Must Learn Skateboard Tricks

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 29th, 2010

Some of the most exciting things to watch in a sporting event are the tricks that professional skateboarders do. While not everyone can be at that advanced level, there are many tricks the amateur intermediate and advanced skateboarders can learn that will, if nothing else, it impresses their friends. Perhaps they can continue on to learn more and become professional or semi-pro and compete for prizes and money. Learning the tricks can be fun but it is especially important to know and understand that trick riding can be very dangerous and is highly prone to injury. More people get hurt in skateboarding accidents when attempting tricks than with any other form of skateboarding.

There are several forms of tricks that can be learned. Some of them are harder than others so it is best to start off with the easy ones before advancing to the more complicated ones. This also gives the persona sense of accomplishment and will give them confidence to be able to attempt the harder tricks. One of the easiest tricks to learn is a simple jump. This is simply a position change on the board that requires some dexterity and balance. While skating, jump and make a half turn so that you are now faced the other direction on the board. Once this is mastered, you can try for a complete turn.

Another easy trick to learn is how to walk the skateboard. This is done by zig zagging the back and front wheels so the top wheels pop up and are placed at a forty five degree angle when landing. Then the back wheels are popped up to meet the front. The skateboard continues to walk continuously. This is a flashy maneuver that is easy to accomplish and not terribly dangerous. It takes a little practice and balance, though, to make it look smooth.

A full turn is a bit more difficult but with some practice and a good balance it can be accomplished without too much trouble. The front wheels are popped up while pivoting a half turn on the back wheels before the front wheels land. This can be advanced to a complete turn once this is mastered. After some basic turns and holds are learned, the skater can start doing some of the more advanced tricks that involve ramps and rails. These tricks are much more dangerous are done at a faster pace so it is important to be confident in the skateboarding basics before attempting.