If you are a beginner and want to learn skateboarding or you are a parent and want to teach your Kids skateboarding skills then you have come to the right place. Whether you want to just cruise around or you want to do Tricks like an Ollie and kickflip etc.. First of all, you need to learn is basics. Here in this guide/course, you will learn to get the right gear for you, You will also learn to stand on the skateboard comfortably, Push, and of course, all the basics that will teach you How to Skateboard.

Learn Skateboarding Basics

Let’s move to the Steps:

Getting the Right Equipment

Choosing right Skateboard

Choosing a Skateboard that suits your needs/interests should be your priority. There are many types of skateboards available, You may understand your need/interest and then go for the best one available there. You can also take advice from an experienced skateboarder or a friend who is skating for years.

Here are some basic types of skateboards available in the market you can choose from:

Longboards/Cruisers

Longboards are larger than traditional skateboards and they can be a great choice for a beginner. It is easy to maneuver and cruise around on a longboard for beginners than other Skateboards. But if you want to pop an ollie and or other pro tricks then longboards would not be the best option for you.

Skateboards/Shortboards

A Shortboard is a traditional Skateboard that you think of when you hear the word Skateboard. Its deck is tapered from both ends and suitable for skating around at high speed. It is perfect for doing tricks and it is also suitable for maneuvering and cruising around. But it takes time and effort for a beginner to make a balance on it.

Penny Boards

Penny board is a type of skateboard made up of plastic. It is bent from one side (it’s Tail), It is fully made up of hard plastic that’s why it is much more durable and light in weight. Penny Boards are sold in three different deck sizes, the 22″, 27″ (Nickel) and 36″ longboard deck.

Custom Skateboards

Sometimes when you buy a complete skateboard, there might be chances that some parts would not be according to your requirement. So, pro skaters choose to assemble a Custom Skateboard by choosing the best parts/brands in each of them and make a complete board of their choice and comfort. If you want a cheap skateboard then Custom skateboards can help you out. Although cheap is never recommended.

Pair of Shoes

So that now you have selected a Skateboard of your choice, Now you should get a good pair of shoes. Having a good quality pair of shoes is the most important thing you need after choosing a board because of course, you don’t want a serious injury to your foot. Shoes give a good grip absorb shocks and also protect your feet from getting injured.

Safety Gears

Skating without getting injured would always be your first motive while learning Skateboarding. So getting the right Safety Gear for you would be a great idea. A helmet is always recommended, whether you are a Pro Skater or just getting started skateboarding.

Knee pads, elbow pads, Hand gloves, etc. are other safety gear that we recommend. If you jump from high stairs or if there are chances of falling you can also wear hip guard. There is a variety of Safety Equipment available online that you can go for and try.

So Now you have all the required Equipment, You are all set not. Let’s go and find a place suitable for skateboarding:

Find a good place

Finding a good place means finding a place that is safe enough for skating. A safe place does not have obstacles like Chairs, Tables, Wardrobes etc. which may get you injured. A Safe Place is free from such obstacles.

Some of the Safe Places for Skateboarding are:

Skate Parks
Schools/College Campus
Large Parking Areas.
Public Park(less crowded)
Bike lanes on the road.

Learning Basics

So, you have got all the necessary equipment, A Pair of good quality Shoes, and a good & safe place to practice.

Now, you have to learn basics like Knowing your Riding Position, Balancing, Pushing, etc.

Let’s go:

Goofy or Regular

Before you start riding a skateboard, You have to know whether you are goofy or regular. Being goofy means your Right foot would be in front(Nose) of the board and Being Regular stance means your front foot would be your left foot.

Most people get stuck to find whether they are goofy or regular, But this is a very important step while learning skateboarding guide.

So here we have some useful tips to find their leading foot. You can try these tricks to know your riding stance:

Tug of War(Front foot would be Leading foot while riding)
Running on Stairs(Leading foot would be that foot which takes the first step)
Riding Bicycle(Leading foot paddles first.

There are many ways to find your riding stance, some of which are mentioned above. You can try it out and check it yourself.

Stand Properly

Now you have to learn how to stand properly on a Skateboard.

Put Both legs above the trucks
Keep leading foot in the riding direction
Point your feet to the sides
Bend your knees to get into the Athletic stance.
Spread your hands to maintain balance.

Standing in an athletic position on a skateboard always helps, whether you are just cruising around or popping Pro tricks. It maintains your balance and prevents you from falling. Bend knees absorb shocks produced by bumps on the ground or a shock produced by a jump during a trick. So, always try to stay in this position.

Stay Confident and Motivated

No one learns something from their mother’s womb and so are you. Never get disappointed or discouraged if you fall or you can’t perform tricks. Remember, It takes time and effort to achieve anything you want. All you have to do is just keep practicing and enjoy riding your Skateboard.

Once you start to enjoy anything, you will automatically start mastering that over time. So Stay confident that if they can do it then definitely you can also do it.

Learn Pushing

Now, you can start pushing your skateboard, Keep your Leading foot on the deck(Right if goofy and left if Regular) and make a push by your back foot( i.e. Left, if goofy and right, if Regular). If you are a beginner then start with very small pushes with which you are comfortable balancing. Put your weight on your Front foot and keep pushing with your back foot.

Once you start getting comfortable by pushing, you can start pushing hard. Keep pushing in a straight line until you master it.

Now move on to the next Step:

Shifting into the Right Position

After you push your board you need to get into the riding position again. When you push the position of your foot changes and if you don’t shift it into the right position it is possible that you can fall and get injured.

After pushing your front foot point forward(Riding direction), you have to shift it in such a way that it points to that side where your body is front-facing.

And your back foot should be kept pointing in the same direction and it should also be kept over decks. Both of your feet should be kept just above the decks.

Learn turning

It is recommended to master all the basics first before learning to turn the skateboard. You should also have all safety gear before you learn to turn.

Turning is very important when skateboarding, as it changes your direction and helps you to ride in your desired direction. By turning your skateboard you can also skip bumps and cracks on the ground.

Two main techniques for turning a Skateboard are:

Carving
Kick turn

Learn to Stop

While riding if you keep rolling and don’t know how to stop then you are gonna crash. So Learning to stop your skateboard would gonna save you from crashing and getting injured.

There are many Techniques to Stop a skateboard, Some of them are:

Foot brake
Heel brake
Tail drag
Power slide Read more

Learn to fall

Yes ! it might sound weird “learn to fall” ” but if I say ‘Learn how to fall safely’ then you will understand what you are gonna learn.

Learning to fall safely means avoiding falling or falling with less or without injuries.

Some techniques that you can use are:

Avoid falling
Knee slide
Bailing
Roll with the fall more…

This is a complete guide to learning skateboarding for beginners. Just go through all steps and Keep practicing. “Practice makes a man Perfect”, To learn any tutorial in detail just click on the related image or Click “more…” to see the complete procedure.