It’s never too late to learn a new sport. No matter what your age is, there are still plenty of options when it comes to sports that you could practice or learn. Skateboarding is one of the popular sports among teens but younger kids and even adults can still learn this exciting sport.

Just like when learning other sports, there are some basics that you need to know first before jumping into the real experience. If you’re planning to learn skateboarding, here are the basic things you need to know that would definitely help you make a good start.

Choose the Right Gear

You’ll need quality skateboard, a helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, and a good skate shoes to get started with this sport. Always choose the gear that suits you perfectly and not just looking at the aesthetics. There are plenty of factors that need to be considered when selecting the right skateboard gear and it could be confusing when you’re still a newbie.

A reputable skate shop would not only provide you with quality skate gears, they would also help you choose the right ones that suit you best. If you’re not sure which item to choose, you could learn more about skateboarding here and invest in the right stuff.

Determine Your Stance

There are two stances in skateboarding – the regular stance and goofy stance. Skaters with regular stance have their left foot on the front while their right foot is at the back. For the goofy stance, it is just opposite to regular – the right foot is at the front and the left foot at the back.

Before skating, it is important to determine first the stance that you’re comfortable with. It is based purely on your preference and comfort but if you’re not sure, you could ask someone to gently shove you forward. The foot that you step out first to gain balance is the same foot that leads on the board.

Practice Riding and Pushing on a Skateboard

Being comfortable riding around your skateboard is important so you could advance into other tricks and styles. Once you’ve determined your stance, you can now start practicing on how to ride your skateboard properly. Always push the skateboard using you back foot.

It is a lot easier and helps you maintain balance while riding a board. Keep your front knee bent when pushing the board for better balance and stability. If you’re already much familiar with riding the board, you can now practice other tricks you could do with a skateboard.

Practice Turning

Once you know how to ride the board, you also need to know how to create smooth turns while riding it. You could either do a carving turn or a kick turn depending on which one you’re comfortable with but it is best if you know both turning techniques.

Knowing all those basics can be challenging but it would totally make your learning experience a lot smoother and enjoyable as well.