In this “learn how to longboard” video series we walk you through how to get up on your board safely for that first ride. It may be tempting to run outside and hit the pavement on the first day of longboard ownership but we urge you to watch this series and make your very first ride a safe one.
In our first video of the series we talk about mastering the basics safely before attempting that first glorious ride. Watch it here and check out our notes afterwards for a recap of all the things you need to keep in mind.
HOW TO LONGBOARD {SAFELY} VIDEO 1
Learning How to Longboard Video 1 Homework:
-Your first day learning how to longboard should be spent familiarizing yourself with the board and getting comforortable with the flex, balance and movement of the board.
– Place your longboard in the grass or on the carpet in your home (anywhere it won’t roll too far, too easily).
-Practice stepping onto the board and balancing along the center line. Your lead foot goes on the forward end of the board. Your toes should be right behind the front bolts. This avoids the “banana peel effect” where being too far back on the board can cause the longboard to slip out from underneath you. If we have to fall we want to fall forwards….not backwards.
-Practice pushing or “kicking” as we call it. Make sure your kicking foot doesn’t come into contact with the front or back wheel. Leave plenty of space between your kicking leg and the wheels. Switch feet.
-Practice “popping up” or standing with both feet on the board. Make sure that you feel comfortable turning your lead foot around (this can be tricky with new grip tape on a new board). Switch sides.
-Practice turning the board by pointing your toes down or heels down (with both feet on your longboard). Switch sides.
-Don’t become too right leg or left leg dominant. Chances are you will be more comfortable with one leg over the other but you have to be pretty good with both legs. This is because your dominant leg will just tire out. You need to be able to switch legs if you’re out cruising.
-DO NOT head out to the pavement without feeling comfortable with all the balancing we’ve just discussed. Feel comfortable with all the motions, movements & balancing you’ll need to do on that first ride.
-After having some experience moving around and balancing on the board you’ll need to assess if your board feels too loose or too tight. Make adjustments to the bushings as needed to stiffen up or loosen the board.
How to Longboard {Safely} Video 2
I’m using a skateboard in this video but the concepts and principals are exactly the same with longboards. In this video I’ll show you what to work on your first few days on pavement. We talk about balancing on the board, kicking (pushing) and the easiest cruising position for beginners.
LEARNING HOW TO LONGBOARD VIDEO 2 HOMEWORK
For your first days out on the pavement you’ll want to focus on balancing on the board while it’s moving. You’ll start learning how to kick or push and maintain your balance at the same time.
For the love of everything holy…keep those knees bent at all times. Don’t lock your knees. If you do this you’ll be better positioned should anything happen.
Remember to stay on the forward end of the board so if you lose your balance you will fall forwards….not backwards.
Don’t worry about popping fully up on the board just yet. If you can make the “T” holding position with your feet to cruise a little you’re doing great!
Don’t forget to practice with both feet so you don’t become too right leg or left leg dominant.
How to Longboard {Safely} Video 3: HOW TO FALL CORRECTLY
This might sound crazy but there is a right and a wrong way to fall on your longboard (or skateboard). Whenever possible we want to fall forwards…not backwards. This allows us to brace ourselves with our hands elbows and knees. Falling backwards can result in falls that we can’t fully brace ourselves for & increases your odds of a head injury. You can increase your odds of falling forwards by concentrating your weight on the front end of the board. I go into detail on how to do this with this short video.
How to Longboard {Safely} Video 4 BASIC ADJUSTMENTS
LEARNING HOW TO LONGBOARD VIDEO 3 HOMEWORK:
How to adjust your longboard
Get your hands on a universal T Tool as soon as possible which you can find very inexpensively HERE on Amazon. Whenever you go out on your board you need to have this tool with you. It contains every possible tool you could need to make adjustments or repairs on the fly.
In this video we go over some basic adjustments you may want to make after you’ve had a chance to try out your longboard on the pavement for the first time.
You may find that your new board feels “too loose” (often described as wobbly, hard to balance on or too much rock). Or “too tight” (often described as stiff or not enough rock which makes turning difficult). There’s a simple adjustment that you can make to your rubber bushings that will solve this.
If your board feels too loose then you need to increase pressure on the bushings by tightening the king pin bolt nut (bolt that holds your axel/wheels onto your trucks). Using your T tool, tighten the king pin bolt by 1 quarter turn in the clockwise direction. Make the EXACT SAME adjustment to both bushings EQUALLY on the front and back of your board. If you do not do make equal adjustments to the front AND the back at the same time you may introduce wobble to your board.
If your board feels too tight and won’t flex or turn to your liking then you need to decrease pressure on the bushing by loosening the king pin bolt nut (bolt that holds your axel/wheels onto your trucks). Using your T tool, loosen the king pin by 1 quarter turn in the counter-clockwise direction. Make the EXACT SAME adjustment to both bushings EQUALLY on the front and back. If you do not do make equal adjustments to the front AND the back at the same time you may introduce wobble to your board.
Make small adjustments (quarter turn at a time) and then go test your board out on the pavement to test each and every small adjustment. Just remember: the tighter you make the king pin bolt the stiffer the board will be.
Whether it's cruising on concrete, jamming at the local rink or dropping in at the skatepark, Lisa J. Skates is the queen of balance and the motivation behind boardwalkskater.com, She's your ultimate guide to living your best life on wheels. With over 30+ years of first hand skating & coaching experience, Lisa’s infectious zeal makes you want to come along for the ride. She'll easily help you get started in roller skating, skateboarding or longboarding!