When you are learning how to skateboard, You want to learn new things as soon as possible. But before learning new skills you should practice and master all the skills that you already learned. So, Before you start to learn Skills/techniques to turn your skateboard you need to master your Stance and Pushing skills.
So, You have gotten comfortable to stand on the skateboard and also Pushing in a straight line. Make sure you have learned all the basics, if not then first Learn Basics for skateboarding.
Let’s go and learn a crucial needy skill to master skateboarding.
Turning a Skateboard
If you want to master skateboarding then you have to master that how you can change your skateboard’s direction easily. Turning can definitely help you change your direction but it also prevents you from falling and getting injured.
Yes ! you got it right it prevents you from falling and getting crashed while riding. Suppose you are riding fast in a straight line and suddenly you see a crack/bump and you are about to hit it.
What will happen then?
No Doubt! You will fall and get injured.
Turning your board not only saves you from bumps and cracks but any types of obstacles. It is also crucially important when performing tricks.
Types of turns
There can be many methods to turn a Skateboard. But we are going to teach you some of the easiest and common methods to turn on the skateboard.
Let’s see types of turn you can practice to be a master:
Carving
This is the easiest and the most effective method that a beginner, as well as pro skaters, use while riding their board.
Before you start learning how to turn by carving around, it is recommended that you loosen your skateboard’s truck a little. How much your board turns totally depends upon how much your truck is loosened. For a beginner, I would recommend tightened truck(not very loose) because it would be hard for a beginner to balance on a board with very loose trucks.
After loosening your trucks a bit, ride your skateboard and start practicing how to turn. Learn step by step, Let’s move on to steps now.
Steps to carve around on your skateboard:
- Start Pushing
- Put your foot back on the deck.
- Lean in the direction you want to turn
- Keep practicing
To change direction, Lean(Forward:if regular, Backward:if goofy). And to turn Left, Lean(Backward:if regular, Forward:if goofy).
Kick-turn
Kick-turn is a technique to steer your board while riding. It provides the sharp and sudden change in direction when turning your skateboard. To Kick-turn your skateboard you need to push the tail of the board with the back foot, raising the nose of the board and then turn in the desired direction with the front foot.
Learn how to kick-turn skateboard step by step:
- Push and start moving
- Position your foot
- Raise the nose of the board
- Redirect your foot in the desired direction
- Land front wheels to the ground
Tic-tac turn
However, most skateboarders know that there are only two types of techniques to turn on a skateboard, But here we are gonna introduce you with some new and easy skills.
Tic-tac is also a technique you can use to steer on your skateboard, It is effective when the skater wants to immediately skip small obstacles like a pebble, crack or bump on the ground. Tic-tac helps the skater in about a 70-80 degree and sharp and immediate turning.
Learn tic-tac turn step by step:
- Place your foot immediately in kick-turn position
- Slightly push back foot
- Raise the nose of the board a little
- Change direction now
- Do it again
- Keep Practicing.
These were some of the most effective and popular methods that beginners and pro users perform to steer their skateboard easily. You can try all of them one by one, but keep one thing in mind you have to master turning before you start performing tricks. So, Pickup your board now and start learning this basic skill and don’t move on to next step until you master this one.
Go for more fun and safe rides. Very like this article, it helped me alot. Thanks for sharing