet! That's an ollie! It's the most basic trick, but it's super important because you use it for tons of other tricks. To ollie, you'll pop the tail of your skateboard down with your back foot, then slide your front foot up the board. Sounds tricky, right? It takes practice, but once you get it, you'll feel like you can fly! It's all about timing and getting the right pop. Don't worry if you don't get it on your first try. It took me ages to learn how to ollie! Remember, even the pros were beginners once, just like you. Check out our guide on how to do an ollie for some extra tips!

  • how to get started with skateboarding as a beginner
  • how to train like a skateboarder
  • the best skateboarding gifts and souvenirs

2. Shove-it: A Simple Twist

Think of spinning your skateboard 180 degrees while you're standing on it. That's a shove-it! It's easier than an ollie because you don't have to jump. You just use your feet to spin the board beneath you. It's like doing a little dance with your skateboard! You can shove-it frontside (the nose of the board spins towards you) or backside (the tail spins towards you). It's a fun way to add some style to your skating. It's like adding a little spin to your dance moves! Once you've mastered the basics, you can even combine a shove-it with other tricks to make it more challenging. It's like adding a pirouette to your dance routine!

Trick

Description

Ollie

Jump with the board stuck to your feet

Shove-it

Spin the board 180 degrees

First Skateboard Tricks for Beginners

First Skateboard Tricks for Beginners

Final Thought

Getting your first skateboard is the start of an amazing journey. Remember to be patient with yourself, have fun, and enjoy the ride. There's a whole world of skateboarding out there waiting to be explored!