If you are a complete beginner in skateboarding, probably, you see lots of skateboarders out there jumping and riding their boards and you start thinking about how do these skateboarders stay on the board? Yes! When I was a kid, I also thought the same thing whenever I see skateboarders jumping along with their skateboards. So, how do skateboarders manage to stay on their skateboards?
How do skateboarders stay on the board? The reason why skateboarders manage to stay on the board even while jumping or cruising is because they practice a lot doing this. There is a technique skateboarders use to stay on the board even though they do an ollie or cruise.
Today, we will talk about the technique skateboarders use to stay on the board while performing an ollie or just cruising around the city. Yes! There are foot straps available in the market which are sold to beginners in skateboarding. But I suggest you not buy those foot straps because you will have a hard time in the long term.
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How Do Skateboarders Stay On The Board?
Ollie is the famous skateboarding trick that skateboarders execute. For those beginners reading this article of mine, the ollie is a skateboarding trick that requires practice to execute properly because it requires you to jump with your skateboard. Check the video below for you to know what Ollie is.
The main idea is that skateboarders push down hard on one side out past the wheels, torquing the board into a hop and then pushing down with the other foot to level the board out and make it appear to stick to the feet. Skateboarders never lift the board. The only necessary upward force in the ollie is the normal force from the ground.
The skateboard is not attached to the skateboarder’s feet. There is no glue available in the market for that. It is being held there by simple physics. Gravity pulls down the board. If your feet push down on the top of the board faster than gravity pulls it down, then you will end up with a bit of force between your feet and the board.
When cruising, skateboarders manage to stay on the board by practicing and cruising often. If you are a beginner your feet and legs might get hurt after cruising because you are not yet used to it. So, if you are a beginner and want to cruise or ollie, you must practice so that you can stay on board.
How To Avoid Falling On Your Skateboard?
To be honest with you guys, it is inevitable to fall on your skateboard. Falling on your skateboard is part of learning how to skate properly. It is the same with life. If you don’t fall or fail, you will never learn. Of course, you need to get hurt first before learning. This applies to skateboarding too.
However, even though you can’t hundred percent avoid falling on your skateboard, there are some ways that you can do to lessen your chances of getting injured if you fall on your skateboard while doing skateboarding tricks or cruising on the road.
The first thing you can do to lessen your chances of getting injured if you fall on your skateboard is to learn how to fall properly on your skateboard. Falling properly can be practiced and learned. If you don’t know how to fall properly on your skateboard, you might get into some serious injuries. Don’t worry because there are lots of adept skateboarders on the internet that can teach you how to fall properly.
The second thing you can do to lessen your chances of getting injured if you fall on your skateboard is to wear protective gear. Protective gears such as helmets and knee pads will help you prevent serious injuries. If you are a beginner at skateboarding, I suggest you wear a helmet and knee pads.
The third thing you can do to lessen your chances of getting injured if you fall on your skateboard is to master the basics of skateboarding first! There are beginners in skateboarding that rush to learn hard skateboarding tricks. Learn how to ride your skateboard first, learn how to turn in different directions, and how to balance yourself properly.
Do Skateboarders Use Foot Straps?
There are some beginners in skateboarding that use foot straps. However, not all beginners in skateboarding use foot straps because they think that foot straps are a waste of money. Also, professional or experienced skateboarders don’t need to use foot straps because they already know the basics and most of the hard tricks in skateboarding.
There is no issue in using foot straps when skateboarding. However, I still suggest you avoid using foot straps and learn to ride your skateboard without them. I have a guide to using foot straps while skateboarding here.
Final Words
Staying on the board while cruising or performing an ollie can be challenging. However, if you are persistent and motivated, you will be able to do it very soon. It is not a one-day practice. It requires consistency for you to be able to stay on your skateboard properly.
