Of all my many hobbies, skating is probably the most thrilling. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of the breeze against my face as I cruise down the street late at night, feeling my wheels roll under me. And yet once upon a time, I couldn’t even stand on a board without falling off. This beginner’s guide will help you learn how to get started with skating. I want to help you feel as confident as possible, and ready to indulge in this exciting hobby.
It can feel quite overwhelming at first, as there’s a lot to consider, but I’ll talk you through everything step by step. I’ll help you decide what kind of board to buy, what to wear when you skate, where to skate, and what to focus on for your first few sessions. By the end of this guide, you should feel ready to begin your skating adventure. Let’s dive right in!
Choosing the Right Equipment
One thing you’ll realise pretty quickly is that a skateboard isn’t actually just one thing. It’s a combination of parts that need to be put together for the best experience. You have a deck, trucks, bushings, wheels, bearings, and a few other small parts. I would recommend not getting bogged down by the specifics when you’re first starting out. There are a lot of considerations that go into choosing the right equipment for skating, and you’re not going to know all the right answers before you’ve actually had a chance to ride. Your preferences will depend on your riding style, so you need time to develop those opinions.
As such, I would recommend buying a complete for your first board. That just means the skateboard’s already been put together and you don’t need to buy the individual parts… It’s ready to ride straight away. One important thing here is you should not cheap out. You don’t have to spend a fortune on a fancy board, but you also don’t want to buy a knock-off. Go for an established brand that has good reviews. When I first started I bought a cheap £20 board off of eBay because I didn’t want to commit to something more expensive. This was a huge mistake, and I returned it after less than a day. It was stiff, wobbly and you could feel how cheaply made it was. You will not be able to get the full enjoyment of skating on a sub-par board.
If you do decide to get your own parts, you’ll need to put it together using a skate tool. However, even if you buy a complete, it’s still worth adjusting it to find something comfortable for you. When you’re starting out, having your trucks slightly tighter will help with balance.
What Kind of Skateboard Should You Buy?
You’ll also need to decide the kind of board to buy based on what kind of skating you’re planning on doing. If you just want to be riding to and from places then a cruiser would suit you well. A mini-cruiser is another option if portability is important to you. If you’re planning on doing tricks, then you probably want to go for a popsicle board. If you want to ride for long distances at a time and try and get some speed, then a longboard could be your best friend.
As well as the type of board. You should also consider the size. All skateboards will be different widths and lengths. Bigger boards are heavier and can be trickier to steer or do jump tricks on. Smaller boards can be trickier to keep your balance on and may feel less comfortable. A good size for an average adult is an 8″ in width board. Optimal length varies, but around 32″ is usually a solid bet.
The next thing is wheel hardness. The higher the number the harder the wheels. Soft wheels are smoother and make for more enjoyable cruising. However, they’re not as reliable for tricks and can make it hard to land things like ollies. Conversely, harder wheels are much better for tricks, but cruising will be less fun as you’ll feel all the bumps and you’re more likely to fall off if you hit a stone. I would recommend deciding on one or the other, as hardnesses in between are kind of a worst of both worlds situation.
What to Wear for Skating
Unlike a lot of sports, you won’t need dedicated exercise attire to do skating. In fact, skate culture famously embraces personal style as part of the experience. Grunge looks are very common, as are things like baggy jeans and hoodies. Essentially, you should wear something that feels comfortable and that represents your personality. However, you should still be able to move comfortably and so you probably want to avoid things like skinny jeans.
The biggest thing with skating is shoes. There’ll be plenty of friction between your feet and the grip tape, as well as between your foot and the floor for your pushing leg. As such, it’s imperative to wear shoes that can handle that kind of wear and tear. If you’re planning to do tricks, then shoes that are slightly reinforced on the top or have thicker fabric will be ideal. Otherwise, you might find yourself getting a hole on the side of your toes. You can buy dedicated skate shoes from many brands, with Vans being a popular one.
Somewhat of a controversial topic in the skating world is whether or not to wear protective gear. Unfortunately, there’s this idea that wearing a helmet somehow makes you look uncool. Personally, I’ve never understood what’s uncool about ensuring you don’t get brain damage. I will always be an advocate for wearing a helmet, and indeed as much protective gear as you feel you need. Don’t be ashamed to rock up to the skatepark with elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards, or anything else that helps you feel safer.
Finding Somewhere to Skate
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “This one’s obvious – a skatepark!”, and I understand why you think that. Skate parks offer fantastic opportunities to make the most of your board. They have a fun range of obstacles to do tricks on and loads of other skaters to hang with. But for that exact reason they can be very intimidating for first-time skaters. They’re great for once. You’re a bit more comfortable on your board, but if you’re just starting out you might feel a bit out of your depth.
Instead I would recommend trying to find somewhere wide flat and sparsely populated. You want somewhere that isn’t going to have high foot fall, as you’re probably going to be falling off your board a lot. You’ll want the space to embrace the awkward parts of skating without having to feel embarrassed about people watching you fail. Plus, you don’t want to be running into people… apparently they don’t like that? Who’d have thought!
Try and find somewhere with as smooth a surface as possible. Skating is a lot more fun when it’s smooth, and especially when you’re starting out, your balance won’t be great. A slight crack or pebble in your path could throw you off, and you don’t want that to happen when you’re just learning. You’ll want the space to be able to just push and ride in a straight line as well as turn left and right, and in large circles.
How to Learn the Basics of Skating
Skating is a skill, and as with any skill you’re not going to automatically know how to do it. Just having a board and a place to ride it isn’t enough. You’ll also need the knowledge of what to actually do on that board. You can learn the fundamentals through written articles such as this one, and I absolutely think that reading about skating helps you become more comfortable with the idea of it. However, you can’t learn to skate just from written words, I’m afraid. Therefore, you have two real options.
The first, and by far the best, is to skate with someone more experienced than you. They don’t need to be a veteran expert, but as long as they can do things that you haven’t learnt yet, there’s value to be had from their guidance. Learning directly from someone else is ideal as they can help give you advice in the moment. They’ll be able to instruct you on exactly what you’re doing right and wrong. Plus it just generally feels more fun to skate with other people.
However, if you don’t have another skater in your life, then you can learn from videos. There are loads of tutorial style videos on YouTube and you can find ones that suit your vibe. My personal recommendation is skate IQ. They have loads of really useful instructional videos. I was lucky enough to get to learn the basics from friends, but when it came to learning tricks, their videos really helped give me confidence.
Your First Few Sessions
Let me clear something up for you right now. The first time you get on a skateboard, you are going to suck. And I don’t mean you’re going to be a little bit wobbly while you ride. I mean you are going to completely suck. You’re going to struggle to even stand on the board, let alone push it. So let me reassure you… It does not mean that you’re bad at skating, or that it won’t click for you. It just means that it’s a brand new way of moving that your body isn’t used to. You’ll need time to adapt and learn how to find your balance.
For your first few sessions, you should focus on getting comfortable on the board. That means don’t try and rush to do tricks. They’ll come in time, but if you don’t spend at least a few sessions getting used to just riding and practicing your pushing technique, then you’re setting yourself up for long-term failure. You need to practice balancing on one foot whilst on the board, as this will lead to smoother pushing. I would recommend doing this whilst moving as it’s much harder when stationary. The momentum of the board will help give you better balance. It sounds counterintuitive, but I promise it’s easier.
Try and ride as much as possible in your first few weeks as you’ll gain muscle memory. The more time you spend on the board, the more natural it’ll feel for your body. If the roads/ paths around you permit, then cruise around. You could also use your board when commuting to and from work if you live close. That way when you’re ready to try tricks, you’ll be able to focus purely on the unique movement, as the balance and riding will come naturally.
Conclusion
I hope this guide on how to get started with skating has helped to build your confidence. I remember how nervous I felt when I first started, and I want to help you get over that initial fear. It’s honestly such a fun hobby, and skating will make you feel so in tune with your body. Besides, not only is it fun, but it’s a convenient method of transport. It’s faster than walking, cheaper than a car, and it takes up less space than a bicycle.
What first got you interested in skating? Let me know in the comment section! Also, please follow our Instagram to keep up to date with my latest hobby adventures, including skating!
