I am a beginner in longboard riding but I want to learn longboard powerslide. According to many people, this is a hard technique. My friend said that it is a little scary for beginners like me because I don’t have experiences.
Thus, I myself learn how to powerslide on a longboard on the Internet. After that, I follow their guide and practice every day. After a lot of failures, now, I have performed a few powerslides professionally.
While searching, I discovered that there are many people who have a similar issue. That is the reason why I write this post.
Do you want to have a try? Please let me provide you with some helpful tips.
What are Powerslides?
In general, powerslide is one of 3 ways to stop a longboard. These are foot braking, powerslide, and advanced techniques.
Before learning in detailed about longboard powerslide, I will relate the other two briefly in a few words:
First: Foot braking is usually used at slow speeds. Specifically, you should use this technique for casual riding like on a level ground.
Note: This way requires your proper footwear. Say no with thin-soled shoes and flip-flops. Foot brake involves sliding your shoe along the ground for stopping.
When it comes to advanced techniques: There are 3 most popular ways: a toeside pendulum slide, a heelside pendulum slide, and 360 slides. All of them require a very skilled level of riding longboard.
Finally, powerslides are the fastest and coolest technique to stop a longboard. A powerslide is performed when you are riding along. It runs very fast so sometimes, you spin the longboard to the side and skid to stop.
6 Basic Steps to Powerslide on a Longboard
At first, longboard powerslide seems a fearful task. However, you will be able to deal with your longboard very safely and progressively if you have a highly technical move.
Here are the basic steps:
- Before power sliding, you have to get a little speed on a flat ground. It’s better to get speed on a small slope.
- Press on your front rail to make a light toeside pre-turn.
- Place your weight down low to initiate a sharp heelside.
- While turning, you need to take your longboard 90º across by pushing it out with your back foot.
- At once, adjust your posture to slide: Straighten your legs out, swing your shoulders, and lean backwards.
- To end the power sliding process, you need to release pressure on your back foot and push your weight in the front.
Now, let’s discover the powerslide technique in detailed.
But, you have to prepare in advance:
Kinds of Powerslides
Powerslide has many kinds such as:
- Partial slide for slowing down (speed checks)
- Crouching low on your board (sitdown slides)
- Putting hands on ground, swing board around hands while sliding (pendulum slides)
- Putting one or both your two hands down on the ground (Coleman/ glove down slides)
- Ending the slide in switch stance (180 slides)
- Remaining standing while sliding (stand up slides)
- Facing uphill (toeside slides)
- Facing downhill (heelside slides)
In fact, the techniques I mentioned above are not clearcut. The majority of powerslides are the combination of them.
For example: The toeside Coleman slide is combined from putting your gloved hand on the ground and sliding while facing uphill.
In general: Heelside slides are easier to perform than toeside because you have to face forwards downhill to push on your heels with your tones.
However, this depends on each individual’s skills.
Many beginners start with sit down slides because crouching low on the board is less scary. But, some older riders love stand up slides more.
Others like 180 slides. According to their feedback, 180 slides are easier to learn. This technique requires your complete shoulder and hip rotation resulting in switch stance.
Equipment
In fact: If you want to powerslide, you can perform with any kind of longboard. However, your process will be easier thanks to the help of my suggestions as follows:
Smaller and sideset wheels
First of all: What is “sideset”?
It is the core – the hard part placed on the edge of wheel close to the longboard.
The sideset wheels have a small and compact patch so it helps you start a slide easier.
Although the harder the wheels are the easier you slide, wheels with durometer is also an ideal choice.
It seems strange but it is difficult to learn how to slide on unbroken wheels. Therefore, you have to wear them out a bit before you slide.
Specifically, please consider Orangatang Kilmer 86a and Sector 9 ButterBalls.
When it comes to trucks: You can use any kind of trucks. However, I have a good recommendation that is Gullwing Sidewinder.
If you buy a longboard attached to a flexy deck, it will help you slide at low speed better. For this choice, you may need a stiffer board when you slide at high speed.
If you want to slide easily, you should choose a longboard which has a high center of gravity such as pintails and symmetrical top mounts.
Why? They can provide more torque over the wheels that requires less effort on your end to crave and get into your slide.
In case you are a beginner rider, you shouldn’t learn how to slide on pintails with no concave. When pushing out, your back foot can fly off the tail unless your unit is added with a few extra strong grip tape.
Sliding Terrain
A flat area is an ideal place to start sliding. It’s better if it is a bit sloping.
I give you a suggestion.
Begin at a 15-feet uphill and push into the hill then you prepare to slide as when you are into a flat area.
Are you an experienced longboarder?
If yes, I highly recommend you sliding on a wet ground because it is easy to start a powerslide. When pushing your longboard across a wet pavement with less speed, its wheels will break traction faster. However, you should know that your bearings may be damaged due to being wet.
The Step-by-step Guide
Now, come back the main issue:
Get Some Speed
How you gather speed depends on your preparations before sliding.
In general:
The more speed you get, the easier you slide since the wheels may break out to lose traction easier.
An ideal place for this step is a steep enough hill. Or you can choose a wet ground which requires less speed to slide.
Toeside Pre-crave
After getting speed, you press with your toes and lean your body forwards to have a fast toeside turn.
It’s very important to make a good pre-carve because it plays a part in breaking traction for the next turn.
Are you a regular footer?
Do a toeside turn which means you are moving toward the road’s right side in place of the left side.
While doing the pre-carve turn, don’t forget to set up for your upcoming slide.
How?
Put your feet at an equal distance from the trucks which is positioned at a slight angle symmetrically.
To keep your slide stable, try to put your feet closer. Also, try to keep your knees bent to make sure your center of gravity low.
Heelside Carve
When your longboard is close to the side of the road, you know that it is time to carve into the slide and turn again.
What you have to do is to press with the heel of your front foot for a fast 45º backside turn.
Lightly, put your heels over an edge of your longboard for leverage. As mentioned, you should bend your knees to be low on the unit. You will crouch right, after that, pop up into the slide.
The Actual Slide
After turning 15 to 30º heelside carve, you need to follow many things simultaneously:
- Put a huge part of your weight on your bent front knee.
- Dig your back heel into the road in order to kick out the back truck forward. At the same time, you extend your back leg out.
- Remember to swing your back hips to push and turn.
- You need to lose traction by lifting your arms up and leaning back to lower the weight put on the longboard.
- Use your both legs to push the longboard into the hill.
Ending the Slide
After you slide facing down the hill in a balanced and backward leaning position within a few seconds, you should come back to a normal stance then keep riding.
At the same time, you push out on both legs evenly with your weight uphill while riding on the road.
Finally, keep a proper position including bending your knees, shifting the weight back into your front foot to release pressure and lean forwards slightly.
Once you sink your weight back into the longboard, you have to bring the board back under you by pulling your back foot. When the board rolls again, maintain your initial position. At the same time, you have to bring your elbows back to your sides.
Common Mistakes
Even though you follow my guide, problems can occur anytime. So, you can check my tips and common mistakes:
- Make sure to slide out the longboard instead of simply pivoting on the front truck with your back wheels which comes off the ground. To do that, you shouldn’t add too much weight in the front.
- Don’t do a good heelside carve before kicking out or kick out the board with the back foot while riding straight. These are the common mistakes of most riders.
- In case you put your weight on your back foot, it’s hard to kick out and slide. Thus, you had better put your weight on your front foot.
- Apart from right kicking out and sliding, you also have to ensure leaning back enough. Avoid leaning forwards too much which may influence the function of wheels. Beginner riders shouldn’t lean back because this action requires good skills. You can lean forwards at the end of the slide to prevent falling backward.
Tips and Warnings
Keep the following things in mind to have a safe ride:
- When you want to stop, you should aim for a lawn which can minimize your injuries compared with concrete.
- Try to keep your arms open to expand wind resistance so you can slow down a bit when you want to stop.
- While riding, you must always pay attention to pedestrians and traffic to avoid causing an accident.
- Even when you are an experienced rider, you have to prepare full of protective things. If pads protect your hands and legs away from scratch, a high-quality helmet will protect your head – the most important part when there is any serious injury. Many riders think that they don’t look cool anymore with a helmet. However, you won’t be able to care your look if you suffer from a major brain damage.
Other Power Slides
As mentioned, there are several kinds of powerslides. However, some of them require your technical moves and significant additional steps. If you are a beginner, you should apply something simple such as 180 powerslides, and speed check.
Speed Check
The speed check is a version of the stand-up slide that is more tamed. The difference is that the shoulders of riders will remain aimed downhill.
For this powerslide, there is no need to fully swing your shoulders and torso into facing downhill. What you have to do is to keep your front shoulder and shoulders back facing the hill as riding normally.
When sliding on your longboard, your hips will rotate in a while in order to swing back into riding position. This doesn’t make your shoulders rotate too much.
The speed check aims to control speed and keep riding.
180 Standup Slide
180 standup slide is a full version of basic stand up slide. It means after sliding, you complete a full 180º body rotation to complete a switch stance.
However, its swinging motion is broader; especially, the ending step is different. After sliding, you follow through with your hips and shoulders instead of bringing them back to the old position.
For 180 standup slide, you finish riding switch with your opposite foot in the front.
Everything Considered
Actually, longboard powerslide is not too difficult. Don’t be overwhelmed by fear and keep practicing step by step, you will be successful. Also, don’t forget to prepare all of the protection to get a safe ride.
If you have any question about my post, please feel free to leave your comment below. And remember to share my article, if you find it and useful.
