How to Go Longboard (Long Board Skateboard)

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Longboard is a sport similar to skateboarding. A longer board is used, larger wheels and sometimes larger trucks. The various specialties included in the longboard are speed, freeride, drift and slalom. It is a very fun sport and certainly easier to learn than skateboarding.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Part One: Getting Started

Step 1. Decide what you are looking for in a board

Do you want a board to move and go around the city? Do you want to use it at the skatepark? Or do you want to embark on breathtaking descents?

Tables of different sizes have several disadvantages and advantages. The shorter ones are more agile (i.e. you can turn more easily) but are less stable (i.e. it is easier to fall). The longer ones are more stable but less agile. Beginners should choose a long board

Step 2. Put on protective gear

You may think it's not very cool, but it's still a good idea to protect yourself, especially if you're learning. And if you throw yourself into the most extreme specialties of longboarding, protection becomes essential.

• Make sure you have:
• A good helmet
• Skate Shoes (with flat soles)
• Elbow pads (optional)
• Knee pads (optional)



Step 3. Evaluate if you are a "goofy" or a "regular"

Do you prefer to put your right foot in front? You are "goofy". Do you skate with your left foot forward? You are "regular".

• To find out what type you are, get someone to push you without warning. The foot you put forward to stop is the one you will use on the board. If it feels wrong, try reversing your feet.
• Another way to locate your dominant foot is to slip into socks on a smooth surface; the foot you put in front will be the one you ride the longboard with.



Step 4. Test the board a couple of times on a smooth surface

Try to feel the smooth roll as it glides across the concrete. The lower your center of gravity is, the more control you will have on the board. Make sure you feel comfortable before you move.



Step 5. Find the right position

Place your feet between the two trucks (the structures that support the wheels) at a slightly wider distance than your shoulders. Rotate your front foot approximately 45 degrees. Keep your back foot perpendicular to the board.

This is just one of the positions you can take. Once you have become familiar with the board, you will be able to put yourself in the position that is most suitable for you. Do what makes you feel good



Step 6. Train yourself to maintain balance on a gentle descent

Try to understand what it feels like on a longboard and use your arms to balance yourself. Bend your knees a little to ease yourself.



Step 7. Find the balance

If you feel you are losing control, focus on a distant point in front of you and use your peripheral vision to orient yourself. This will allow your body to naturally regain balance.

Part 2 of 2: Part Two: Basic Techniques



Step 1. Practice moving forward

Use your back foot to push yourself. You can decide whether to give yourself small, short thrusts or just one that is very powerful. Keep your body relaxed when you push yourself; the stiffer you are, the harder it will be to keep your balance.

• If you want to use your front foot to push, give it a try. Most skaters don't; this technique is called "mongo", but it is much more important to feel comfortable than to follow the crowd.
• As you gain confidence, train yourself to go faster with stronger thrusts. Once you have reached a certain speed, a good push will be enough to keep you moving forward for quite a while.



Step 2. Practice cornering or carving with your longboard

You need to learn how to get around if you want to get around the city. It's pretty simple. All you have to do is shift your weight to one side of the board, bending in the same direction. This way the longboard will turn.

• Position of the heels during a carving: push the heels down and you will turn inside. For those who skate "regular" means turning left.
• Position of the toes during a carving: push the toes down and you will turn outwards. For those who skate "regular" means turning to the right.



Step 3. Find ways to stop or slow down

Brake with one foot by dragging it on the ground - this is probably the reliable way to stop or slow down. This way you do a lot of friction to stop. Other ways are:

• Carving: Zigzagging down the hill by pushing on the wheels will help keep your speed low.
• Aerodynamic resistance: At high speeds, simply stand straight and spread your arms to reduce speed considerably.



Step 4. Practice drifting if you already master these techniques

If you want to go faster than you can run, protect yourself from asphalt abrasions by learning to drift. To do this, you need to buy special gloves or attach pieces of cutting board to work gloves. When you have the gloves you are ready to drift! Here's what you need to do:

• Point your front foot as you bend over your knees; shift your weight forward.
• Slide the back of the board by bending the front knee to make contact with the ground.
• Apply gradual pressure to stop.
• Try not to put your heels or toes on the ground; rather, it rests the entire sole of the foot.



Step 5. Avoid bad friction burns and learn how to drift with gloves before launching at breakneck speed

Start slowly and work on it. Rome was not built in a day.



Step 6. Don't worry if your board isn't like what appears in the videos

Getting comfortable with a longboard takes time and technique is more important than the shape and size of the board. Hard wheels (durometer value of at least 86a) break traction more easily, allowing you to learn to drift quickly.



Step 7. Enjoy and be careful

Longboarding is a lot of fun but going too far can be really dangerous. You think that something bad can never happen to you until it finally happens. Always remember the potential risks, always try to be prepared and get out of trouble before it's too late. That said, go for a ride on your new toy!

Advice

• Wear flat-soled shoes. They have more grip on the board than basketball ones.
• Use larger, softer wheels if you want to slide off lightly.
• Check the road first to see if there are any obstacles, dirt or raised reflectors.
• Find a quiet street or get help from someone who controls the traffic.
• If you go downhill at full speed, choose hills with flat escape routes to give yourself time to stop.
• If you're not sure which board is best for you, go to different stores and ask to try some, or borrow some from your friends and see if you like them.
• Don't worry if you fall a lot of times. You will improve.
• Don't try to do something you don't feel ready for.
• Learn to drift. Using this technique to stop should come naturally. If you can drift easily, you are ready to bomb the hills with no escape routes.
• You can find some tutorials on the internet to learn how to drift and learn basic stopping techniques.
• Put on gloves with plastic reinforcements on the palms (search on Google to get an idea).
• If your board has a tail, you can use it to make ollies. This is much more difficult to do with a longboard than with a normal skate.
• When you are going really fast, stand straight or use one foot to slow down, or get into an aerodynamic position to accelerate even more.

Warnings

• Would you jump out of the car at 50 km / h? It's easy to achieve this speed on a longboard, so make sure you learn how to stop!
• Always be careful when longboarding in public areas.
• Longboard is a dangerous sport. You practice it at your own risk.
• Use the longboard where there is no traffic.
• Is wearing always helmet, protections and gloves.