When you are going down a hill and you are just moving too fast for your own comfort, how do you slow down? Simple! Start sliding. Sliding is used by longboarders all over the world for reducing momentum. Lucky for you, its easy to learn.

The first thing you will want to do when learning to slide is to find a place without any hills. We will start by practicing the motions. If you are on flat land, practicing the motions should be easier. If you find that you are having a tough time staying on, even on a flat surface, try moving your practice zone to a carpet or even some thick grass.

One board that many downhill longboarders use is the loaded longboard. The reason these boards are so superior has to do with the fact that they are shaped specially, and, more importantly, the trucks are installed differently than on other longboards. This makes for a better sliding experience.

The first time you try sliding, you will probably fall. This is unavoidable and is a part of the learning process.

The easiest method is to just think about how you have seen other people do it, and practice the movement. This is easier said then done. Practice the motions a few times and when you are feeling good about them, try it on a slope.

It is easy. Just wear your safety gear and a helmet when you try it the first time. Need more reading material? Here you go: How to Ollie on a skateboard,How to do an Ollie,Picking a Skateboard,How to skate a skatepark,

If you're a skateboarder, you probably can think of some famous skateparks. Here's a few off the top of my head:

SMP Skatepark, China. This is another huge outdoor skatepark, located in Shanghai, China. I'm not sure how many people actually use this park, but it probably serves its purpose well enough. SMP is over 44,000 square feet of concrete, and comes with countless bowls, pools, and even over vert pipes, similar to those at the Black Pearl Skatepark.

Kona Skatepark, Jacksonville, Florida. This is one of the oldest surviving skateparks. It's age is apparent, too. It shows skaters a time when downhill slaloms were the main event for a skate competition - there's a huge slalom in this park. It's still fun, just not current.

Now that you've got a list of skateparks, it's time for a road trip! Well, not really. Unless you do decide to visit these parks. In that case, bring your safety gear.

If this article has you interested in a skateboard bearing press, then go buy one!

The first thing a lot of skaters will ask you is, "How high is your ollie?" They do this to measure themselves up with you, and to find out who the better skater is. But what if you don't know how to ollie? You won't be able to answer the above question. Continue reading, and you'll be doing ollies in no time.

Before teaching you how to ollie, I should explain what an ollie is. The performer of the trick pops the skateboard into the air using only his or her feet. It's a lot of fun.

Before performing an ollie, you'll first need to set yourself up properly. If you're not wearing all of your pads, you could be in for a serious hurting. Also, as a disclaimer, it's not my fault if you fall and hurt yourself.

Now, prepare yourself for the ollie. If you haven't been skating for long, the ollie is going to be difficult because it requires your entire body to be in sync and in balance. Prepare yourself by doing some stretches, to help get your muscles nice and limber for the ollie.

Since the ollie requires that you are perfectly synchronized, you may not be prepared to try it on pavement. The board could slip out and that would be bad. I recommend trying the ollie on some grass or soft carpet. The deck can't roll away from you here.

With your pads on and your board on a surface where it can't roll away, you're ready to position your feet. Squat down to improve your center of gravity.

You'll either ollie way up into the air, or fall over miserably.

It considerably improves your chances of performing an ollie if you do the aforementioned steps as quickly as possible. The ollie is not a slow maneuver.

While practicing an ollie, do your best not to flick your front foot to the left or right.

The best thing you can do is to practice. As you practice your ollies, they get easier and easier. Before you know it, you'll be doing huge ollies and busting some big tricks. Remember to wear your helmet, and have fun practicing your ollies! If you're interested in putting bearings in your wheels without wrecking them, try a skateboard bearing press

A skateboarder can't skate without a skateboard deck. This chunk of wood is specially shaped so that the skater can remain in complete control over the tricks that he or she does. But how are these decks made? Well, it begins with a tree.

A good skateboard deck comes from a maple tree. A handful of rectangular strips of veneer are created out of the maple tree. These strips of veneer will be stacked to make the skateboard deck.

Once the wood has been sent to the manufacturer, the pieces are checked for quality. Any pieces that are too imperfect to create a skateboard will be thrown away or recycled. The pieces of veneer are then arranged into different piles, one with the grain going along the length of the rectangle, and the other with the grain going against it.

This glue is just your typical, water-based wood glue. It bonds quite well after being taken out of the press, and helps make sure that your skateboard does not come apart.

Most skateboard decks are 7 ply skate decks. This just means that 7 layers of veneer were layered to create the deck.

Depending on what kind of deck is being created, the layered veneer will be pressed in different machines.

The skateboard press turns the regular looking strips of wood into something with a bit more shape. After being pressed, the skateboard decks are left to dry for twenty-four hours or even longer. If the skateboards weren't left to cure before further processing, they would most likely warp and be unskateable.

After they've dried, the decks are processed. A lot of skateboard manufacturers shape a board using a machine that uses a completed deck as a template for removing the excess wood from a skateboard deck.

After the deck has been cut from the pressed veneer, eight holes are drilled for the trucks. By using one deck as a template, skateboard makers can build many skateboard decks that are almost identical in shape and size.

Many skateboard manufacturers have a sanding wheel that the workers use to remove the sharp edge on the deck. This makes the deck appear cleaner, and also helps prevent injuries to skaters and other objects by removing the sharp corners of the deck. Rounding the edges also can keep the skateboard from splintering if it runs into a wall or something similar.

Skateboard manufacturers screen print skateboard graphics onto a piece of plastic, and then transfer the graphic to the deck with heat. The excess plastic is removed to showcase the graphic on the bottom of the deck.

After the graphic has been applied, the skateboard deck is covered with a coating that will help to preserve the skate deck and also the graphic. This lacquer also gives a pretty shine to the deck, and helps bring out the color of the wood. The deck is then placed in a box and shipped to one of the many skate shops around the world, for a lucky skater to buy and enjoy. If you want more reading material, look no further: How to use the skatepark,How to use the skatepark,Buying Your First Skateboard,Where skateboards come from,

The best downhill spots have a combination of steepness and length. Some are more difficult than others, obviously.

Here is a quick list of a few cool downhill spots. You may not actually want to skate these, but they would be cool to check out if you were in the area. Simply perform a quick google search for any of these and you should be able to see what exactly I'm talking about when I mention these streets.

Lombard street, san francisco. If you're able to skate on this, then you're an awesome downhill boarder. Lombard street is super uneven and bumpy; it's really sketchy.

Baldwin street, New Zealand. This street is the steepest ever. It's 300 meters long and has a thirty-five percent grade; baldwin street is quite possibly the most dangerous street in the world for machines with 4 wheels. I don't think sliding would slow you down here.

U.S. highway 50, nevada. This highway stretches on for hundreds of meters and takes you from 3k feet above sealevel to sealevel. It is insanely steep, and also very wide, thanks to a road revision made in 2000.

Interstate 80 - this 2899 mile highway connects New Jersey to California. It isn't all downhill, but a few parts of it are. You can skitch the rest of the way. Or push yourself. three thousand miles is a very long trip with a skateboard. Unless you have something from carver skateboards.

Mauna kea, hawaii. 26 miles of asphalt placed on the side if one of hawaii's biggest active volcanoes. It's a shield volcano, though, meaning the lava flows rather than erupts (similar to mount st. Helens)

There's a very good possibility that you might not ever ride a place like the above, but might as well list them, right?

If you aren't wearing the proper skateboarding attire, your day of fun can be cut short. Not wearing knee pads and then falling while wearing shorts is an example of this. If you want to learn about what to wear while skateboarding, then keep reading.

We'll start from the head and work our way down. The first thing you should be wearing is a helmet. A beanie or hat might look cool, but a helmet will protect you if you fall. A beanie or hat both have limited safety capabilities.

Next up is the face. You can wear eye protection if you want, but that's not really necessary for skateboarding.

Mouth protection is a good idea, but is optional, just like eye protection. You're actually quite unlikely to fall on your face, just be sure that you don't skate bigger than your skill level and you should be O.K.

You should wear a long sleeve shirt if you plan on skating without elbow pads. If you feel like a long sleeve shirt restricts your movement, try and find something that fits loose and lets in a breeze.

When you're wearing a short sleeve shirt, it's absolutely a must to wear elbow pads. If you fall forward, it typically goes hands, then elbows. You'll want to keep your elbows protected.

Wrist guards are another optional item that you can think about wearing. If you have weak wrists, or have previously injured a wrist, you may want to pick up a set of wrist guards for yourself.

A lost of people choose not to wear wrist guards because first, they're dorky. Second; wrist guards can cause upper arm injuries. If you want to keep your hands from scraping on the pavement, but don't want to wear wrist guards, then buy some gloves.

A lot of people don't even know that these pads exist. New skaters are prone to fall on their tailbones and may want to pick up a tail guard until their skill level improves.

When you skate in shorts, you should wear knee pads. If you can't get a hold of some knee pads for whatever reason, then try to skate in pants. Again, though, they're not nearly the same, only a good alternative.

The final thing you have to keep protected is your left and right foot. If you have a history of ankle problems, you may want to invest in an ankle brace. This may pose a threat to your upper leg, but it's better than having a shattered ankle.

It's also necessary to wear the proper shoes while skateboarding. It's not smart to go skateboarding in some loafers or running shoes. Invest in a pair of quality skateboarding shoes. Also invest in a good deck, like one from carver skateboards. Don't forget that safety comes first!

If you're looking for a new hobby, you should check out skateboarding. If you already have a skateboard, then it's time to learn some fun things you can do with it. Read on and you will soon know more. Or just put some carver trucks on your old deck and go skate.

Disclaimer: skateboarding can be a dangerous sport. Whenever you ride your skateboard, there's a possibility that you could get hurt. It's important that you understand this.

Also, before trying any of these fun things, wear your skateboarding equipment. Get a proper helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads, at the very least. Safety should be your number one priority as a skateboarder. Without keeping yourself safe, you're risking your ability to skate.

Skateboards are great because they can be used almost anywhere. Indoors and outdoors, up hills, down hills, and on flat ground. They're simple to use, too. Just hop on and go. Skateboarding is the ultimate freedom.

If you already have a skateboard, but you're getting bored of it, try building a ramp! A ramp can be as simple as a board stacked up on a couple of bricks. When I was younger, I made a ramp out of a two-by-four and a piece of plywood. Cut the two by four diagonally, and nail the plywood to it. Instant ramp!

If you want something even easier, and you live in suburbia or any other residential area, use the curbs in front of your house. These are lots of fun to skate on. If you're good, you can skate them like mini concrete waves.

Curbs can also be like a miniature skatepark. They're perfect for practicing small tricks, and can be used as a ramp. Alternatively, you could jump from the street to the curb, using the gutter as a little mini gap.

When I was young, my friends and I made things dangerous by jumping over each other with the ramp we made. I can't recommend this, because it's just so dangerous. However, we did have lots of fun finding objects to stack, and then trying to gap those.

Speaking of gaps, we used to play a game where you stack up your skateboard and then your friends ollie over it. If someone doesn't make it, then they add their board to the pile. This keeps going until there's only one person left, and this person is the winner.

Skateboard games are lots of fun, but if you don't have friends then you can go check out your local skatepark. Not only is the skateboard park a lot of fun, but it's a great opportunity to meet people like yourself.

You can have fun with your skateboard in plenty of different ways. Don't feel like you are limited by what I've written above. Instead, use this guide as a way to think up new ideas. Always remember to wear your safety gear! Need more reading material? Here: Choosing the right skateboard,Having fun with your skateboard,Picking a Skateboard,How to choose a skateboard,

Skateboarding at the skatepark can be lots of fun, but very dangerous. This guide will teach you how to go to your local skateboard park and have fun without getting hurt.

The first thing you need to do is find a skatepark. There are lots of them out there, but it's up to you to find one. If you're not sure where to look, ask your local skateboard shop if they can help you find one.

Once you find a skatepark, you should go and check it out. I recommend that you go and look at it before you try to skate it. Going to survey the skatepark is great because you can kind of see what you're going to be dealing with.

Plan to visit the skatepark early in the morning. The very first time you visit the skatepark, it will be scary. You won't know exactly what you're doing, and people skating all around you may make you nervous. Going to the skatepark early in the morning allows you a little bit of time to yourself. If you don't have a skateboard for this, consider checking out HERE!HERHERHEHEHE

Thankfully, since you went to the skatepark early, you should be the only skater. You will not have to worry about colliding with another skater, or having other skaters collide into you. The skatepark should be free and open in the early morning. The early morning makes the skatepark perfect and ready to skate. You also don't have to worry about being watched.

Being watched is one fear that a lot of people have when they go to the skatepark. There are other skaters there, and it can feel like you're being judged when you first go

It's important to understand that the other skaters probably don't even care that you're there, at the skatepark. As long as you're not running into other skateboarders or flinging your skateboard deck all over the place, then the other skaters won't even notice you.

Before you go out and skate, get your safety equipment together. Without safety equipment, you're vulnerable to the concrete. You need to wear safety equipment because it keeps you safe from the hard surface below. It also adds a sense of protection, which allows you to skate harder.

If you've never skated before, it would be wise to practice your skating outside your house first. The skatepark looks like fun, but it will just be a world of hurt for a new skateboarder.

Most skateboarders are used to the perfectly flat ground that their neighborhood is made out of. You will notice that there are obstacles at the skatepark, such as bowls or half pipes, which make skateboarding difficult again. You will want to try and tackle these objects slowly, a little bit at a time. Don't hit a bowl going as fast as you can; you'll probably crash.

Just take it easy. Go down a couple of inclines at slow speeds. Don't forget to bend your knees. Also, try to have fun. If you fall, be prepared for it. Don't let falling get the best of you.

Always avoid other skaters. They don't want to run into you, and you probably don't want to run into them. This is the main reason you would want to visit the skatepark in the morning. There are less obstacles for you to avoid.

Don't throw a fit if you fall, and don't give up if you can't skate the park very well. Keep coming back every day, and try to have a good time. And don't forget to wear your safety equipment! If you want to check out another cool page, go here: Being safe at the skatepark
Picking a Skateboard

Choosing a skateboard is a hard decision to make. There are many types of skateboards out there, and if you aren't sure what type of skater you are, then you'll have a tough time picking a good deck.

The first thing most skateboarders do when they choose a skateboard is to pick a size. The type of skating you do determines the width of the deck that you'll need to get. If you get the wrong width deck, you may find it hard to skate on.

If you have been skating a certain deck for a while, there's a good chance that your body has gotten used to the feeling of it. You should try and purchase a board that's as similar to that board as possible. If you get a new deck, and it's a different size, you may find it hard to do tricks that you used to land with ease.

If you plan on skating street, or if you're already a street skater, then you will want to get a deck that is eight inches wide or less. A board in this size range will help you perform flip tricks more easily.

A skateboard that's under eight inches will also allow you to be more maneuverable in the streets. You should have more control under your feet because you have less deck to worry about.

You'll want to buy a board that's eight inches or wider if you're a pool skater or vert skateboarder. Wider skateboard decks tend to give the rider a more stable ride, especially at high speeds.

The wider decks are naturally less maneuverable and not as good for flip tricks. Since there is more wood for your feet to get tripped up on, it will be much more difficult to perform technical flip tricks on a wide board. This doesn't usually matter for pool or vert skateboarders, though.

When someone talks about a skateboard deck, they are usually referencing the modern popsicle stick design. These are great, but there are other boards, too. The ten inch pigs from the eighties are an example of an awesome old school deck that not too many people ride anymore.

These ten inch pigs are great for skating pools and pipes, because they are incredibly stable. The downside to the ten inch pig is that it doesn't work so well when you want to perform flip tricks.

They aren't the best board for performing flip tricks because they're so bulky and large. The eighties style ten inch pigs also don't have much of a front nose for you to work with, so tricks like the nollie are just out of the question.

The other type of deck is the longboard. If you're not into doing tricks, then the longboard is probably the deck you need. The longboard gives some good control, and, thanks to it's linear shape, allows you to build up some speed.

Now that you know about the different types of skateboards, it's time to go out and get one that you like. If you're still lost after reading this guide, head down to your local skateboard shop. They'll be glad to help you! If you need a set of trucks, check out carver trucks

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