You get better at longboarding by riding as frequently as you can. The time and effort you invest in learning longboarding greatly contribute to your growth as a longboarder. The more determined you are in becoming a better longboarder, the easier it is for you to find ways to get out there and practice thereby improving your skills as a longboarder.
Is It Hard to Learn to Ride a Longboard?
It is not hard to learn how to ride a longboard. Longboards are bigger in size. They are wider and longer than regular skateboards which give you plenty of room for your feet. Having bigger space for your feet makes it easier for you to keep your balance while riding a longboard.
Longboards have the capability to strongly absorb shock from cracks, bumps, or rocks present in the ground because they have larger and softer wheels. Your board handles shock greatly which lessens the risk of falling out of your board. Additionally, this also gives you a peaceful and trouble-free riding experience.
Are Longboards Better for Beginners?
According to various sources, longboards are the ideal boards for newbies. As stated earlier, it is easier to learn how to ride longboards because of multiple reasons. Apart from having strong shock absorption capabilities, longboards also provide you with more stability when cruising which makes it the perfect board for beginners.
On top of that, longboards are made to enable you to reach long distances at exceptionally high speeds. It is important to put your safety first when traveling these distances. Thankfully, longboards are easier to balance, more stable, and easily maneuverable so the inherent risks that come with longboarding can be minimized.
Should a Beginner Get a Longboard?
It is highly recommended for beginners to get a longboard. As a beginner, you will likely find longboards to be easier than other boards. If you plan to use it for commuting or downhill riding, then longboards are perfect for you.
There are a wide variety of longboards to choose from and it can get pretty overwhelming especially if it’s your first board. Shorter boards are easier to maneuver but the risk of falling out of your board is higher. Although it can be quite hard to pick out which one suits you best, make an effort to know what your needs and wants are.
How Do I Start Longboarding for the First Time?
The only way to start longboarding is to get out there and ride your board. It’s way better if you can get someone to come with you whether they be your friend or instructor because they can be of great assistance especially if it’s your first time. The first thing you should do is find out if you’re regular or goofy so that you feel comfortable when riding your board.
Those who skate with their left foot forward are called “goofy” while those who skate with their right foot forward are called “regular”. Once you get this out of the way, the next step is to ride your board on a flat surface. Gradually improve your longboarding skills by getting your basic stance down, practicing how to maintain your balance on your board, and learning different techniques.
What to Do When I First Get a Longboard?
After getting your longboard, you should immediately get yourself some protective gear to keep yourself away from any injury or accident. It might seem lame to others, but it’s actually a really good thing to be geared up when practicing especially if you’re new to the sport. After all, prioritizing your safety should always come first.
Now that you have your board and protective gear, you should first learn how to make your board move and how to make it stop. Learning how to get your longboard moving is just as important as learning how to stop it. The easiest way to get your board to stop is to use your foot as a brake by softly brushing it against the ground until you come to a gentle stop.
How Do I Practice Longboarding?
You can practice longboarding by riding with different experienced longboarders that are willing to educate you about the sport. However, before you practice longboarding, it is important to allow room for failure. Recognizing failure as a part of your learning process also means that you’re allowing room for improvement.
Once you start longboarding, there are many things that you need to learn and work on such as your turning stance, push and brake stance, balance, and many more. Your longboarding skills will improve overtime as you practice. Here are some ways on how to practice longboarding:
- Experiment: Ride your longboard on different surfaces to gain more experience. Additionally, try different riding styles and learn how to do different longboarding tricks.
- Turning: Turning on longboards is not that hard as it seems because they are more flexible. Practice how to turn your board by applying pressure on one side of the board while leaning your body to whichever side you want to turn to, and the board will follow.
- Turning stance: A great way to practice your turning stance is to lean to the sides while you shift your body weight around.
- Push and brake stance: Practice your push and brake stance by balancing on one foot as you bring your back foot up, and then using it to push or a brake.
- Carving: You can practice carving by doing consecutive turns on your longboard as you follow an S shape pattern. Carving is a great way to slow your board down and it will come in handy sooner or later.
- Sliding: Sliding is a bit hard to learn but it will surely take your longboarding to the next level. Practice sliding by carving hard as you straighten your legs instantly to lift some weight off the board. Learning how to slide is very useful because it’s a very effective way to slow down if ever you end up going too fast.
- Braking: To practice braking, you must wear protective gear especially if you’re a beginner. Find a small slope and go down on it while you ride your longboard. You can brake your longboard by dragging your shoes or gloved hands against the ground to slow your board down.
- Maintaining balance: The most effective way to practice how to keep your balance is to simply ride your longboard. You will encounter different situations each time you longboard, and this will help you improve your balancing skills. To minimize the fear and risk of accidents, wear protective gear.
How Can I Improve My Longboard Balance?
There are several things that you can do to improve your balance when riding a longboard. One of the many great ways to improve your balance is to get a balance board. Investing in a balance board is certainly worth it in the long run especially if you are someone who really wants to get into board sports.
A balance board comes with a few more benefits apart from improving your balance. Not only does it strengthen your ankles, lower legs, core, back, and shoulders that help you improve your posture, but it also reduces the pain in your back and neck. Listed down below are several more balance exercises that you can do to improve your longboard balance to prevent you from falling and injuring yourself:
- Doing yoga
- Doing tai chi
- Leg swings
- Weight shifts
- Tightrope walk
- One-legged squat
- Walking on uneven terrain
- Standing from a chair without using your hands or any other assistance
- Standing on one leg while lifting the other leg sidewards or backward
How Do I Get Better at Longboarding?
The only way to get better at longboarding is to skate as often as you can. Be consistent in practicing and everything else will follow. You can start by going on short distances at slow speeds and then slowly work your way up from there. Increase the distance you cover and how fast you go little by little.
You can also try riding on different terrain each time you skate to gain more experience as a longboarder. Experiment with new tricks and riding styles and again, let there be room for failure. If possible, try to skate with other experienced longboarders as they can give you tips to help you learn and grow as a longboarder.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Longboarding?
The time it takes to learn longboarding depends on a few key factors. If you have previous boarding experience, then you will learn longboarding a little bit faster than others but bear in mind that it will take you quite some time to adjust.
If you are a beginner and do not have any boarding experience, then it will take you slightly longer to learn longboarding than those who have a boarding background. As mentioned earlier, the time and effort you put into learning how to longboard also play a big role in your progress. Anyone can learn how to ride a longboard but how much you practice very much affects how fast or slow you learn.
How Long Does It Take to Get Good at Longboarding?
Given the fact that longboarding is not hard to learn, the time it takes to get good at longboarding is affected by several factors. Since each person is different, it is going to be a completely different experience for everyone. As mentioned earlier, those who have a longboarding background will get good at longboarding faster than others.
If you know people that have been longboarding for quite a while now, ask them if you can longboard with them. It is easier to improve your longboarding skills if you have someone teaching you and telling you how to get better rather than watching tutorials online. How determined you are in getting good at longboarding also greatly influences your growth as a longboarder.
How Do You Longboard Like a Pro?
Professional longboarders also started as beginners. As discussed, you must have discipline practice consistently. Having a lot of patience comes in handy, after all, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Pro longboarders also know the importance of the community. You will learn a lot of tips and tricks when you hang out at a skate park (or anywhere where skaters and longboarders frequently go) and talk to them. Join competitions and events. Immerse yourself within the world of longboarders and always go out of your comfort zone to get better.
Is Longboarding Like Snowboarding?
Longboarding is very much the same as snowboarding. Some would describe snowboarding as longboarding on hills covered with snow. Furthermore, the two sports also work for almost the same muscle groups and use some similar techniques.
The main difference that the two have is that snowboarding has bindings. The stance snowboarders use is also different from the stance that longboarders use. Snowboarding requires you to ride on an edge while your feet are locked in.
Can I Snowboard if I Can Longboard?
It should not be hard for you to get the hang of snowboarding if you already know how to longboard. In fact, anyone can learn to snowboard even if they do not know how to ride a longboard. Having said that, you have a few advantages if you know how to ride a longboard such as having the basic concept of riding on a board.
It is important to remember that snowboarding and longboarding are only alike, and they are not exactly the same so you will have to make a few adjustments to the way you ride. If it’s your first time snowboarding, it is highly suggested that you go with an instructor or a friend. They will be of great help as they can assist you and give you some tips on how to learn snowboarding.
Is Longboarding Like Surfing?
Longboarding is a bit like surfing. As a matter of fact, longboarding was often called sidewalk surfing back in the day. On particular days when the waves did not allow people to surf in the ocean, they would make use of the roads by riding longboards to get that same feeling of catching waves in the sea.
They have a few similarities, but the two sports are totally different from each other and surfing needs more skill. It is hard to predict the behavior of the waves to interact with them. Even more so, it is difficult to know where the wave will break and where to place yourself before you catch the wave.
Does Longboarding Help With Surfing?
If you have previous longboarding experience, you will find it easier to learn surfing therefore allowing you to advance much faster than others. Surfing requires a completely different type of balancing since you will be dealing with waves. That being so, longboarding can help with surfing in terms of maintaining your balance because you balance on a board in both sports.
Although this is the case, you must remember that there is still so much to learn about surfing even if you know how to ride a longboard. Bear in mind that longboarding is the easiest art of riding on a board and surfing is often seen as the hardest board sport to learn. You will need more skills if you want to learn surfing and it will take you months or even years of practice if you want to get good at it.
What Do I Need to Know Before Longboarding?
It is crucial to know what your riding goals are before longboarding as this will considerably help you in choosing your first longboard and which one fits you best. You must also be aware that the sport of longboarding comes with a few dangers. Always keep in mind that prioritizing your safety should always come first among all other things whenever you skate.
You are always at risk of falling out of your board whenever you’re longboarding. Moreover, if you are planning to use it for long-distance traveling at extremely high speeds, then you are at risk of getting yourself into an accident or worse. But to tell you the truth, just like any other sport, longboarding is only as dangerous as you make it.
Should I Start Longboarding?
Know why you want to start longboarding and what your goals are. If you find the sport of longboarding interesting and you would like to try it out, then you should definitely start longboarding. If truth be told, you are the only one who can answer this question.
Longboarding is not only an extremely pleasurable and relaxing activity but also a healthy hobby. Longboarding comes with a lot of health benefits: it strengthens your muscles, increases your stamina, and gets your heart pumping. On top of that, it also improves your flexibility and balancing skills which makes it a very good sport.
