Author Topic: How do you ease back into skating after a long break?  (Read 739 times)

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Logic

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How do you ease back into skating after a long break?
« on: August 09, 2022, 09:55:25 PM »
I haven't skated much at all in the last two years due to injuries and just depression in general. The few attempts I've made I inevitably end up getting frustrated at myself due to not being able to do tricks that were once fun/easy for me

FatGuy92

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Re: How do you ease back into skating after a long break?
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2022, 10:57:41 PM »
Be mindful and don't judge yourself/ be too hard on yourself for no reason. It's frustrating when you know you can do something and your body isn't cooperating, but don't let your frustrations ruin something you enjoy. I know skating is supposed to be fun, but I think this is a good opportunity to set small, reasonable goals for yourself and it'll feel good checking stuff off your list until you get back in the groove.

silhouette

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Re: How do you ease back into skating after a long break?
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2022, 02:49:27 AM »
Don't use the tricks you can or can't do as a measuring stick for your entire self worth, that's actually a really common mistake I see in people who then usually go down this weird mental spiral of negative feedback with themselves as they age to the point where they stop enjoying skating altogether (and then naturally quit). You're supposed to be out there and grateful to be feeling nothing but your board and its vibrations on your sessions, just like anyone should be for living an existence that permits them the luxury to get on theirs and feel those. You're not competing against even yourself if you choose not to. Skate for nothing but the direct feeling, do what works and is fun and don't restrict yourself based on abstractions. Then progress comes naturally (especially since spontaneous and not needlessly self-inflicted). Even your body will adapt and eventually you'll surprise yourself with new moves you never even considered you could do before as you get fully in touch with your board again.

Mean salto

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Re: How do you ease back into skating after a long break?
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2022, 04:49:19 AM »
Basically always had this issue. Since about 2013 I've never gotten back(or even close to) where I was before I had to take the break. Not gonna lie it's insanely frustrating mentally knowing what you should be able to do and your body not being able to do it anymore. I just first try to make sure I'm physically up to whatever I'm gonna be trying. I don't know your condition but you gotta at least be able to run, jump and survive a slam.
Then I just have an idea of like a pyramid of stuff to do. Like Ollie is the best then manual, boardslide, 5050, noseslide then next is nosemanny,nosegrind, 5-0 lipslide, tailslide, crooked. There's all flips and 180s and switch whatever too I might add in if I'm feeling it but I try to be efficient. Just be kinda smooth get it done, go home. Not get stuck on something for an hour.

rocklobster

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Re: How do you ease back into skating after a long break?
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2022, 06:31:36 AM »
Put in the time and enjoy the time you have on your board, there's no replacement for consistency. You may lack the energy, flexibility and recovery of your youth but make up for it with patience and being more mindful of your tricks.

Since coming back after a 10 year haitus and skating in 2019 I've skated better than and consistently than I ever have even picked up more tricks that escaped me in my youth. Like @silhouette said using past success as a measure for current performance is a fools endeavor, and unfortunately you may never get all those tricks back.

Skate stuff outside your wheelhouse like curbs or a mini ramp, you never know what you'll learn or gravitate towards.

Lastly, make new friends and skate with the younger dudes at the park, hell even play SKATE with them. Their energy can be infectious and they'll push you to relearn or explore new tricks. I'm probably the oldest dude at the park I frequent and I'm friendly with all the regulars there, having a new friend group is helpful in keeping you motivated when your original skate crew is too busy with life and aren't as committed to skateboarding as you are.
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BurgerCop

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Re: How do you ease back into skating after a long break?
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2022, 08:50:43 AM »
After a layoff my goal is always the same.
Get my kickflips back. (Or maybe heelflips if you're a heelflip guy)

Seems like once I can consistently stomp nice looking, well popped kickflips, everything else just kinda follows.
I think it's just the perfect trick for getting your flick and center of balance dialed back in.

silhouette

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Re: How do you ease back into skating after a long break?
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2022, 09:57:26 AM »
Like @silhouette said using past success as a measure for current performance is a fools endeavor, and unfortunately you may never get all those tricks back.

To be frank though, it can also be a good personal challenge. I know I do this thing a lot where I'll suddenly remember some random fancy trick I used to be able to do or even struggle against 15 years ago and go see if I can still make it happen now, usually though the answer is yes because I'm fortunate enough to be in good health at nearly 35 and still remember all the mechanics, if anything I'm only stronger and so even then success really comes with one's mindset and the ability to refrain from making gigantic mountains out of a skate trick. But again, that whole personal challenge thing is but an exception or a choice. Summing up skateboarding to tricks and ability is a mistake to begin with anyway, we choose the mind games that we play. If you just do what's fun in the moment then everything else comes secondary.

Your last paragraph is brilliant too - I've been there - skating with only older and more jaded people will eat your mindset. Even if just occasionally, skate with younger people who will push you to keep or relearn your frontside flips on flat, adults might be cooler but only until they start reminiscing about the old days again (and projecting over and embellishing most of them due to their own personal struggles with limits, which shouldn't deserve to affect you).

It doesn't matter so much how many flatground 360 flips in a row one used to be able to land when it's the next ollie you're about to do right now that you should be trying to make the most amazing thing.
« Last Edit: August 10, 2022, 10:09:33 AM by silhouette »

in love w/ fs shuvs

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Re: How do you ease back into skating after a long break?
« Reply #7 on: August 10, 2022, 10:57:14 AM »
wear a cool outfit ur hyped on, pace urself, and try and have fun :-)))

truthislie

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Re: How do you ease back into skating after a long break?
« Reply #8 on: August 10, 2022, 11:26:41 AM »
If possible find someone in a similar position and tell each other not to get too worked up about shit. Be more greatful for every session you have than sad for every trick you have lost. By all means try to do a trick you´ve never done before for a whole afternoon but don´t invest that kind of time in a trick you could do before. Landing it is not going to be as satisfying anyways. Go away and try that shit on the next session and eventually it might come back. If it doesn´t, just relax. I think in these kind of scenarios your true love for skating comes out. At least that´s how it was/is for me. You probably chose skating because don´t like competitive sports too much, so why should you compete with your younger self?

rocklobster

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Re: How do you ease back into skating after a long break?
« Reply #9 on: August 10, 2022, 06:22:18 PM »
Expand Quote
Like @silhouette said using past success as a measure for current performance is a fools endeavor, and unfortunately you may never get all those tricks back.
[close]

Your last paragraph is brilliant too - I've been there - skating with only older and more jaded people will eat your mindset. Even if just occasionally, skate with younger people who will push you to keep or relearn your frontside flips on flat, adults might be cooler but only until they start reminiscing about the old days again (and projecting over and embellishing most of them due to their own personal struggles with limits, which shouldn't deserve to affect you).

One of the Saturday regulars I skate with said he stopped skating with his old crew was because they spent the whole session reminiscing on their glory days, sitting around and smoking cigarettes. When they do get down to skating they complain about how few tries it used to take them to land the trick.

So he skates with us now because we skate harder and talk way less.
Venture Truck Height:

5.0 & 5.2 LO
STANDARD - 1.88” - 47.75mm
FORGED - 1.85”- 46.99mm

5.0 ,5.2, 5.6, 5.8 & 6.1 HI
STANDARD - 2.09” - 53.09mm
FORGED - 2.04” - 51.82m

truthislie

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Re: How do you ease back into skating after a long break?
« Reply #10 on: August 10, 2022, 11:34:43 PM »
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Like @silhouette said using past success as a measure for current performance is a fools endeavor, and unfortunately you may never get all those tricks back.
[close]

Your last paragraph is brilliant too - I've been there - skating with only older and more jaded people will eat your mindset. Even if just occasionally, skate with younger people who will push you to keep or relearn your frontside flips on flat, adults might be cooler but only until they start reminiscing about the old days again (and projecting over and embellishing most of them due to their own personal struggles with limits, which shouldn't deserve to affect you).
[close]

One of the Saturday regulars I skate with said he stopped skating with his old crew was because they spent the whole session reminiscing on their glory days, sitting around and smoking cigarettes. When they do get down to skating they complain about how few tries it used to take them to land the trick.

So he skates with us now because we skate harder and talk way less.

When they smoke cigs and talk about the old days they are probably not old enough. I love talking about the old days but when I finally find time to skate nowadays I hardly ever sit down. I might talk about that shit in the car on the way to the park/spot. At the Session I try to squeeze as much skating in as possible.

Skatebeard

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Re: How do you ease back into skating after a long break?
« Reply #11 on: August 11, 2022, 01:19:16 AM »
set yourself realistic goals and keep you expectations low.

I got back in after a 12 year break and spent the first couple of months having regular short 20-30 min solo sessions just getting the foundations back, wasn't worried about pop or cleanliness, just landing stuff and finding my skate feet again.

Keep sessions short but frequent, you'll progress more having 4 or 5 short skates over a week than if you just blast out 2 hours on a saturday, it's a lot kinder on your body too.

Listen to your body in terms of aches and pains, always finish on a make.