You might have heard about skateboarding, but what is longboarding? Anyone interested in longboarding would be happy to know that it is something they can do easily. For longboarding, you get to use a longer board with bigger wheels than when skateboarding. The reason is that you can now go at faster speeds and do more tricks with the board.
So, how does it compare in complexity with skateboarding?
This is going to vary from one person to another. Some might find it easier while others hard. Well, if you have the longboard ready and enough time to practice, you should be ready to start longboarding. We get to give you a step by step guide to learn longboarding.
Top 6 Ways To Learn Longboard
Learn The Types of Longboards
Just from the name, longboards have to be long if you want to end up with a stable longboard. That being said, you have to learn more about the types of longboards. This should help you in picking the best longboard based on your style.
If you are looking to commute on the longboard daily, then you need a cruiser. The cruiser would have a pointed nose and a rounded tail. There is also the other type which is for freestyling that you could use for showing off your amazing skills. This will be narrow and will be symmetrical from head to tail.
Determine Your Stance
When it comes to stances, you could use two types that have been around for ages. The first stand is the regular where the left foot is forward and goofy where the right foot is forward. You will get to use the forward foot for balancing. If you have to accelerate or turn, you simply have to lean on that foot. The rear foot is the kicking foot. This means that you can propel yourself forward by pushing this rear foot against a pavement.
Learn About Your Footing
If you want to be better at using the longboard, then you have to practice. This is something that will help you improve your stance. Start by practicing the stance on the flat surface with no traffic. Start by standing on your board and get the right balance. Bend your knees to assume the crouching position and get back up. With a few balancing sessions, you should start having an easier time standing on the longboard.
Push Off To Start Songboarding
Now that you know how more about getting your stability, next is you have to learn about pushing off. To start moving, you need to push off with one foot off the longboard. Push yourself a few times slowly to gain the speed before going for a big push. This is the push that will propel you and now you can put your leg back onto the longboard. Make sure this is still on a flat surface, once you gain more confidence, then you can do downhill.
How To Stop The Longboard
Now that you are longboarding, you still have to learn about stopping. At some point you have to get the best longboard stopped correctly without falling. The easiest way is through foot breaking. This is where you drag one foot on a pavement until you come to a stop. This is the easiest, but once you have mastered it, proceed to other advanced methods of stopping such as the Coleman Slide.
More Longboarding Tricks
The moment you have learned about starting and stopping the longboard, it might be time to learn more tricks. You can now learn how to make turns and carves. You simply have to shift your weight from one side to another as you ride the board. Just make sure that you do in a controlled environment. The best way to learn more tricks is through checking out YouTube. Several people have documented videos of showing the tricks. It is always easier to learn something through visuals.
Conclusion
Whether you are just starting or a veteran, it is important that you get to wear safety gear. Accidents happen all the time; you just have to make sure you are safe. Make sure that you also watch out for the pedestrians, bikes, cars, and other boarders who are also riding.
Author Bio:
Hey. Thanks for stopping by. I am Bryce Morris and I like blogging about longboarding and my blog name is Skate Set. What started as a passion offline has led me to share my experiences with you online. Always come back soon for more tips and guides on longboarding. I hope you enjoy every bit of it.
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