Do you look down on grown men who are trash at skating?

[ChipSuey]

The responses in this thread are super wholesome and as someone who's a grown man nearing half a century who gets tired after 3 ollies but will spend an hour just doing backside slappies, please don't talk shit on me, I'm very nice and usually have water or electrolyte drinks and protein bars on me in case you're feeling peckish.

[Crust]

because I can barely front 180

No. What kind of cunts are out there these days?

We all struggled with front 180s at some point.

Part of skating is struggling to learn - who cares how advanced it is.

[Hyliannightmare]

I havent interacted with a single person at my skatepark in the 4 years since I’ve taken it up again because I can barely front 180 and assume no one wants to talk to me. I feel thoroughly emasculated whenever I struggle with some simple ass flat ground trick as a 29 year old while Carlisle Aikens or something is noseblunting a picnic table right across from me

My only saving grace is that I’ve always had good balance and a solid push due to muscle memory from my youth, but I was chubby and uncoordinated so I wasn’t good at much else. Even back then I was isolating myself and feeling ashamed about my skill level at 14 years old, thinking I was washed because I didn’t start at 8 years old

My life exactly.  Just skate the park super early or street alone or with the 1 or 2 homies that I've met through work that also skate

[ungzilla]

only if they're pro

[manysnakes]

I don't look down at them, but sometimes I'll see someone in my age cohort learning or trying on a skateboard (in the manner of a true novice) and I'll think "Man, it would really suck to not be able to skate."

[rawbertson.]

I will skate with anyone any skill level for the most part
I gotta say though it is kinda limiting when you skate with someone who is like way lower skill level because it kinda limits the spots you can go to
I try not to give tips to anyone who didnt ask but sometimes i see someone just doing something fundamentally wrong that can be easily corrected and i cant help myself. i imagine its supe annoying and probably why i dont have many friends 

[truthislie]

I think someone posted here that if you reach a certain age it becomes almost weird if you stay super good at skating since concentrating on kids/family and/or job takes away a lot of your skate time. Clearly it also depends on your talent and the level you skated at before (mine was never super high) but as a 40 year old dad with a job and recently renovated house I can say that made me feel a lot better about myself.

I love skateboarding and I´d happily miss out on a lot of shit in my life for it but every second of quality time with my 3 year old is worth more than gold. Fortunately this quality time also starts to take place in skateparks more and more

[Prostate Exam]

I'm down for whoever is serious about skateboarding no matter the skill level.
If you commit to something in life and make it your passion I am all with you.
You could be passionate about model trains or whatever, as long as you fully commit to it, are willing to learn about the history of it and are willing to do whatever it takes to get better at it I am all for it.

I look down on people that come up with stupid excuses for why they don't skate as often as they can.

Lots of people make skateboarding a coolness-contest, that's why they commit to the cool-guy lifestyle but somehow they are missing the point. There is nothing "cool" about skateboarding, especially when you do it when you're over the age of 20.

Skateboarding is just as nerdy as as playing dungeons and dragons with your friends, because in the end, all we do is playing skateboarding. Trying to reenact the maneuvers we saw in some video of our favorite skaters. Therefore I do not look down on people that are worse at skateboarding than me, but when I see that they are in it for some weird reasons, I start to question them.

There are a lot of guys that got into skateboarding around my neck of the woods, simply to impress other people. Every springtime people like this would show up at the park and act like it is their true passion. I am always stoked when I see new people at the park, but then get even more disappointed when I see them a year later and they moved on to being a DJ or a surfer or whatever.

I am sorry for my rant here, but I never identified myself as a skateboarder. I am just a nerd that focusses on skateboarding. I put a lot of thoughts and passion into my skateboarding.
But there is more to skateboarding than just the act of it. There is the music, the art, the fashion, the language, the road trips and everything. That's why it is so easy to make skateboarding your passion cause it has so much to offer.
 
I have lots of friend that aren't as talented on the board but they still contribute a lot, either through their photography, their videos, knowledge or spots that they build. They are just as much of a "skateboarder" as I am.


But I have issues labeling myself a skateboarder because I met lots of "skateboarders" that are just complete pricks and simply do it for the fact that they're good at it and can draw some attention to themselves, or they are simply doing it because they are looking for an excuse to sit around the skatepark all day, smoke their asses off and talk about how cool they are.

And that's my main point here, as long as you put as much as you can into it, I truly respect you, no matter how good you are.

[Toenail628]

Skating now is a lot nicer than it was when I first started, you dont even really hear the word “poser” anymore. Also where i live its mostly dudes in their 30s skating all the time so if anything i look down on teenagers that are trash because they dont have to pay rent and have all the time and energy to learn new shit. As long as the grown man isn’t trying to be on some epstein shit i approve of all and any trash skateboarding

[144p]

We are our own worst critics/enemies. Creating false narratives about what others think of us. Assuming how others perceive us and our actions. In reality they’re just as wrapped up in their own heads about whatever it is they are dealing with.
Just say what’s up, comment on someone’s gear, ask about a video or a spot. Be friendly, encouraging, suggest wax if something looks sticky. Relationships take time and work, being unapproachable is a hard stigma to erase but if you try you can do it.
Most kids today don’t have a lot of practice at being social either.
And I know my friends are always pushing people to land whatever it is someone is trying to do, knowing full well everyone’s level is their own.
I think you’d be surprised at their responses if you reached out and tried to be friendly.

[oak leaf]

no because i am one.

i do look down on grown men who never realized getting angry/throwing tantrums when you miss tricks is whack. i think that even if youre very technically skilled, having public meltdowns means you suck at skateboarding. ive seen some grown men throw their boards out of anger in front of kids. whack imo

[Eastcoast skater dude]

I'll be totally honest with you: someone who comes to the same park for 4 years, never says whats up or makes an effort to interact or show some sort of recognition or friendliness? I would look down on that for sure and probably talk some shit too. It wouldn't matter how you skate, best or worst there, you're still missing the point in my book.

yup. the dude basically vibed everyone out and not for nothing your whack at skating too? they're having a field day with him in the spliif rotations watching him botch front 180s and to the dude who made the post not tryna be a dick but its the reality. you can't not talk to anyone at your local for 4 years man thats just plain out fucked on your part. if you want the locals to respect you and like you go over there say whats up shoot the shit and you'll be part of the squad in no time.

[Sangriawaterfall]

There is more to life than being really really ridiculously good looking

[vicious cycle]

Neva talk down on a playa

[dallou]

the kids not talking to you are just as akward as you are. It has nothing to do with skill. if you see a couple dudes regularly just nod at them when they show up, maybe say whatsup to them eventually if they don’t seem too shitty.
But yeah if you go to the same park for 4 years and NEVER say whatsup to anybody ever (not just a quiet guy, but literally nobody knows your name) then they probably think that YOU think you’re too good for them.
Criss-cross.

Throwing a light “yeww” out there after someone does something that is beast [for them] is also a respectable choice.


Free max b

A « yeww » often opens the discussion. You do one, they do one, then you do game and you re skatepark buddies

[Mount St. Hermdog]

a day at the park trying to do 180s, sounds like the good stuff right there. We're so lucky to still skate

[Newphone]

I don’t look down on anyone in the park, just nice to see people outside doing stuff.

[biaherl]

In your 20's you are worried about what people think

In your 30's you don't care anymore

In your 40's you realize that no one ever cared




Don't waist your time

Wave, say hi and bye when people come and go

[kook1234]

people who cant front 180 also have weird Hail Mary tricks that they'll try from time to time, like 360 pop shove its, that you low key have to yew for otherwise they'll get discouraged and its one less person to skate with

[hotservicedeli]

Like skateboarding, I owe you nothing.

[JM]

people who cant front 180 also have weird Hail Mary tricks that they'll try from time to time, like 360 pop shove its, that you low key have to yew for otherwise they'll get discouraged and its one less person to skate with

The yews are critical. They must not be forgotten.

Personally, I give a good WOO like Rick Flair when really excited for someone’s land.

[Powdered Toast Man!]

nope, that would be a fucked up thing to do because like many here said, i too, suck at skating.
and this isn't coming from a modest mindset- i've always been self conscious about it and in general.
but goddamn do i love skateboarding,
and ngl the only thing i pride myself in my skating is not having stopped since i started around 2001
(except those 4 months i went catching snow crab in the bering sea).

to echo some posters here, i'll paraphrase lance mountain
"im not very bad, which means i'm pretty good"

and about life happening and getting in the way, julien once said
"what you do off your skateboard is as important as what you do on it"

saying sup to anyone near you vicinity or waving hi at those far away is mandatory at the park, and cheering is cool especially someone who is not the gnarliest but putting their all to land something

btw gnars to all you wholesome fucks

[OhioGuy]

One of my pet peeves is skaters saying they suck. I started at 35, 37 now. This shit is difficult, so anyone who can comfortably cruise around gets my respect.

Also I feel no pressure at my age. I’ve embraced being older novice. No one expects anything from me. When I tell someone I started at 35 they just go, “Damn, that’s awesome.”

[nonickname]

yes because im taller than them

See...I was going to say "only because I'm 6'2""...but you beat me to it. Well played Sir.

Also like many have said in one way or another..."hell no." Because I'm old, usually skate random parks very poorly while driving to or from work sites and am honestly stoked that my beat up body can still roll around and get my little mental boost when it works out. 95% of people I run into are better than me...but generally I'll give a board tap when they land something or just say "that was clean" - while thinking "did I sound like Werner Herzog there?"

[dstrytruitt]

Even if the following were not the case, as literally everybody else has said, no.

There are so many lifelong, hardcore skaters who are not "good" at riding skateboards. Like, I feel like everyone has a friend who skates who "can't" skate. It's very common and it's awesome.

The only question of how worthy YOU skateboarding is, is is skateboarding enjoyable for YOU? (I've never used 'is' three times in a row in a sentence ever - was that legit?)

Had to read it three times but your “is” is legit IMO 👍

[Sedition]

I have usually found that some of the best people in skateboarding are the ones who have been doing it a long time, but aren't very good. Why are they the "best" ones? Because at that point, you are doing it for one reason, and one reason only: Passion. There is no cool guy factor. There is no self-stoking ego. There is no attitude. There are no lofty aspirations. There is just passion. And people driven by that, are the ones who "get" life. I am waaaaay more likely to get stoked seeing an older dude land a simple trick than he's been fighting for awhile, than I am to see a young local ripper hit solid ledge tech or a big rail.   

But yeah, as others have said, if you hit same spot/park for four years, and you don't talk to/acknowledge anyone else for that entire four years, the problem is straight-up you.

[Brad Wesley]

Expand Quote

people who cant front 180 also have weird Hail Mary tricks that they'll try from time to time, like 360 pop shove its, that you low key have to yew for otherwise they'll get discouraged and its one less person to skate with

[close]

The yews are critical. They must not be forgotten.

Personally, I give a good WOO like Rick Flair when really excited for someone’s land.

STYLIN' AND PROFILIN'!

[lurkluke]

One thing I like about skateboarding is the early learning curve is so hard, and everyone is always hurting themselves regardless of skill.

So just by being able to push or carve around is an achievement at any age.

Also someone mentioned boneless as an old dude trick... I tried to relearn them at 40 and holy shit it's a long way down to the board.

First 10 minutes I was like "ah shit no way I'm getting that back". But it didn't take 20 more mins before I was getting them pretty easily.

[Mr. Kamikazi]

No. Keep going out. Anyone that insults you for skating & having the courage to keep trying is a sad & laughable person. I also encourage YOU to tap into YOU as to why you skate & maybe then, the circus won’t be in your town (head).

Keep getting out & skating.

[Sedition]

...I tried to relearn them at 40 and holy shit it's a long way down to the board.

FACTS!