Tips for learning to ride transition

[TastyBurrito]

Any help is appreciated.

All I know is lean forward.

[BronyHawk]

Less showers

[layzieyez]

Pads and helmet when you start. Go at your pace.

[Lashes2ashes]

Prepare for fear! I skated street for years, and learning transition the last six months I have never gotten the shit scared out of me so much lol. Also the lean forward part, not sure were you heard that? There are times were you lean forward, but I have had several times were leaning forward ended up with a free fall five feet down onto the flat. Not a fun experience😊

[rocklobster]

Pads and helmet when you start. Go at your pace.

I've skated nothing but street for close to 15 years and am not looking forward to the day I have to teach my nephew whose just starting how to drop in.

[DotGuru]

I'm new to transition as well. I would t say it's "lean forward" so much as its to keep yourself perpendicular to the surface. That's hard when the tranny is tight and the surface changes quickly. Oh, and learn to pump.

[cucktard]

How big are we talking?

Like Dotguru said, when riding transition, you want to be standing perpendicular to the walk at all times.

Dropping in is tricky at first because you have to change the angle from straight up on the deck, to suddenly 45 in or more.

Which means as you drop in you have to lean quickly in to get over the deck: too little and you banana peel. Too much and you go over the nose.

Just concentrate on getting those front wheels down solid onto the ramp.

[givecigstosurfgroms]

Work ur way from the bottom a little bit, don't be dropping in having barely gotten a kickturn in 1st.  That way your 1st drop ins will be less unsightly.   

[Sleazy]

i'd start out by finding a bigger ramp with mellow transitions and just learn to pump back and forth, then work on kickturns. once you get that figured out work on dropping in, find a small tranny, lean forward and a few slams later you'll have it. then you can start working dropping in, turning and working your way up the ramp, fakie rocks, 50s ect...

[layzieyez]

Pumping is like riding a swing. Actually, if you have the upper body strength and balance, put your board on a swing and get it going. The same principles of using your legs and timing when to exert force to enact inertia apply. I can't be the only person whose done this.

[Skart]

Go slow

It's all strength based

If you go too fast at first, you won't have the muscle or reaction times to keep yourself off the ground

[Oldguy78]

I’m so uncomfortable riding fakie it’s stupid. Any tips on how to practice that without having to slam 1,000 times?

[tranny in the streets]

I’m so uncomfortable riding fakie it’s stupid. Any tips on how to practice that without having to slam 1,000 times?

If you're goofy lean towards your left shoulder when going down the ramp fakie, if you're regular then right shoulder. Basically you want to lean back, and your body to follow your board. If you are too stiff and lean forward while riding fakie then you will definitely die a horrible death.

I started skating transition like 7 years after I started skateboarding (mostly flatground, a bit of rails and ledges and stairs before that) after I saw some guy do a really chill back disaster. I realize it has helped me a ton with my board control in the streets and generally feeling much better. I am by no means great at transition but I got the basics down.

You got to really get comfortable with the ramp, don't be afraid to take it slow. Learn rock fakies (the leaning towards your back shoulder thing REALLY helps) and tail stalls and then go from there. That's all you really need to have fun on a mini.

[Woos]

I’m so uncomfortable riding fakie it’s stupid. Any tips on how to practice that without having to slam 1,000 times?

Learn fakie tricks on flat. I’m personally more comfortable fakie than regular a lot of the time and it’s probably because of how many fakie big spins and half cabs I did as a kid.  I grew up skating a fairly steep driveway so I did a lot of bank tricks as well and those have a fakie feel to them.

Learn half cabs and fakie front 180s (I find the fs 180s easier personally), fakie shuvs, fakie pop shuvs with decent height, fakie big spins (you don’t even need to pop these at first), and fakie reverts.  Basically anything where your board does a shuv rotation and anything where you rotate and learn to rotate both ways.

I find myself keeping my feet further apart with fakie flip tricks than regular/switch flip tricks.  Fakie shuv/scoop tricks they’re usually closer together than regular stance.

If these are all too much for you maybe start with rolling up a bank or whatever transition and rolling away fakie.  Work on reverts out and pivots out.

Don’t worry about fakie flip tricks yet if your goal is entry level transition.  Although I recommend that you eventually join me in the fakie heel club.  It doesn’t get enough Jove.

I absolutely love fakie tricks. They’re so fun.

[Oldguy78]

Thanks guys. I like the leaning towards my right shoulder (I’m regular) tip it’ll give me a point to focus my mind on. I’ve got a decent skatepark where I live with a huge vert ramp with lots of flat. I’ll give that a shot and just work on pumping and rolling fakie. I’m getting back into skating after a 20 year break so it’s almost like starting over fresh. Plus I’m old now and falling hurts way more lol. Honestly though getting my son into it and seeing his confidence blow up is the biggest joy I’ve had in these past two months of being back on a board. I just don’t want to embarrass him too much by busting my old ass lmao.

[tranny in the streets]

Thanks guys. I like the leaning towards my right shoulder (I’m regular) tip it’ll give me a point to focus my mind on. I’ve got a decent skatepark where I live with a huge vert ramp with lots of flat. I’ll give that a shot and just work on pumping and rolling fakie. I’m getting back into skating after a 20 year break so it’s almost like starting over fresh. Plus I’m old now and falling hurts way more lol. Honestly though getting my son into it and seeing his confidence blow up is the biggest joy I’ve had in these past two months of being back on a board. I just don’t want to embarrass him too much by busting my old ass lmao.

Also another tip to remember is to make sure that your shoulders are parallel to your board. If you somehow go perpendicular you will also die, so just remember to follow your board and trust it. I live in a place where street skating is definitely dominant and I've seen a lot of otherwise decent skaters mess up on rock fakies because they 'look forward' (both shoulders/chest facing toward the nose) while coming back down and that is just a recipe for a face plant.

Riding up and down transition definitely helps, don't rush it. And yeap, the shoulder thing is pretty important so just keep an eye out for that! Parallel and lean towards the shoulder you are moving towards, if that makes sense.

[lysdexia]

it looks ridiculous, but a great way to learn where to keep your weight is to stick your arms out in a T shape parallel to the board, and keep them horizontal to the ground as you pump back and forward.  by doing this, it keeps your shoulders, and as such your weight distribution in the right spot.

[Oldguy78]

Those are great tips and make perfect sense! As for looking weird I’m 41 lol. I started skating back in 1991 and stopped about 20 years ago. I already know I look ridiculous but the great thing about being my age is I’m way past giving a shit what people think about me. ✌️

[HyenaChaser]

How do you fall on transition?

Like mini ramp height. That’s always scared me from sessioning a ramp, when shit hits the fan I don’t know what to do

[Sleazy]

How do you fall on transition?

Like mini ramp height. That’s always scared me from sessioning a ramp, when shit hits the fan I don’t know what to do

if the transition is mellow land it on your ass like a slide, if it's not you better run out of it.

[Jollyoli]

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How do you fall on transition?

Like mini ramp height. That’s always scared me from sessioning a ramp, when shit hits the fan I don’t know what to do

[close]

if the transition is mellow land it on your ass like a slide, if it's not you better run out of it.

If your inside just dead weight yourself and slide, if your over the platform run out, if you jake brown it tuck and roll.

[TastyBurrito]

Those are great tips and make perfect sense! As for looking weird I’m 41 lol. I started skating back in 1991 and stopped about 20 years ago. I already know I look ridiculous but the great thing about being my age is I’m way past giving a shit what people think about me. ✌️

I'm 34 and am just getting back into skating as well. I don't care about looking dumb, so long as I can do it.

And thanks to everyone for the tips. Can't wait to get over the flu and get back on my board.

[Woos]

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Those are great tips and make perfect sense! As for looking weird I’m 41 lol. I started skating back in 1991 and stopped about 20 years ago. I already know I look ridiculous but the great thing about being my age is I’m way past giving a shit what people think about me. ✌️

[close]

I'm 34 and am just getting back into skating as well. I don't care about looking dumb, so long as I can do it.

And thanks to everyone for the tips. Can't wait to get over the flu and get back on my board.

Nobody thinks an older beginner is kook shit.  If anything people will be super hyped to see it.  I love seeing anyone pick up a board and 99% of real skaters feel the same.

[dofrenzy]

I started skating on my 50th b-day 6 months ago and celebrated today with my first drop-in on a 6 foot ramp.

I literally LOL’d today  when I realized I was the only one at the park with pads and helmet.  It seemed like the park was packed with professionals today.  Skill levels through the roof.  It was terribly humbling to be “barely” axle-stalling on a 3 footer and dropping into a 6 footer, but it was cool that the other skaters tolerated me.

My advice:

- Time on the board is most important, working basics always.  Push, tic-tac, kickturn, pump and fakie.  Wherever and whenever.
- wear pads.  My right hip was getting slammed the worst so I have added pads that you put on like shorts, but wrist guards, elbow pads, knee pads, and all.

I have some videos on my YouTube channel, including my first drop-ins with a slo-mo drop-in as well.  It always helps me to see others do it, so watching others can be helpful.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzcFuaF05aTAOMUDFaytX9w

[Oldguy78]

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Those are great tips and make perfect sense! As for looking weird I’m 41 lol. I started skating back in 1991 and stopped about 20 years ago. I already know I look ridiculous but the great thing about being my age is I’m way past giving a shit what people think about me. ✌️

[close]

I'm 34 and am just getting back into skating as well. I don't care about looking dumb, so long as I can do it.

And thanks to everyone for the tips. Can't wait to get over the flu and get back on my board.

[close]

Nobody thinks an older beginner is kook shit.  If anything people will be super hyped to see it.  I love seeing anyone pick up a board and 99% of real skaters feel the same.

That’s how I feel about it. More people skating is a good thing. I’m interested to see what the reaction will be after the olympics next year. I’m sure there’s going to be a bunch of “gatekeepers” trying to talk shit on all the new “wannabes and posers” but I hope that doesn’t discourage anyone from picking up a board and going for it. I feel it’s our opportunity to help change the negative image skaters have. For example I ride sport bikes and have since 1996. Yeah I ride fast and wheelie and all that but never in traffic. Motorcyclists already have a bad image and whenever I’m on my bike I’m an ambassador for that community. Same as when I’m on my board. I’m teaching my son to be respectful when we’re out skating. Sure we go to “spots” but I try not to be a nuance and if we’re asked to leave, even if it’s rudely, it’s always yes sir/ma’am and we just find somewhere else to go. 

[jay_nev]

Wish I grew up around some smooth transition parks or something. Absolutely trash concrete pop ups ramp stuff is all I’d have to drive 30 minutes to. That’s what I blame for my lack of comfort

[Sleazy]

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Those are great tips and make perfect sense! As for looking weird I’m 41 lol. I started skating back in 1991 and stopped about 20 years ago. I already know I look ridiculous but the great thing about being my age is I’m way past giving a shit what people think about me. ✌️

[close]

I'm 34 and am just getting back into skating as well. I don't care about looking dumb, so long as I can do it.

And thanks to everyone for the tips. Can't wait to get over the flu and get back on my board.

[close]

Nobody thinks an older beginner is kook shit.  If anything people will be super hyped to see it.  I love seeing anyone pick up a board and 99% of real skaters feel the same.

Tip there is don’t be too chatty too soon. Chill and bro’s will happen.

[rusty knees]

learn to roll in instead of dropping in. you'll get more respect earlier.

[Halfcab180]

Learning on an indoor/skatelite ramp is helpful because it’s easier to slide when you fall. I got more into skating transition on a skatelite bowl, and falls are noticeably less painful than on concrete. Bend your knees.

[TastyBurrito]

First time on my board in God knows how long.

But yea, I made sure to keep my shoulders parallel and just pump. I even got in a solid kick turn. I felt good after my short sesh today.

Still a lot to practice and riding before any of it feels natural. The fear of dropping in (even on a 2ft mini pool) is real. Gotta still get over that hurdle.

Once again, thanks for all the tips and advice.