Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Find a comfortable position
• Method 2 of 3: Stay in balance
• Method 3 of 3: Get a feel for the skateboard
• Tips
• Warnings

Skateboarding is a dazzlingly extreme sport that requires masterful balance, control and agility. Professional skateboarders are able to perform complex movements that don't even look like they could be possible. But before you start speeding down streets, rails and ramps, you must first learn the most basic skateboarding skills on the board. Once you understand the skateboard's unique design and learn how to stay on your feet, balancing will feel like child's play and you will be on your way to learning more tricky and technically impressive skills.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Find a comfortable position

1. Decide whether you like the "regular" position or the "goofy" position the easiest. There are two general attitudes to skateboarding: regular and goofy. In a normal or regular position, the left foot is in front, while in a goofy position, the right foot is in front. Determine which posture is more natural for you by determining whether you are right or left handed. Most right-handed skateboarders ride in a normal position. Just do whatever feels most comfortable to you.
   • Give both poses a try and see which one you like best.
   • If you're still not sure which pose is best for you, imagine approaching a ramp on a moving skateboard, about to pull off a tricky trick. Which foot then stands for? What you automatically imagined is probably your most comfortable natural position.
2. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart. Start on a flat surface; don't worry about the skateboard. Place your feet directly under your shoulders and assume a natural position. In this position, your weight should be evenly distributed on each leg.This gives you maximum balance and control over the board.
   • Practice shifting your weight back and forth between each leg while keeping your body aligned and your head centered and upright. This will prepare you for a stable position on the skateboard.
3. Get down on your knees slightly. Lower your buttocks a little and bend your knees slightly. This will center your weight in your hips instead of higher on your body like when you are standing normally. With a lower center of gravity you will be less likely to lose your balance once you are on the unstable board.
   • Loosen yourself up. It's harder to make corrections if you keep yourself rigid.
   • Do not squat or bend your knees too deeply. You just have to be low enough to create a solid foundation.
4. Turn your head in the direction you are going to move. Rotate your chin so that you are facing the direction you would go if the skateboard was moving. If you prefer a "regular" stance, this means looking over your left shoulder, while "goofy" skateboarders are looking to the right. You can focus your gaze on the ground in front of you to see obstacles and prepare yourself for tricks, and the position of your feet will also be within your peripheral vision.
   • There is a natural tendency to look at your feet while trying to maintain your balance. However, remember that wherever your head goes, your body follows. Keep everything aligned and get used to looking a few feet in front of the skateboard.

Method 2 of 3: Stay in balance

1. Get on the skateboard carefully. Place one foot on the skateboard and make sure you are standing firm. Then quickly and gently lift the other foot and place it next to your first foot. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart, as you practiced. Once you are successfully on the board, the hardest part is over!
   • Don't go too fast or too slow. If you're in a hurry, you can accidentally slip the skateboard. If you take too much time, you can put yourself off balance by standing on one leg. Aim to walk with a gentle 1-2 pattern, at about the same pace you would walk up the stairs.
   • You are probably going to fall a few times as a beginner. Don't let this discourage you. After this has happened to you a few times, your fear of falling will fade and you will be able to concentrate better.
2. Place your feet above the trucks. A good rule of thumb when you first feel comfortable standing on a skateboard is to stay centered over the trucks. The trucks are the long metal axles on the bottom of the board that attach the wheels to the deck (the wooden platform you are standing on). Rest each foot on the bolts at the top of the shelf that hold the trucks in place. Don't spread your feet too far or too little.
   • Handily enough, the distance between the trucks is roughly equal to that of your feet at shoulder width.
3. Keep your weight on the front of your feet. Lean your weight slightly forward until you are on the wide part of your foot directly behind the toes. While driving, you must be able to shift and reposition to maintain balance and perform various maneuvers. By standing on the front of your feet, you can lift, slide and turn your feet more easily, and you can also absorb the shocks from your lower leg muscles while riding.
   • Standing on a skateboard with flat feet feels awkward, because it essentially avoids dexterity. When you are on the front of your feet, you are ready to react to the movements of the board.
   • Standing on your toes or lifting your heels off the board will also compromise your balance. Your whole foot must remain in contact with the top of the board; it's just a matter of where your weight rests.
4. Make minor adjustments. Use delicate movements of the feet, ankles, knees and hips to maintain your balance on the board. Lean, tilt, pump your legs and do whatever you need to do to stay upright. You can even swing your arms to stabilize yourself if that helps. You have to make small adjustments constantly to keep the skateboard under control, especially once you are moving. It will get easier the more you practice.
   • If your feet and body don't move with you, you will almost always get out of balance.
   • Try not to swing too far forward or backward. You could fall off or even topple the shelf.
   • Balancing on a skateboard is similar to standing on the deck of a boat that rocks, leans, and swings. It forces you to stay light on your feet.

Method 3 of 3: Get a feel for the skateboard

1. Start on a soft surface. Place the shelf in a lawn or on a thick carpet to make sure it doesn't roll away when you first learn how to step on it. A softer surface prevents the skateboard from rolling out from under you. Make sure you can balance comfortably on the skateboard, somewhere it is stationary, before continuing on the tarmac.
   • You should find it fairly common to climb up and down a skateboard resting on carpet or grass before attempting this on a harder surface.
   • Not only will soft terrain keep the skateboard in place, it will also hurt less if you happen to fall.
2. Use caution when shifting your weight across the wheels. When getting up, do one foot after the other in a quick, smooth, and controlled manner. Be careful not to rock the skateboard too far in either direction. Since this is the same action that propels the skateboard, you can easily lose your center of gravity and send the skateboard, and yourself, flying away.
   • It can help to remind yourself not to lean too far on boarding in any direction.
3. Use the griptape for friction. Try to learn the basics of skateboarding on a board that is covered with a layer of griptape. Griptape is a type of adhesive surface similar to high-grit sandpaper designed to increase a skater's friction. This added traction gives you more control over the board. You will be able to progress at a faster pace as you don't have to constantly worry about your feet slipping.
   • If you don't have the benefit of griptape, at least make sure you wear non-slip shoes with and are extra aware of what you're doing when you have to move your feet.
4. Avoid the tail and nose off the shelf. At both ends of most types of skateboards there is an inverted rim known as the "tail" or "nose". Leave these alone for now. If you put too much weight on the nose or tail, the board will lift, lifting a set of wheels off the ground. Obviously, this can lead to a lot of accidents when you first get on a skateboard.
   • Keeping your feet above the bolts of the trucks is a good way to keep them from drifting to either end.
   • The nose and tail will only be relevant for more advanced tricks, such as manuals, ollies, and most other "pop" moves, that require you to change the angle of the plank.

Tips

• Learning the correct way to stand should be the first thing you do when picking up skateboarding, even before you get moving.
• Loose trucks provide ease of turning, but reduce the overall stability of the shelf. Tightening the trucks prevents the deck from leaning that far.
• If someone is around to help you, have him or her take your hand and stabilize you while you learn to maintain your balance.
• Heavier skateboards with a larger surface area, such as long planks, are easier to learn.
• Wear sturdy, comfortable shoes to protect your feet and prevent slipping.
• Forget about looking cool or trying tricky tricks until you get the hang of the basics like balancing, pushing, and stopping. Some people can master this in an afternoon, but for others it can take weeks. Work at your own pace and focus on proper technique.

Warnings

• Skateboard accidents can result in serious injury. Always wear a helmet and other protective clothing to avoid being hit too hard.
• Resist the urge to use your hands to cushion yourself if you fall. This is a good way to break your fingers or wrists. Instead, try to roll or make yourself big and distribute the impact all over your body.