How to deal with the fact I fucking suck at skating

[backfliptofiftyfifty]

Been skating for four years. I'm still so bad lol. I'm sure I'm being too harsh on myself but compared to the people who started at the same time as me or after me, I'm like a tortoise.

I still try to skate once or twice a week despite having things like school, work, etc holding me back.

I guess I just feel disillusioned because a local at the park I go to who I've known for a quite a bit basically roasted me in front of everyone that I've barely improved. He's a dick for sure because he'll try tricks that I'm trying and say he's "so bad" but then land them next try and it takes me hours to even get a sketchy roll away.

Regardless, is skating even worth it? I don't really skate anymore for fun but constantly think in my head "oh I landed this trick last session so I should have it down" or "I learned this trick so this is the next one I have to learn"

[ApesPissed]

Go into the woods, look up at the stars.

[cucktard]

Been skating for four years. I'm still so bad lol. I'm sure I'm being too harsh on myself but compared to the people who started at the same time as me or after me, I'm like a tortoise.

I still try to skate once or twice a week despite having things like school, work, etc holding me back.

I guess I just feel disillusioned because a local at the park I go to who I've known for a quite a bit basically roasted me in front of everyone that I've barely improved. He's a dick for sure because he'll try tricks that I'm trying and say he's "so bad" but then land them next try and it takes me hours to even get a sketchy roll away.

Regardless, is skating even worth it? I don't really skate anymore for fun but constantly think in my head "oh I landed this trick last session so I should have it down" or "I learned this trick so this is the next one I have to learn"

Sounds like you need to assert dominance.

Next time he one-ups you, walk over to him, slam your deck to the ground, look him dead in the eyes, and then grab him behind his head, pull him in and give him a deep, passionate kiss. Tell him that he’s amazing, he doesn’t need to prove it, you’ve known since you first laid eyes on him.

Either he’ll stop one-upping you, or you made a new best friend.

Either way, you win.

[apport]

Just Have Fun like boo johnson

[smellsdead]

suck with style

[manysnakes]

I've sucked for 34 years. You get used to it.

Learn slappies.

[GAY]

I’ve been skating for 40 years. There was a period where I tried to convince myself that I was decent, but I have accepted the fact that I was always, in fact, terrible.

That realization doesn’t take away the importance of skating in my life or any of the fun I’ve had skating, nor my love for it. The flip side of that coin is that when compared to someone who doesn’t skate, I’m quite good. I am comfortable on a board and can Ollie up and down curbs and may even get a boardslide or shove it.

I remember once I was trying to convince a friend of mine to take up skating and he was like, "why would I want to do something that everyone fails at 99.9% of the time?"

If success at, or being good at, skating had been my end goal I would have hated it from day one.

All of that to say that if you suck at skating you’re in the good company of most, and it’s still ok to do it and enjoy it. Just don’t let some comparative expectation ruin it for you.

Thank you for coming to my bongo-laden Ted-X talk.

[BurgerCop]

Dude calling you out is a prick.

It'll be really hard to progress skating once a week. I occasionally have stretches where I only have time to get out once a week and it definitely reflects in my skating. I basically spend the whole session treading water to keep the tricks I already have and don't get any time to refine tricks or work on new stuff.
To really be at my best I have to skate at least 3 times a week, even if one of those sessions is just doing flat ground in my garage for 30 minutes, that still helps.

Landing a trick once definitely does not mean you "have it down".
I have a whole laundry list of tricks I only land maybe once per session at best even though I've been doing them for years.
Skateboarding is a game of grinding through failure.

Don't try to progress too fast. You didn't really mention which tricks you're trying.
How good is your ollie? Can you pop them relatively high and flat at decent speed?
If you were rolling up to a 7" curb at moderate speed are you 100% certain you could ollie up it?
If the answer to either of those is no, keep refining the ollie. Don't worry about kickflips or whatever else.
Ollie is the foundation for pretty much everything. If your ollie isn't good, nothing built off of it will be good.

[Lou Strux]

I don't really skate anymore for fun

Sounds like it’s time to hang it up.

If it makes you feel any better, after 40(+) active years of skating, I’m still doing the same set of 5 or so tricks & at this point in my life am fighting to retain the few I still have left more than I am struggling with new ones. Why persist, then?

‘Cause it’s still fun.

I know our homey sle_epy is above skating for fun, but there comes a point for many of us when that’s about all you should rightly expect from it.

Presuming being on the cusp of geriatric debilitation is not you issue, maybe try skating as far away from that asshole friend of yours?

[fineslime]

I suggest doing a cycle of testosterone. It probably won't help your skating, but you def won't get son'd again by homie, and you won't even be worried about skating because you'll be too busy smashing random bitties.

[donkey]

depends on what you are trying to get out of skating. i started skating when I was somewhat older (i think i was 15), and skipped a lot of the essential trial and failure needed to be good in skateboarding. i've accepted i'm not going to be the best skateboarder, but that doesn't matter because i get what i need out of it. i use it as an excuse to stretch my body and to sweat a lot in the pursuit of something that will make me feel good like landing a trick. it's also a great way to explore new cities and to have a reason to go outside and breathe fresh air. and i sleep better when i come home from skating. it's all about how it makes you feel.

[fs1/2cab]

I am a very slow learner when it comes to physical activities like skating. But it was always fun, to try to improve myself. You can even have fun if your bag of tricks consists of like 10 tricks. Try to learn these 10 tricks as best as you possibly could. Go skating by yourself, you will get into "the zone". "The zone" is the best feeling in the world. Don't care what others say or think about you. Maybe those others will stop skating anytime in the future, but you will still be skating. That's all that matters, to never give up.

If you have fun, get out there and play skateboard.
If you don't have fun, then find something else.

Just my 2 cents.

[Frank and Fred]

Been skating for four years. I'm still so bad lol. I'm sure I'm being too harsh on myself but compared to the people who started at the same time as me or after me, I'm like a tortoise.

I still try to skate once or twice a week despite having things like school, work, etc holding me back.

I guess I just feel disillusioned because a local at the park I go to who I've known for a quite a bit basically roasted me in front of everyone that I've barely improved. He's a dick for sure because he'll try tricks that I'm trying and say he's "so bad" but then land them next try and it takes me hours to even get a sketchy roll away.

Regardless, is skating even worth it? I don't really skate anymore for fun but constantly think in my head "oh I landed this trick last session so I should have it down" or "I learned this trick so this is the next one I have to learn"

It doesn't sound like skateboarding is currently fun for you. Stop worrying about learning new tricks and focus on having fun. Mix it up. Skate some new terrain. Try a new  style of skateboarding. Take what you can do to new levels. Go a bit faster or higher with existing tricks. Spend a day jamming around on soft wheels bouncing off sidewalk cracks and learning wallies Learn front rocks on a 2' high very steep quarter pipe. There's so many ways to skate, maybe you haven't found your niche. Ultimately, don't force it...

[JANUS]

I've sucked for 34 years. You get used to it.

Learn slappies.

Also, kiss the fool, like cucktard said.

[The night listener]

Expand Quote

Been skating for four years. I'm still so bad lol. I'm sure I'm being too harsh on myself but compared to the people who started at the same time as me or after me, I'm like a tortoise.

I still try to skate once or twice a week despite having things like school, work, etc holding me back.

I guess I just feel disillusioned because a local at the park I go to who I've known for a quite a bit basically roasted me in front of everyone that I've barely improved. He's a dick for sure because he'll try tricks that I'm trying and say he's "so bad" but then land them next try and it takes me hours to even get a sketchy roll away.

Regardless, is skating even worth it? I don't really skate anymore for fun but constantly think in my head "oh I landed this trick last session so I should have it down" or "I learned this trick so this is the next one I have to learn"

[close]

Sounds like you need to assert dominance.

Next time he one-ups you, walk over to him, slam your deck to the ground, look him dead in the eyes, and then grab him behind his head, pull him in and give him a deep, passionate kiss. Tell him that he’s amazing, he doesn’t need to prove it, you’ve known since you first laid eyes on him.

Either he’ll stop one-upping you, or you made a new best friend.

Either way, you win.

That's also a quick way to get your ass kicked

[JANUS]

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Been skating for four years. I'm still so bad lol. I'm sure I'm being too harsh on myself but compared to the people who started at the same time as me or after me, I'm like a tortoise.

I still try to skate once or twice a week despite having things like school, work, etc holding me back.

I guess I just feel disillusioned because a local at the park I go to who I've known for a quite a bit basically roasted me in front of everyone that I've barely improved. He's a dick for sure because he'll try tricks that I'm trying and say he's "so bad" but then land them next try and it takes me hours to even get a sketchy roll away.

Regardless, is skating even worth it? I don't really skate anymore for fun but constantly think in my head "oh I landed this trick last session so I should have it down" or "I learned this trick so this is the next one I have to learn"

[close]

Sounds like you need to assert dominance.

Next time he one-ups you, walk over to him, slam your deck to the ground, look him dead in the eyes, and then grab him behind his head, pull him in and give him a deep, passionate kiss. Tell him that he’s amazing, he doesn’t need to prove it, you’ve known since you first laid eyes on him.

Either he’ll stop one-upping you, or you made a new best friend.

Either way, you win.

[close]

That's also a quick way to get your ass kicked

Such an uncultured response.

[The night listener]

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Been skating for four years. I'm still so bad lol. I'm sure I'm being too harsh on myself but compared to the people who started at the same time as me or after me, I'm like a tortoise.

I still try to skate once or twice a week despite having things like school, work, etc holding me back.

I guess I just feel disillusioned because a local at the park I go to who I've known for a quite a bit basically roasted me in front of everyone that I've barely improved. He's a dick for sure because he'll try tricks that I'm trying and say he's "so bad" but then land them next try and it takes me hours to even get a sketchy roll away.

Regardless, is skating even worth it? I don't really skate anymore for fun but constantly think in my head "oh I landed this trick last session so I should have it down" or "I learned this trick so this is the next one I have to learn"

[close]

Sounds like you need to assert dominance.

Next time he one-ups you, walk over to him, slam your deck to the ground, look him dead in the eyes, and then grab him behind his head, pull him in and give him a deep, passionate kiss. Tell him that he’s amazing, he doesn’t need to prove it, you’ve known since you first laid eyes on him.

Either he’ll stop one-upping you, or you made a new best friend.

Either way, you win.

[close]

That's also a quick way to get your ass kicked

[close]

Such an uncultured response.

The guy he's dealing with sounds pretty uncultured so...

[roba]

Been skating for four years. I'm still so bad lol. I'm sure I'm being too harsh on myself but compared to the people who started at the same time as me or after me, I'm like a tortoise.

I still try to skate once or twice a week despite having things like school, work, etc holding me back.

I guess I just feel disillusioned because a local at the park I go to who I've known for a quite a bit basically roasted me in front of everyone that I've barely improved. He's a dick for sure because he'll try tricks that I'm trying and say he's "so bad" but then land them next try and it takes me hours to even get a sketchy roll away.

Regardless, is skating even worth it? I don't really skate anymore for fun but constantly think in my head "oh I landed this trick last session so I should have it down" or "I learned this trick so this is the next one I have to learn"

i landed my first kickflip after 3 years of skating every single fucking day, four years is nothing. don't compare yourself to other people, i'm skating with teenagers that have been skating for 3-4 years and are sponsored, meanwhile i've been doing this shit for 12 years and all i get are shop discounts (i run the shop)

[CocoSantiagosKitten]

Don't take this shit so serious. We're just grown men playing with a toy. If skating makes you happy, do it. If it doesn't, find something that does.

[changed1]

A good ollie is all you need to have fun

[bartlaser]

Tricks are overrated.  Many pros have had great careers with ollies alone.

Sounds like you need snaps to fire back at that dude vs skate tricks.  Trying calling his Momma a hoe or something from this database- https://www.yomamajokesgalore.com/

[The night listener]

A good ollie is all you need to have fun

I agree with this. Get a nice solid Ollie and the possibilities are endless. Go skate downtown go fast and Ollie everything you can. I promise it'll be a fun session.

[Kombuch-A-Holic]

Comparison is indeed the thief of joy, but I have to share my recent experience. I've been skating with a new guy who started just two years ago, and surprisingly, he seems to have regressed rather than progressed. I used to have endless patience when helping people learn to skate, but watching him struggle with simple flat ground kickflips is incredibly frustrating. It's even more exasperating when I remember that he used to be able to do them before. We spend hours just watching him give half-hearted attempts, and it's hard not to feel impatient. On the other hand, I've faced criticism for skating too slowly, but when I push myself a little harder, it works perfectly while still looking slow on film.

Trust me, I know from experience that you can post your "learning to skate" attempts on TikTok, gain a massive following, and receive a lot of praise. Meanwhile, that guy who lands your same trick will become incredibly bitter. It's funny how these things work. lol.

[GS77]

You need to skate by yourself for 2 hours a day or with a few good friends. Try going to an empty parking lot and building a box. Us older guys didn’t have skate parks and I don’t think they are a great place to learn flat ground which is the building block for having fun in skating. It’s unnatural to be coup’ed up in a park. I like to roll around my town and explore. You just need more time on your board with less boundaries.

[BurgerCop]

Comparison is indeed the thief of joy, but I have to share my recent experience. I've been skating with a new guy who started just two years ago, and surprisingly, he seems to have regressed rather than progressed. I used to have endless patience when helping people learn to skate, but watching him struggle with simple flat ground kickflips is incredibly frustrating. It's even more exasperating when I remember that he used to be able to do them before. We spend hours just watching him give half-hearted attempts, and it's hard not to feel impatient.

Weird. I've never felt impatient with someone struggling.
If anything I just feel bad for them.
Sounds like somewhere along the way he lost his rhythm and started doing them wrong, but instead of making adjustments to his technique he just hucks the same thing over and over expecting a different result. I've been guilty of this from time to time. Try a trick hundreds of times with no success then realize "oh shit, I've been doing the exact same motions every single time, maybe I should try changing something up".

You need to skate by yourself for 2 hours a day or with a few good friends.

Holy shit, 2 hours a day? Like 7 days a week?
As a fellow older guy I'm not certain my legs could handle that even if I could make that kind of time!

[GS77]

Expand Quote

Comparison is indeed the thief of joy, but I have to share my recent experience. I've been skating with a new guy who started just two years ago, and surprisingly, he seems to have regressed rather than progressed. I used to have endless patience when helping people learn to skate, but watching him struggle with simple flat ground kickflips is incredibly frustrating. It's even more exasperating when I remember that he used to be able to do them before. We spend hours just watching him give half-hearted attempts, and it's hard not to feel impatient.

[close]

Weird. I've never felt impatient with someone struggling.
If anything I just feel bad for them.
Sounds like somewhere along the way he lost his rhythm and started doing them wrong, but instead of making adjustments to his technique he just hucks the same thing over and over expecting a different result. I've been guilty of this from time to time. Try a trick hundreds of times with no success then realize "oh shit, I've been doing the exact same motions every single time, maybe I should try changing something up".

Expand Quote

You need to skate by yourself for 2 hours a day or with a few good friends.

[close]

Holy shit, 2 hours a day? Like 7 days a week?
As a fellow older guy I'm not certain my legs could handle that even if I could make that kind of time!

For him not us🤣 he’s is ‘school’. I used to skate 2 hours a day on weekdays after school and then all day Saturday and Sunday. Not anymore but it’s the only way to maximize your potential.

[formula420]

Comparison is indeed the thief of joy, but I have to share my recent experience. I've been skating with a new guy who started just two years ago, and surprisingly, he seems to have regressed rather than progressed. I used to have endless patience when helping people learn to skate, but watching him struggle with simple flat ground kickflips is incredibly frustrating. It's even more exasperating when I remember that he used to be able to do them before. We spend hours just watching him give half-hearted attempts, and it's hard not to feel impatient. On the other hand, I've faced criticism for skating too slowly, but when I push myself a little harder, it works perfectly while still looking slow on film.

Trust me, I know from experience that you can post your "learning to skate" attempts on TikTok, gain a massive following, and receive a lot of praise. Meanwhile, that guy who lands your same trick will become incredibly bitter. It's funny how these things work. lol.

I have a friend like this. Ive skated with him for two years. He tries about 50 kickflips every session and never even gets close. And he skates way more than me - hes a few times a week, im once a week.  He has showed me footy of him doing decent kickflips years ago so i just dont get it. I really try to hold my tongue but his foot placement is so crazy i can tell before he pops its not going to be close. Sometimes ill try to give pointers but i always feel like an asshole after. So im just trying to let him struggle on his own terms and only say something if he specifically asks for some advice.

[Noble Experiment]

Find people you’re better than and just start skating with them and flex on them whenever possible. Problem solved.

[TastyBurrito]

Seriously, I suck as well. People I started with have progressed much more and faster than me. But I don't care. I just enjoy pushing myself. Failing is part of skateboarding.

Yes, it's hard seeing others get better than you, but remember, even the slowest and littlest of progression is still progression.

And yes, someone said it above, but Boo's mantra of "Just Have Fun" is true. Skateboarding is meant to be fun. So enjoy it. Whether you're skating everyday or once a week.

[Candied cigarettes]

I’ve been skating for damn near 15 years and i still suck. Just take your time, try not to worry about what others think, do what feels good, and progress at your own pace. And like what’s been said, have fun