vent out your bad sesh here

[mj23]

I recently went thru the rub brick/spray lacquer/wax process on a new ledge at the local community college, but when I showed up to skate it today there was a maintenance worker doing some kind of job right in front of it. Strike 1, I’ll go skate something else.

There’s a weird speed bump to ledge that I noticed a few blocks away, technically on a different college campus. Skate over, notice that it’s actually really crusty and gonna take a lot more work to skate than I was prepared for today. Strike 2.

On my way out of the campus I notice some decorative boulders in a walkway and decide to. Honestly I’ve had a lot of fun skating on rocks lately. Then a security guard drives by. Then she gets out and tells me to stop. She was actually really nice about it and tried to give me a bottle of water and a zip loc bag full of disposable masks, I guess to defuse the situation (they’ve probably had some aggro encounters in the past if I had to guess). Strike 3, time to quit while I’m ahead.

Didn’t get hurt or anything, so it could definitely be a lot worse.

[CossRooper]

Unless we're talking about a trick where committing is the issue, you're eventually going to hit a plateau after so many tries resulting in you making minimal progress and becoming prone to frustration. Take a break after 30 minutes or so and try something else, when you eventually try it again your mind will be refreshed and it should hopefully come easier.

I never really thought about there being a difference between commitment tricks and other sorts of balance tricks. That's a good point. I think I do have a problem with half-assing or not committing on manuals and ledge stuff as well, but it's obviously a different ballgame to trying to huck some stairs, where it really is mostly about the huck and less about the particulars. I think you're right that balance tricks require a different kind of focus that might be more of a limited resource.

been trying this one a lot lately as well, i also find myself getting close immediately then drifting further from getting into a viable one. especially demoralizing when you begin to slack on your sw ollie and hang up on the pad. almost as bad is when you overshoot the manual and scrape and/or get chucked forward going fakie.

i guess focusing is important, but an unconditional "don't quit" approach can easily get out of hand. not quitting isn't a good unto itself, and always remember that "quitting" in these circumstances is never absolute. in my particular experience its actually a bit like working on music... if you're working on a beat/melody/tone etc. maybe what you have at first is almost what you're after, but the final piece of the puzzle isn't there yet. you can only do so much before it's time to put it away and listen with fresh ears, as your continued efforts grow perpetually more stale and that initial optimism fades into self-critical doubt, which in turn engenders cynical perplexion and severe disappointment in myself, unreasonably high expectations, etc.

pushing through some frustration is one thing, playing yourself is another. waiting til next time (or patiently troubleshooting and really tweaking your approach before calling it) can be quite healthy and the smart choice even if it feels like a cop out. if this is the case use the rest of your sesh to get enough satisfaction to stave off the feelings of shame. filming your typical attempt in slomo and comparing it with a successful one (possibly performed by someone else who has mastered the trick in question) might seem like doing the most but can also help.

Bro the part about slacking on the switch ollie really hit home! if your focus is not on point with these, and you're not really putting in effort on every try, they're gonna punish you for sure.

the line between hyper committed and just over it is thin and i think the best dudes know how to walk it perfectly. sometimes it just isn’t feeling right, don’t force it!

i notice i skate better if i take a minute or two in between tries, sometimes longer if the spot is empty. helps me keep from tensing up.

These posts are some real zen master shit! Thanks for the replies guys. I've never really put it out there but I'm glad I did.

I think taking a 20 minute break at least is almost always the right move, especially when it is something like manuals that require kind of intense focus. Shit, maybe a chance to drink some water and stretch the hammies! I need to get over that feeling that stopping is a cop out, and instead look at it as "i've made progress today, hopefully some of the muscle memory or new ideas/approaches I generated today 'stick' and help me on the next sesh".

[Bony cawk]

last time i went skating my board shot into a gutter. had the bushings broken in how i like it too

[chrisskates808]

Whacked my mouth on the ledge

[moneen]

Like how do you guys frame it in your head? Is focus good? sometimes I think "focus" or "not wanting to be a quitter" etc etc are actually harmful mentalities on the sesh. At some point, your body, mind, muscle memory etc is just cashed out and the window has sort of passed to be trying new or difficult shit.

i've always felt like for me, skating has "windows" of opportunity where you can land your shit. Then the window closes and you have to keep trying until it opens up again and you get your chance. Sometimes the window is only a couple of minutes but sometimes it can be a whole sesh.

[nolliecrooked]

I'm a filmer so I dont care about bad days if I'm having fun, slamming is always shit tho, slammed last week on a ss crook and stomped my shoulder in the ground, cant move my arm properly, but you cant always win lol

on shitty days you can always have fun no matter what in my opinion, unless you are trying to film something on a street spot etc

[DaleSr]

Fucked up both my ankles on Sunday. Been on ice ever since which always blows

[OMSK]

Hung up doing a transfer over a hip, deck checked and went straight to flat. First thought, broken ribs. Went home, couldn't sit comfortably, went to go pee and out came the blood, like a ketchup color and consistency. Went to Urgent Care but they were closing, so no scans available. Dr. assessed me and told me to watch myself for dizziness, more bleeding, bruising, vomiting, etc. Three days later my whole left side seized up, took a hot bath and it chilled out. A few hours later it was worse, still peeing blood, but at this point it was like watered down cranberry juice. Went to ER because shit wasn't right. Code RED after I gave them a urine sample. Millions of questions: "Did you get hit by a car?", "Why did you wait so long?"... Drs were weirded out that my pain was only a 3 or 4 but my body looked like it was destroyed. (I had two swellbows, a bunch of cuts, lots of bruises... typical skater stuff) A nurse kept telling me I "Could've died!!!". Turns out I lacerated my kidney and had internal bleeding for 4 days. Spent 5 days in ICU next to a dude who had his face caved in from a car accident. Kept the kidney and my left side still hurts from time to time. That was definitely a bad sesh...

[CossRooper]

Expand Quote

Like how do you guys frame it in your head? Is focus good? sometimes I think "focus" or "not wanting to be a quitter" etc etc are actually harmful mentalities on the sesh. At some point, your body, mind, muscle memory etc is just cashed out and the window has sort of passed to be trying new or difficult shit.

[close]

i've always felt like for me, skating has "windows" of opportunity where you can land your shit. Then the window closes and you have to keep trying until it opens up again and you get your chance. Sometimes the window is only a couple of minutes but sometimes it can be a whole sesh.

Yes! well put. and it's a bitch because you can't induce it or plan on it, or know how long it is going to last. And I also generally don't realize that I'm in the window, until after the fact. It just comes and goes.

[RajeevWins]

I’m in my late 30’s, there is no such thing as a bad session anymore. Some days I rip and learn new tricks...some days I spend the entire session warming up. Most days I’m just glad to be able to skate still.

[Lloyd Braun]

Hung up doing a transfer over a hip, deck checked and went straight to flat. First thought, broken ribs. Went home, couldn't sit comfortably, went to go pee and out came the blood, like a ketchup color and consistency. Went to Urgent Care but they were closing, so no scans available. Dr. assessed me and told me to watch myself for dizziness, more bleeding, bruising, vomiting, etc. Three days later my whole left side seized up, took a hot bath and it chilled out. A few hours later it was worse, still peeing blood, but at this point it was like watered down cranberry juice. Went to ER because shit wasn't right. Code RED after I gave them a urine sample. Millions of questions: "Did you get hit by a car?", "Why did you wait so long?"... Drs were weirded out that my pain was only a 3 or 4 but my body looked like it was destroyed. (I had two swellbows, a bunch of cuts, lots of bruises... typical skater stuff) A nurse kept telling me I "Could've died!!!". Turns out I lacerated my kidney and had internal bleeding for 4 days. Spent 5 days in ICU next to a dude who had his face caved in from a car accident. Kept the kidney and my left side still hurts from time to time. That was definitely a bad sash...
[/quote

Wow, you make me grateful for the crappy sessions I’ve had lately. I’m not even gonna complain now.

Props for making it through all that sounds aweful hope your healing up.

[OMSK]

Expand Quote

Hung up doing a transfer over a hip, deck checked and went straight to flat. First thought, broken ribs. Went home, couldn't sit comfortably, went to go pee and out came the blood, like a ketchup color and consistency. Went to Urgent Care but they were closing, so no scans available. Dr. assessed me and told me to watch myself for dizziness, more bleeding, bruising, vomiting, etc. Three days later my whole left side seized up, took a hot bath and it chilled out. A few hours later it was worse, still peeing blood, but at this point it was like watered down cranberry juice. Went to ER because shit wasn't right. Code RED after I gave them a urine sample. Millions of questions: "Did you get hit by a car?", "Why did you wait so long?"... Drs were weirded out that my pain was only a 3 or 4 but my body looked like it was destroyed. (I had two swellbows, a bunch of cuts, lots of bruises... typical skater stuff) A nurse kept telling me I "Could've died!!!". Turns out I lacerated my kidney and had internal bleeding for 4 days. Spent 5 days in ICU next to a dude who had his face caved in from a car accident. Kept the kidney and my left side still hurts from time to time. That was definitely a bad sash...
[/quote

Wow, you make me grateful for the crappy sessions I’ve had lately. I’m not even gonna complain now.

Props for making it through all that sounds aweful hope your healing up.

[close]

Thanks man, all healed up. Sometimes when I fall on my left side I get “Am I gonna pee blood?” PTSD, but I’m all good. Weirdest part is that I’ve had slams that were less traumatic but much more painful. That’s skateboarding though....

[augustmoon]

Ive been skating pretty good in general lately; relearning at least a few tricks per session and making good progress.  But i take at least one devastating slam (or three) every day.  I'm over 40, and over 200 now, and when I go down, i go down hard. 

No real injuries, just scrapes, so I should be (and am) grateful, but its really getting annoying to slap the ground at my size.  Its like I begin to catch myself, and think I'm in the clear, but I can't escape the forward momentum.

Anyway, still learning to live in an older, bigger body, and really happy to still be learning and progressing at my age.

[Willie]

Expand Quote

Like how do you guys frame it in your head? Is focus good? sometimes I think "focus" or "not wanting to be a quitter" etc etc are actually harmful mentalities on the sesh. At some point, your body, mind, muscle memory etc is just cashed out and the window has sort of passed to be trying new or difficult shit.

[close]

i've always felt like for me, skating has "windows" of opportunity where you can land your shit. Then the window closes and you have to keep trying until it opens up again and you get your chance. Sometimes the window is only a couple of minutes but sometimes it can be a whole sesh.

This “window” idea resonates with me. That’s basically how skateboarding has worked for me in the past. After some (or a lot) of warmup, I’m able to do things within my abilities without a lot of conscious thought. When trying new stuff I can think about a few macro things like speed or weight placement but it’s still more of a “no mind” exercise.

I rarely get in that zone anymore because I usually am dealing with some kind of back issue that precludes me from moving in an unrestricted way.

[Pingo]

Christmas complete
Stuck on flatbar
Totally bodied

[AngryBlackMan]

Skated a parking garage today... rear left wheel fell off mid kickflip.

 I was running 3 washers to keep my axle nuts flush to the axles and I guess there wasn’t enough space on the axle to  keep it secure.  After all of my back 50 slappies kept turning into back willys it started unscrewing the nut.

Found the nut, reset all 4 wheels with 1 washer in and 1 out like a normal person and kept skating.

Then after doing a few slappy crooks my front right wheel fell off.

Found the nut and called it a day.  Trucks are 2 day old Thunder 151s and they’re getting some loc-tite before I skate again.

[johnes]

2 wednesdays back I was skating and my face and jaw were still swollen from the 5 teeth I had pulled 6 days before which I figured was decent amount of time for me to be able to skate. Usually we skate 5 hours on Wednesday and by the end of hour 1, I was exhausted and then a bunch of really good locals showed up to the park and I didn’t wanna look like a chunk so I skated a few more hours and afterwards my body was so fucked feeling, I felt like my ribs and lungs were on the verge of cramping at one point. Also jacked my knee some how, but it was already jacked, just got worse that day too.
I still landed tricks and stuff but I should have taken it easy like I had intended to.