Everyone needs to move, to exercise, to experience fun things. I want to help.
Being a skateboarder in my teen years and now again as an adult, I can say without exception that skating has brought me nothing but balance and joy. Give yourself that experience and more.
A Sport For Everyone
Diving into anything new, let alone a new sport can feel daunting. But the experience will be well worth it. Skateboarding is not limited to daring teens, kick-flipping down five flights of stairs, or older guys pulling off front-side ollies all over the park.
Skating is a sport for all ages, including moms, dads, grandmas, and grandpas. You can learn to skate if you can stand and move your legs in synch.
3 Benefits of Learning to Skate
Here are three benefits to experiencing the thrill of skating. In brief, you will benefit:
- Physically: Learning to ride a board improves your balance and coordination. It also allows you to move, expend energy, and calm your overstimulated minds (your mind is overstimulated, trust me).
- Emotionally: Engaging in and growing in a new sport causes joy and excitement, leading to a positive, confident attitude.
- Mentally: Encountering new experiences stretches the imagination like nothing else. Skating offers unlimited opportunities to create, invent, and explore tricks.
Start Anytime
The next question is when to start.
As long as you can, stand, balance and jog, you can skate. No age is too old to start (just make sure you can be safe doing it).
Any season during the year is good; just avoid wet, slippery conditions.
Any time of the day is great, but I recommend mornings after breakfast. We tend to be more alert, energetic, and generally in a good mood during this time. Utilize this to start learning because it will take time and patience.
This might sound like common sense, but avoid trying to learn after a long day of work, when you are tired, or when you are frustrated. You will fall at some point, and being a good mood makes the biffs more tolerable.
Start Anywhere
Unlike other board sports, you don’t need to go anywhere to start skating. Use the driveway, the back patio, the sidewalk, the basketball court at the park–anywhere smooth with minimal cracks.
Pick a flat spot and make sure the area is well-swept. Rocks will end a skating session quicker than anything else.
Make sure you have access to water to drink and shade to cool down. Avoid busy areas and places with lots of rough surfaces.
Gear Up
First, a word about the cost. The investment to start is minimal compared to other sports. You are looking at $150 at most to start learning to skate. Snowboarding, water skiing, surfing even, you are looking at gear costs exceeding $300 to start out. Not to mention the travel and other expenses.
Skateboards last as long as you take care of them. So invest in a sound skateboard and good gear.
Now, here’s the list to start:
- Shoes: You don’t need Vans or Etnies, good ole’ tennis shoes will do. Avoid sandals, flip-flops, boots, gellies, bare feet, etc. Make sure the soles are attached and non-slip, and you are good to go.
- Safety gear: Shop Amazon for around $30 for age-appropriate safety gear. Here’s an excellent seller to choose from. You’ll need a helmet, wrist guard, elbow, and knee pads. This will ensure the skating is fun and the pain is limited because they will fall at some point.
- Skateboard Deck + Gear: We have you covered there. Check out our selection of boards. They come in just a deck or complete with trucks and wheels.
- Broom + Medical Supplies: The broom will keep the medical supplies as a backup precaution, but it’s good to have bandaids on hand if they biff and scrape themselves.
- Patience + Encouragement: It takes time to learn any sport unless you do it on a game or VR. In real life, skating is the process of standing, balancing, and pushing. Then repeating it until you don’t fall. So be patient and be encouraged: do not quit, you can learn, and it will be worth it.
Safety Tips
Here are a few videos that show how you how to skate safely and have fun.
Keep in Touch
That wraps up what I think you need to give yourself the gift of skating. You will find that as you learn, balance and joy will grow in your life.
Let me know if you have questions and happy skating.
– Chris
