The Skateboard Guru

The Manual is where the skateboarder balances on his or her back wheels while rolling along (something like a wheelie on a bike) The Manual is a great skateboarding trick to learn – it’s different from all the regular technical flip tricks, and adds a good variety. Plus, learning to manual on your skateboard isn’t all that hard – it just takes balance and lots of practice. If you are brand new to skateboarding, you may want to take some time getting used to riding your skateboard  before learning to manual. It will also help if you’ve already learned how to Ollie.  Of course, it is totally up to you – if you are aggressive and want to learn to manual on your skateboard before learning how to actually ride, that’s up to you! Make sure you read all of these instructions and use skateboard safety gear while you try to manual.

Now remember – there is no right or wrong way to skateboard!  But, right at the start, I recommend putting your feet in the following  position. It works best for most people.

Make sure you keep those shoulders forward, and when you are done performing the manual, just shift your weight back on that front foot and put the front wheels down. You should be able to ride away from a manual comfortably.

Like many kids who grew up in the 90s, I went through a stint where my skateboard and I were inseparable. I certainly wasn’t a skateboarding savant by any stretch of the imagination, but I had a considerable arsenal of basic tricks. And while my skateboarding ambitions quickly fizzled, I can still recall long days spent trying to master a new trick.

Every skateboarder has indubitably heard litanies of skateboarding trick tips, and I’m no different. The one hint that helped me in learning every trick I landed—and has even transcended into other areas of my life—is to go all out. In skateboarding, as in many other endeavors, if you aren’t fully committed to what you are attempting, you are almost certainly bound to fail.

California State Games

It’s no secret that California is a haven for extreme sports enthusiasts. And when you consider the state’s climate and geographical location, it quickly becomes apparent why this is so. California features hundreds of miles of coastline and offers some of the best surf in the country—and the world.

In addition, California is the birthplace of skateboarding, and as such, California skateparks are riddled throughout the urban areas. Many people may think that California only offers fair-weather sporting activities, but locales like Bear and Mammoth Mountains offer a respite for those who are tired of the pristine waters and perennial sunshine.

In  Southern California the numerous availability of skateboard parks w/ various styles , skill levels,  and square feet are enough to delight any skateboard enthusiast.

Hancock a small town in Maryland is having problems with vandalism, skateboarding and teens loitering in parks after dark

The town has also had problems with skateboarders skating in unauthorized areas and damaging ledges and railings, officials said. The postmaster at the Hancock Post Office recently wrote to the town about an “ongoing problem” with skateboarding on the post office lot after hours, Murphy said.

Hancock Police Chief T.J. Buskirk said in one particularly bad wave of vandalism over the weekend,

said he confiscated six skateboards at the post office Tuesday.

Hancock resident Ralph Salvagno said the town needs to take a clear stance on skateboarding and loitering issues, making it clear to teens where they can and cannot skateboard and exactly what time the parks close.

Buskirk and Smith said skateboarders may skateboard on blacktopped areas in the park, on tennis courts when not in use, or on their own property. The town has been unable to install ramps or other skateboarding equipment for liability reasons, Murphy said.

Buskirk said town parks close at dark, but Murphy recommended police and parks commission officials meet soon to decide on specific closing times.

Council member Nigel Dardar said at least two local church leaders had expressed interest in helping create a place for skateboarders to skate.

Some people were reporting that Graffiti  is part of the “culture”.  And you do have the right to express yourself.  Your skateboard decks can be as artistic as you wish.

However if the above  statement is true, you have to remember that your parks are sponsored by the towns they are located in and payed for with citizen taxes.  Permission to use or the building of such facilities could be curtailed by degenerate behavior and/or poor taste.   So respect property, both public and private to ensure that skateboarding  fun can roll on.

On Saturday, May 29th, we visited one of our local southern California skate parks.  It is a public park owned by the City of Chino, and is located at Ayala Park.  We found it at the corner of Edison Avenue and Grand.  It was a nice surprise.  The main part of the  park is multi use with baseball diamonds, children’s play area, and a smooth, gated skate boarding area of over 27, 624 square feet.

The skateboarding area features a banked street section, a section where you can ride and ride with banks and bowls which range from 4′ to 7′ and a 3-leaf clover bowl with very steep sides.

I saw riders there ranging from 3 years olds to mature dudes of over 30. One fellow gave us his name of California Mike, who was quite accomplished on the board.  He told us about his goal to work with the local riders and encourage them to an upright life and to bring them to the Lord. He raved about the  skate park and said it was the best in the area.  One great thing about it is that there are no fees changed to use it as there are in other private skateboard parks. However, like all public parks,  safety gear (helmets and knee pads) are required.

We encourage all boarders to try out this lovely park.  It is a nice place to spend the day.  California Mike suggested this park would be a good site to have a future competition based on having several features that challenge skill levels from beginners to advanced.  He says it is a GREAT ride.

As most parents know, the toys, clothing and other products that your children beg for are dictated by the current trends and fads. You won’t see many kids playing with Beanie Babies today, and chances are you won’t see any Dora the Explorer playthings in a few months time. I personally thought the skateboarding fad was long behind us, so you can imagine my surprise when my son asked for a kids skateboard for his birthday.

Never one to disappoint, I bought the skateboard assuming that the novelty would wear off in a few weeks. Much to my surprise, my son still rides the board frequently, even when none of his other friends wants to. Hopefully this is an indication that he is beginning to think independently and not succumb to every passing trend and fad.

Hi, my name is Ollie-Oops.  An Ollie is a basic skateboard skill that is a building block for most skateboard tricks.  Some skateboards are designed to enhance your ability to do certain tricks.  However,  once you have this one perfected, you can slowly add other skills to your  bag of skateboarding tricks.

The Oops part of the name is what happens when you don’t complete the Ollie well.   (Read how to fall safely).

This is a fairly easy maneuver that takes time and practice.Following are the step-by-step motions that comprise the Ollie:

1. Stand on the board with your rear foot placed on the tail and your front foot between the middle of your board and the front bolts.
2. Place the ball of your rear foot in the middle of the board so that when you push the tail down, the ball of your foot feels the pressure.
3. Place your front foot nearly straight across the board.
4. Practice pushing down as fast as you can with your back foot and putting all your weight on the tail. This is the initial motion of the trick.
5. Notice that the harder you push, the more your board wants to keep going up once the tail is on the ground. You will use that motion in the next step
6. Strike the tail on the ground and jump off with your rear foot as you slide your front foot up the board (so your knee moves toward your chest)
7. Drag the side of your foot up the board as you are jumping. This will cause the board to come up with your jump. Once both feet are in the air, the board will seem to stick to them.

Learn this trick without rolling at first to get comfortable with the motions. Once you feel comfortable with the basics, you will be able to adapt to moving and going up or down things.

The hardest part is the timing of when to push down on the tail, when to jump, and how quickly to suck up your legs. The secret: It’s all done at the same time. The faster you do it, the easier it becomes. Think about jumping off with one foot and sucking your legs up to your chest.

Skateboarding is an inherently dangerous activity that can result in serious injury or death. We recommend that you seek proper training and equipment ( Helmets, knee & elbow pads)  before attempting this activity.

Back in the days when skateboarding was a new sport, my husband tried to ride one that belonged to my younger sister.  We had a long driveway that had a slight slope and the time seemed right to try it.

Back then, all the required skateboard safety gear,  (such as skateboard helmets, knee and elbow pads)  was not even a possible consideration, but even with it, he still would have gotten hurt.   How did he get hurt? He had a wrench in his back pocket and landed flat on his butt.  OUCH.  He was taking cortizone shots in his spine for about six weeks.  I’m glad that safety gear is now available, BUT you still have to remember to remove all items from any pockets.  Also, watch those large buckles on your pants.