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How to Longboard: Step by Step (with Pictures)

Longboarding is just like skateboarding, but it is more thrilling because you can have higher speed due to a longer board and bigger wheels. In short, longboarding is a lot of fun. And if you are looking forward to becoming a part of an adventurous sport, then you should prefer this sport over skateboarding. Before you take your first longboard ride, read the basic longboard tutorial which is quite handy.
Part 1

Important Points to Consider Before You Start


Important Points to Consider Before You Start

1. Pick Up a Board According to Your Demands

  • A wide variety of Longboards are available in the market, and each board is designed for a specific purpose. You can use the longboard for riding downhill and cruising around a town or in a skate park. So, first of all, set up in your mind the purpose of buying a board so that when you arrive at the skate shop you will know exactly what you are looking for!
  • A longboard comes in different sizes, and each size has its advantages and disadvantages. A shorter board offers better turning ability and more maneuver. On the other hand, a longer board is more stable but has a reduced turning ability. A beginner should choose a longer board as it offers better stability so they can get used to the board faster.

See also: Beginners Longboard


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2. Don’t Forget to Purchase Safety Gears

  • Longboarding is an adventurous sport but is quite risky too because a rider needs to tackle bumps and obstacles without losing his balance, challenging but exciting the thrill of it is what people like about this game . Protective gears prevent the rider from significant injuries in case he fell from the board. Some of the essential protective gears are helmet, longboarding shoes, and elbow and knee pads. So, pad up with these crucial safety gears before you take a ride.

Now you are aware of the longboarding sport, you might be in a hurry to take your first ride. Let’s have a look at the longboard basics, which will help you to take a safe and comfortable ride.

Part 2

Essential Basics to Keep in Mind


Essential Basics to Keep in Mind

1. Determine if you are a Goofy or Regular Rider

If you skate with your right foot forward, then you should change your posture so that the controls of the board are much easier. If you skate with your left foot forward, then you are the same as the best of the best. There are two simple methods to find out whether you are a goofy or regular rider.

  • One of the simplest methods to find out whether your posture is optimized or not is to ask someone to push you from behind so that you know how to keep balance . The foot you will use to catch yourself will be the same foot you want to ride with on the longboard. If you find it strong enough then stick with it, otherwise, shift to another foot for a better result.
  • Another method to figure out is to slide on the plain surface without shoes. The foot you will use to stand up will be the one you want to ride with on the longboard.

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2. Use a Low Stance at First

  • Using a correct stance is very important in longboarding. A beginner should always first use a low stance. Then, he can try to adopt different stances once he starts feeling comfortable with the longboard. To take a low stance, a rider should place his feet between the trucks and angle his front foot forward about 45 degrees. The back foot should be angled at 90 degrees to the direction where the longboard is traveling.

Use a Low Stance at First

3. Keep Practicing Moving Forward

If you are new to this sport, the first step you should take is to practice moving in the forward direction. Step up to the board and use your back foot to push yourself forward. While making a push, make sure you keep your body loose as it will help to maintain balance.

  • If you are not able to make a hard push using your back foot, then you can give the front foot a try. Using a front foot for pushing is called ‘mongo,’ and most of the riders do not prefer to do it. However, it doesn’t matter what others do or not; you should feel comfortable in any way you want. So, you can use either your front or back foot, whichever seems to be suitable for your body when pushing.
  • After practicing for a few days, try to make a harder push. A harder push will help you gain more speed which will keep the board going for an extended period.

Keep Practicing Moving Forward

4. Practice Turning

  • Once you are comfortable in moving forward, the next step is to make a turn. Turning is not a difficult task because you only need to put some pressure on one side of the board and lean in the same direction. You can either use your heel or toes to make a turn. So, keep practicing on taking a sharp turn.

Find a Method to Slow Down the Speed

5. Find a Method to Slow Down the Speed

  • There are certain times when you need to stop or slow down a little bit. The simplest method to apply a brake is to drag your back foot on the ground. Pulling your foot will create a lot of friction which will slow down your board speed steadily and give you more time to adjust your speed to your own will. Some other popular methods for applying brakes are carving and air braking. So, select any braking method and keep practicing it to stop or slow down.

Find a Method to Slow Down the Speed

6. Practice Sliding

Once you have mastered the concepts mentioned above, you can now look forward to performing some longboard tricks. If you want to slide, then you should buy some protective gears such as slide gloves. The slide gloves will help you to slide without hurting your hands.

  • To slide; first of all, shift your body weight to the front, bend your knees a little bit and point your front foot in the forward direction.
  • The next step is to slide the back foot off the board and bend the front knee to make a contact with the ground.

If you are doing a slide for the first time, do it at a slow speed, this will help you get the right adjustment to the speed so that the next time you slide it will be much easier.


Practice Sliding

7. Keep on Practicing

Everyone is well aware of the well-known saying that ‘practice makes a man perfect.’ So, keep on practicing to learn better balancing. You should use your arms and knees for balancing the board since they can be adjusted easily at will and it’s also the most optimal way to balance yourself.

The concepts mentioned above will help you to master your skills which will further help you to enjoy the extreme versions of this adventurous sport safely. Downhill riding style is one of the extreme versions of this favorite sport and you should know some useful tips about this matter. The tips mentioned above will help you to master your skills.

So now let’s have a look at some of the useful longboard tips which will help you to get the most out of this sport without any significant risk.

Part 3

Highly Reliable Tips to Follow


Highly Reliable Tips to Follow

1. Purchase a Perfect Longboard

  • There are specific factors which you need to consider before purchasing a longboard. The board size, wheels, trucks, and material are some of the critical elements which are responsible for better performance.
  • A longboard with harder wheels will help the rider to slide without any difficulty.

Purchase a Perfect Longboard

2. Stay Within the Limits

  • Longboarding is fun, but if you try to push a little harder, you might put yourself in serious trouble. There are several fun tricks you can perform on your longboard without taking an additional risk.
  • If you keep on taking risks, you will make it a habit to pursue dangerous conditions and push yourself a little harder every time which will put your life in danger challenging for yourself but remember to pior safety before anything. Stay within your limits before it’s too late to get yourself out of the dangerous situations.

See also: Skate 3 Tricks Guide

3. Watch Videos to Learn New Skills

If you are bored with the basic longboard tricks and want to learn new cool tricks, take the help of the internet. You can read the blogs of the experienced riders to learn new skills and methods. Before executing any new board trick, it’s better to watch a video for better guidance.

  • You can easily find the videos with a step by step guide to learn new tricks posted by experienced riders.

These are some of the useful longboard tips which will help you to execute some board tricks and double your entertainment safely. Follow all the tips mentioned above to master the longboarding concepts and improve your performance.

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