Author Topic: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?  (Read 27942 times)

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What is one tip or trick that you wished you learned sooner because it helped with skating? I only recently realized I was holding my breath or taking shallower breaths before popping tricks, leaving me winded during sessions.

Hopefully this thread will generate some ideas that should be obvious but often are overlooked when skating.

DotGuru

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2019, 10:05:50 AM »
Mostly to just not be afraid. Of anything--that includes doing tricks deemed uncool at the time, or looking worse than you really are because you need to relearn something you skipped over years before.

jorge

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2019, 10:08:26 AM »
How to fall/slam properly.  Tuck that shit in, take the hit.

arrbee

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2019, 10:10:04 AM »
Make better use of the time I had to actually skate. Spent too much time sitting at spots, or the shop or wherever and not skating.
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Deputy Wendell

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2019, 10:12:09 AM »
in a more general sense, to be as comfortably oriented to the nose of the board as i am to the tail of the board--definitely an old dude issue.

started skating in the early eighties--i guess you'd say part of the first generation of "street skaters"--and didn't really consider the nose much of an option until Vision put out that Lee Ralph model (if i remember correctly--Chris Miller had an early board with a big nose too on Schmitt Stix). i feel like we didn't really start consistently considering the nose of the board as an option until later down the line, past those early/foundational years when all that muscle-memory is established...i hope this makes sense.

anyway, to this day, nose manuals and nollies come and go, and i have to work to keep them...


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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2019, 10:12:55 AM »
Oh man. Wear better shoes that fit proper.
Don’t skate in the winter.
Don’t skate when tired.
Don’t skate stairs.

arrbee

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2019, 10:14:20 AM »
Oh man. Wear better shoes that fit proper.
Don’t skate in the winter.
Don’t skate when tired.
Don’t skate stairs.

Sounds like you may have had a traumatic incident involving ill fitting shoes in the winter while skating stairs, tired?
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youre fucking FRIED if you think im gonna listen to dan corrigan talk about cariuma


Ok

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2019, 10:34:21 AM »
Make better use of the time I had to actually skate. Spent too much time sitting at spots, or the shop or wherever and not skating.

This still holds true for me.
For me it was.....this sounds so pathetic it’s kinda hard to write: practicing tricks wasn’t really cool. Training wasn’t cool. Trying and slamming wasn’t cool. Not trying and coming close was cool. That makes no sense. But that’s how I saw it, didn’t like to try and then fail. Held me back in a lot of ways, in particular learning new tricks or terrain past a certain age. Felt like I should already know. The irony is now everything is a struggle and I frequently look like I just started skating, and due to frequent bouts of time of board that’s not far from the truth. The too cool to try thing seemed to give way when skate parks became more acceptable/available. I remember seeing very talented locals/former pros skate, slam once and then leave because that was just too much. Not the physical pain mind you, just the notion that something wouldn’t work. I feel like that’s why it wasn’t really common for even pros to have every trick, people just did the stuff that they were naturally a little more able to do, and went with it.
Or I’m totally wrong.
Either way, had/have fun skating, and just forking around, but would maybe have more fun now if I had worked for some stuff.

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #8 on: October 15, 2019, 10:44:19 AM »
Properly pushing switch as fast and comfortable as regular, still can't really do it and I think my hips hate me for that.
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sus

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #9 on: October 15, 2019, 10:46:55 AM »
don't bring your camera to the skatepark EVERY TIME because everyone will ask you to film them and then you'll get stuck in a vicious cycle of going to the skatepark and filming instead of skating roughly the entire time.

I did that for about 6 months around the age of 13 or 14 and got so burnt out on filming that i stopped bringing it to the park and not only enjoyed skating so much more but actually progressed where as the previous 6 months my ability stayed the same.

Oh and if you are a filmer and you spend a decent amount of your time on the streets filming, don't film iPhone clips when homies ask you unless nobody else is around. I spend enough time behind a lens as is and don't need to waste my time at a park or warm up spot holding an iPhone. I need to skate too! another homie can always film iphone clips

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #10 on: October 15, 2019, 10:47:04 AM »
to stretch out properly before and after the session.

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #11 on: October 15, 2019, 10:47:25 AM »
Oh and always have Wax, extra shoelaces, and a skate tool around if you can

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #12 on: October 15, 2019, 10:49:37 AM »
Wish I had cared more about skating switch young. Now i have no will to practice tricks that have me looking like an 8 year old on his first board.

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #13 on: October 15, 2019, 10:49:50 AM »
A) just how steep and jagged the progression curve can be; and B) you're skating for yourself, don't worry about what other people, esp. people who dont even skate, think.


live journal response:
as an adolescent I loved skateboarding.  I loved circling items in the CCS catalog, watching skate videos, wearing the clothes. pushing around my driveway and pretending the hill part of it was a bank.  but no matter how much i loved it i was still terrible at it.   I got discouraged when i started to notice people who cared less about skateboarding than me progressing way faster.  i was embarrassed when i was the only kid in the neighborhood who couldn't land the jump ramp the neighbors set up.  i stopped going to the skate park because i felt like a poser watching people who started after me skating up on "the big ramps" while i was on the ground still trying to ollie onto a curb sized box.  i remember some highschool kid who didn't even skate and was just there to smoke pot made a comment along the lines of "for how much time you spend here you really suck." Eventually I just gave up on skateboarding and put the board down for a full decade. now my approach to skating is way different.  i'm not worried about any one else's progression but my own and the only opinion that matters about my skating is my own.
more heaven-cruise than hell-ride.

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #14 on: October 15, 2019, 10:59:06 AM »
I wish I'd started sooner and not been as scared of getting hurt.
"Broke the tail, like a well oiled snail"

Dirk_Diggler

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #15 on: October 15, 2019, 11:01:47 AM »
I wish I could revisit my 15 year old self and beat the shit out of him for thinking that wearing super tight pants was cool.

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #16 on: October 15, 2019, 11:10:24 AM »
I wish had learned sooner not to drink and skate and not to skate hungover. That might have prevented some of that osteoarthritis in my ancle that has been killing me lately.

It might have been nice to have stretched more and to properly learned tricks instead of throwing myself arround and getting out aggression trying things I couldn't really do. I don't really regret it though. It was probably necessary at the time.

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #17 on: October 15, 2019, 11:43:32 AM »
It is strange, I like how my skate career turned out so I wouldn't want to change things too much.

But, I've certainly learned that the "cool" kids aren't all that cool. When I was 18, trying to be part of the crew didn't help me any when it came to going to school, getting a decent job, or even maintaining a spot in skateboarding. The "cool" kids burned out quickly. Shit, out of that whole group of "cool" kids there is only one other guy who is still a part of the scene.

Also, trying to get a job in the skateboard industry isn't worth it. The idea of working around skateboarding sounds fun, but the industry guys are often just complete garbage and the pay usually sucks.

Finally, just because pro skaters are good at skateboarding, it doesn't mean they are interesting/good people.

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #18 on: October 15, 2019, 11:54:50 AM »
Go faster. My worst injuries always happen when I'm being cautious. If I'm fully committed and going for it, I can always get out ok.

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #19 on: October 15, 2019, 12:02:02 PM »
That nobody really cares about what I'm doing. If I'd spent more time enjoying the moment than trying to impress people (that I don't even know) I would've had a lot more satisfying sessions.

Also just knowing when to give up on a trick or line. So many times I've skated to exhaustion, stubbornly trying to land something, but it just put me at risk for some lame fucking injuries.

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #20 on: October 15, 2019, 12:06:14 PM »
What is one tip or trick that you wished you learned sooner because it helped with skating? I only recently realized I was holding my breath or taking shallower breaths before popping tricks, leaving me winded during sessions.

Hopefully this thread will generate some ideas that should be obvious but often are overlooked when skating.

I should have been a goofy footed skater. I realized while skating regular, that my front foot naturally sits heavier on the board. That's why I had trouble learning basic shuv its and flicking kickflips.

FROTHY

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #21 on: October 15, 2019, 12:08:12 PM »
Don't film if you're not having fun.

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #22 on: October 15, 2019, 12:12:35 PM »
Don’t jump down what you can’t jump up.
Surfing is fun as fuck.
Running out on tranny will destroy your knees.

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #23 on: October 15, 2019, 12:14:55 PM »
Stretch before and after, always eat something small before the session, drink lots of fucking water ( I suck at this in general as I drink way more coffee than what is healthy) and wear shoes with good support and cushioning. Also if you’re not feeling it don’t force it just try something else

doublesteveburger

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #24 on: October 15, 2019, 12:18:40 PM »
transition, rails and smith grind variations.


it’s scary, baby

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #25 on: October 15, 2019, 12:18:52 PM »
Don't be afraid of the big kids.

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #26 on: October 15, 2019, 12:21:33 PM »
Expand Quote
Make better use of the time I had to actually skate. Spent too much time sitting at spots, or the shop or wherever and not skating.
[close]

This still holds true for me.
For me it was.....this sounds so pathetic it’s kinda hard to write: practicing tricks wasn’t really cool. Training wasn’t cool. Trying and slamming wasn’t cool. Not trying and coming close was cool. That makes no sense. But that’s how I saw it, didn’t like to try and then fail. Held me back in a lot of ways, in particular learning new tricks or terrain past a certain age. Felt like I should already know. The irony is now everything is a struggle and I frequently look like I just started skating, and due to frequent bouts of time of board that’s not far from the truth. The too cool to try thing seemed to give way when skate parks became more acceptable/available. I remember seeing very talented locals/former pros skate, slam once and then leave because that was just too much. Not the physical pain mind you, just the notion that something wouldn’t work. I feel like that’s why it wasn’t really common for even pros to have every trick, people just did the stuff that they were naturally a little more able to do, and went with it.
Or I’m totally wrong.
Either way, had/have fun skating, and just forking around, but would maybe have more fun now if I had worked for some stuff.

same here. trying hard didn't seem cool. like the tricks had to come easily and naturally. I would have skated more with the intention of learning a lot of tricks.

Keep_on_Chooglin

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #27 on: October 15, 2019, 12:28:34 PM »
Let your ankle fully heal before you get back out there...

LordManHammer

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #28 on: October 15, 2019, 12:31:51 PM »
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Make better use of the time I had to actually skate. Spent too much time sitting at spots, or the shop or wherever and not skating.
[close]

This still holds true for me.
For me it was.....this sounds so pathetic it’s kinda hard to write: practicing tricks wasn’t really cool. Training wasn’t cool. Trying and slamming wasn’t cool. Not trying and coming close was cool. That makes no sense. But that’s how I saw it, didn’t like to try and then fail. Held me back in a lot of ways, in particular learning new tricks or terrain past a certain age. Felt like I should already know. The irony is now everything is a struggle and I frequently look like I just started skating, and due to frequent bouts of time of board that’s not far from the truth. The too cool to try thing seemed to give way when skate parks became more acceptable/available. I remember seeing very talented locals/former pros skate, slam once and then leave because that was just too much. Not the physical pain mind you, just the notion that something wouldn’t work. I feel like that’s why it wasn’t really common for even pros to have every trick, people just did the stuff that they were naturally a little more able to do, and went with it.
Or I’m totally wrong.
Either way, had/have fun skating, and just forking around, but would maybe have more fun now if I had worked for some stuff.
[close]

same here. trying hard didn't seem cool. like the tricks had to come easily and naturally. I would have skated more with the intention of learning a lot of tricks.
Absolutely agree with this sentiment, I tried too hard to look cool which in hindsight it can have positive but also negative affects when dealing with certain types.

I wished I had learned to pull my feet up to land bolts every time and I've been getting better however old habits die hard, anyone know a method to learning how to land bolts?
Dueces Bitch's

LordManHammer

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Re: What is one thing that you wish you learned sooner in your skate life?
« Reply #29 on: October 15, 2019, 12:34:00 PM »
I wish I could revisit my 15 year old self and beat the shit out of him for thinking that wearing super tight pants was cool.
So true.......
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