Longboarding

[Cornelius TX]

Hey!

I've been running/swimming/biking for a while now, and recently got a longboard on craigslist. Never skated before, but excited about trying something new. Any of you into this? Any tips?

Thanks!

 

[uriah1]

This. Not that

 

[buster poser]

I skated a lot as a kid (80s) and had even ridden a tiny bit as an adult before getting myself a longboard in my early 40s. Thought it’d be lazier/more stable and therefore safer than a street deck. What I didn’t count on is how much faster it is and that as a result, you basically have to do it in the street. I work with my hands and have broken enough bones in my life not to want to do it again, I’ve ridden the board twice

I’d just say prepare for a different sensation of speed than on a bike, and also I’d try and stay out of hospitals at the moment… no cool points for pads, but I’d be wearing some armor and a good helmet.

 

[chris m.]

If you fall, don't use your hand to break your fall or you'll mess up your wrist. You want to roll and use your whole arm to break the fall.

Find some really smooth pavement. You don't need bumps, cracks, or random bits of gravel to mess you up when you're first figuring out how to cruise along. Speed is your friend, just like on a bike. It's easier to balance when you're moving along vs. going really slow.

 

[Harbinger77]

Grew up skating.

Wouldn’t recommend trying to pick it up as an adult. The inevitable act of falling even going slow on a longboard is as dangerous and difficult as any high end athletic endeavor.

I went to college with a girl from PA who always claimed she was a
Snowboard instructor and could also skate, but I only ever saw her roll on the carpet.

Fast forward a few years she moves to hilly Colorado and starts long boarding like everyone else. She went over her ability level and ended up with 3 broken limbs and her face/jaw nearly torn off on a hill. She had been a model in car magazines now her face is all scars and fake teeth.

 

[trev333]

find some waves and get out there.... there's only one way to learn.... flap about, fall off, swallow salt water, sand in your shorts...

you'll get there... the ocean doesn't refuse anyone...

 

[Deeve]

great instructional vid
I was far too stiff when falling (from snowboard) and needed PT after each time I tried it.
Ultimately returned to the skis, where I have close to 60 years of experience.
Have at it, lads . . .
Peace - Deeve

 

[SacDAve]

I built a longboard maybe 10 years ago my son was into it one case road rash ended that. I would put around the backyard and told my son to never touch it seems longboarders like to throw them now and then.

 

[MarkieMark]

Yeah, like well over 40 years ago.
Left plenty of flesh on the concrete "walls" "bowls" and "trenches"

Friends brother died from head trauma long boarding on a hill we rode all the time.
Me? Just glad to be able to still stand and walk.

 

[trev333]

I never got on with concrete, I gave skating up in my early 20's... the boards weren't that good back then... skating wasn't easy..

the ocean is a bit more forgiving on a fall.. sometimes that's the fun part, getting hammered, going into full rag doll mode and just going with it...then popping up with a smile on your face mostly...unless you are surfing over shallow coral...

 

[Cornelius TX]

Thanks for the replies. Y'all are making me nervous. Maybe I should have mentioned that I just plan on riding the local hike and bike trail. I'm hoping nothing too crazy can happen on that.

 

[The Angle]

I've thought about it many times, since it'd be so much less expensive than surfing and the cul-de-sac I live on, which slopes gently down toward my driveway, is always right here and never crowded. But now being in my early 60s, I am concerned about the inevitable falls. Water is nice and soft, as long as you steer clear of the submerged rocks.

My youngest son was an excellent skater in his youth. He and I built a quarter-pipe alongside the house for him and his friends to use, and there were several good skate parks in the area. But that wasn't longboarding, and it's been almost 20 years since he's been on a board. Nowadays he occasionally uses one of his old boards to make a wood handle for a knife (he's a blacksmith). All those laminated layers look sweet when polished up.

 

[trev333]

surfing in the ocean makes you step out of your world into another...

sitting out there looking back at the beach at people not out there surfing is a nice feeling... the water is always warm here, you kind of want to be in it...

I don't stroll along beaches, I walk across them into the surf....

 

[Seattlesurfer]

surfing in the ocean makes you step out of your world into another...

sitting out there looking back at the beach at people not out there surfing is a nice feeling... the water is always warm here, you kind of want to be in it...

I don't stroll along beaches, I walk across them into the surf....

 

[teletimetx]

It’s fun to watch, also.

 

[sloppychops]

I was into long boarding about 15 years ago. Just skating around the neighborhood and down a few very gentle hills. One day a pebble abruptly stopped my forward movement and I went flying. Wrist hit the ground so hard I thought it was broken, although X-ray confirmed it wasn't. After that I backed off on boarding.

Fast forward 15 years and my son, now 19, is into long boarding. I tried out my old ride with him in the parking lot over the summer and couldn't do a thing. Hung it back up on the wall and figured those days, like a lot other days, are over.

Only advice I'd give OP is to NOT ride goofy foot, like I did. Look up foot placement for long boarding and start out with a good foot position. Also, wear wrist protectors.

 

[trev333]

Skating in a culvert Agadir, Morocco '77.... we had a cheap plastic skateboard we found in Europe somewhere... you always need a skaty in the kombi..

concrete was hard to find... we gave all sorts of places a try...

thrilled the local kids and taught them to ride bread trays down the drop... good fun

 

[WingedWords]

Off topic, but I used to love my inline skates. Admitted defeat in my mid 60s with crappy knees, including one replacement and still miss it. This popped up on YouTube yesterday and I don't know if it makes me feel guilty or hopeful.



Can you get any tuition or other guidance?
But I'd say, you're young - be careful, get good wrist protection and try it.

 

[Stanford Guitar]

 

[Stanford Guitar]

Skating is very popular in the Bay Area. Hill bombing aka the violent ballet.