Skateboarding has a strange culture, doesn't it? I mean, skaters aren't like anyone else out there. We do our own thing, but we're also a group. And we're fiercely protective of what it means to be a "skater".
It can be rough when you are a new skater, or when you just aren't learning tricks as fast as your friends. Sometimes skaters are really encouraging to each other, but sometimes we rip our brothers and sisters down. That's not good. Everyone learns at their own rate, and if someone is trying to skate and willing to put in the blood and sweat, I say build 'em up instead of calling them a "poser". Besides, we ALL started at zero - and became a skater the moment we fell in love with skateboarding, and got on a board.
Not to say that there aren't posers out there! Kids who buy a skateboard and carry it around, just to look the part ... they're a different story. And I find them just as annoying as you probably do.
But for people who are trying but who just learn more slowly, I say encourage them and help them get even better! What do you think? Have you ever been harassed because you didn't instantly learn several hard tricks? Or do you think that until you have reached a certain level, you aren't really a skater? Leave a comment below.
Comments
I used to kind of think I wasn’t good enough to go out into public and skate when I first started.But when I finally thought about,I figuered,”Hey!I’m doing what I love and by gollie I’ll go out and skate even if I’m the worst skater in the world!At least I’m trying.”And going and skating in public made all the difference in the world.I learned all kinds of stuff I wouldn’t have if I just would have stayed in my backyard practicing.Going out and actually learning on good terrain really helps.So,if you are like I was,just tell yourself what I did and go have fun.For all we know,you could turn out to be the next Rodney Mullen or something.Ahh,who am I kidding.No one on earth will ever be the next Rodney Mullen.Would you settle on being the next Danny Way or Rob Dyrdek?
for me it helped a lot the fact that I started skateboarding at the same time as some of my friends, but some became good fast, some didn’t. I guess it’s about having fun, but still you need to practice in order to get better.
zaks question on blank decks is a good one,and your answere was right!!!!two years ago i started producing my own graphics on skateboards and even though my graphics include my company name , im pround to inform my customers that the blank decks were purchased from “TGM” and i am almost 40 years old and weigh 250 pounds and havent split one in half yet…but if you ever buy a brand name skateboard i would buy a “zorlac”,,,yes im still skating several original johnson,gibson,and stanton decks from 1988-1990 and they still are firm in the middle…
I am a slow learner i guess… Ive been skating for about 9 months and all i can do is an ollie (only about a foot high)but i can jump off of stuff.and i can boneless really good and a really sketchy pop shuvit,no one gives me any trouble but it does bug me that i cant progress very fast.If any one can give me a tip on how to improve faster i would really apreciate it,And Steve cave what is the normal progression rate like how long does it take an average skater to learn each trick from ollies to hardflips?
In response to sk8 for christ:
I can do hardflips and all that,and it took me a LONG time.It took me 2 and a 1/2 years to learn all that,so I’d say ur on the same progression road as I was…which is actually pretty good
Yeah Sk8r, Primoslide is right. You’re doing well, but I hear you, slow progression can be frustrating. The only way to progress faster is to skate more – but here’s the trick – you can’t get too much in your own head, getting frustrated that you aren’t learning as fast as you would like. That will actually slow you down! Pushing yourself is good, but don’t let your frustration block your way. Use it to drive you, and as much as you can, relax and have fun!! But I don’t mean to sound like it’s no big deal – the learning curve is seriously different for everyone. But rest assured, if you can ollie and boneless (way to go old school!) and shuvit, you are doing great. Just keep at it. When a trick slows you down more than you want, try a different one for a while… but keep having fun!
I think it depends what trick your trying to learn. Because I learned a hard flip in about a week but it took me 2 months to learn how to treflip. And I still can’t even do a tre flip that well. LOL
ive been skating 9 years know, every day and i only can do a ollie, but to me im really happy about that but i dont really bother about tricks, to me skateboarding is about the adrenaline rush when ure out on your board all your problems escape you dont think about them and its all posers who hang around the parks during the day you can have up to 100 boarders go at night skateparks are more fun
Tricks are good and all, I’ve been skating for nearly 22 years and now my own son is really getting into it but it’s not ALL about the tricks unless your planning on turning pro which you know isn’t all that likely. Skating for me is more about the freedom, just getting away from all life’s BS if even for a little while. Hanging out with people that understand you and where your coming from. So we need to help build up our fellow brothers and sisters instead of tearing them down because they can’t do Hard Flip 180. Now that being said, POSERS can kiss my A$$!!!
So, just curious, how do people view skaters who just ride. I use my board for transportation mostly, I love it and I’ve tried doing tricks in the past but was always trash. But I love the rush of goin down a monster hill, board speed wobbling, and just when you think your gunna bail you come outta it and make it! ah bliss man.
It always hurts when a dude has all this great stuff and never even touches his board. Like you dont even see scratches on his shoes! Supra, Vans, DC and those crazy priced models!! hurts so bad!
It always hurts when a dude has all this great stuff and never even touches his board. Like you dont even see scratches on his shoes! Supra, Vans, DC and those crazy priced models!! hurts so bad!
Oh and all i could do is ollie for a year but now the tricks are coming faster, everyday i take huge steps! Just pray everyday!
well i suck at skating. its been 3 years for me and i havent ever even landed a kickflip. i can ollie high and i can shuv-it and fs nollie shuv-it but thats it. i suck at flip tricks and they are extremely hard for me. i can ollie stairs and all that and i have a pretty good style while i jump stairs but i just cant flip the damn board, haha. i can also 180. i have fallen many times and sometimes went too far acting stupid, which cost me 2 broken feet (at seperate times) and i regret that, but i still love skating.
You’re a skater if you skate for the love of skating and nothing else. If you love skating and can’t ollie, you’re a skater. I don’t know, however, where that leaves sk8r for Christ.
hey, im 31 years old and i still doing skateboard, sometimes i cant ,cause the work and other dutys , i have to say ,when i was more younger, like 13 years old, i only see one skateboard of tow tails in my city, i always ride with my board like the zephyr,style, so now i have a litle girl and im still doing some tricks even if my body dont response very well but i love skateboard so you have to find you path, and then you can enjoy the skateboard like me..,sorry by my english i hope that everyone understand me,, peace and keep rolling…
ive been skating for 1 1/2 years now and all i can do is olllie but it took me along time to do that all u have to do is practice and youll get better i practice inside on carpet and on carpet i can switch ollie, switch ollie north switch shuv both bs and fs i can 180 bs and fs, fs regular olmost regular shuv still learning, regular ollie north and almost backside flip which is kinda wierd but i just need to overcome my fears of falling out side can someone help me?
T-rad in response to what you said earlier i love skating i skate almost every day and i wouldnt stop skating unless i broke my legs or were dead LOL but why not have the same fun of skating but also be pushing something more important at the same time.its the same with pros they love skating (thats how they became pro cuz they wouldnt stop skatin)but they still have fun skating and support there company im no pro but i guess you could say god is my sponser.
reon, you should (as corney as it may sound)were a helmet, arm pads, knee pads,shin gards,wrist.etc and if possible tie a pillow around your back side LOL this will help but i would only skate that way were no one could see me.this way even if you do fall you wont get hurt.your goin to fall alot (trust me i know)and probably will eventuallly brake something but just try to stay safe and after a while you wont need so much padding.
I am a slow learn.r but i still push myself to learn more`
I was also a slow learner for the first 2 years. It took me about a year and a half to get my inward heel flips down and not to mention my switch flips and hardflips. I’ve been skating for quite some time now and have just landed my first couple laserflips in the past one and a half years.
omg u guys make me feel so good, i jst startedn skating oct6ober, since i got a deck 4 my birthday, an i can pull all kindsa stuff. i dont do vert so much, but im alreddy doin 360 popshuvits…. plus 2day i learned how ta varial kikflip!!! =)
I would say to me it matters how much progress I make because everytime I land a trick it is liberation. I’ve been skating for almost 6 years though, but I’ve got a really good variety of flatground tricks. I can skate boxes/ledges and rails, not any quarter pipe skating. I just play a lot of SKATE with friends so that I progress faster, because if they land a trick that I think looks really cool, I will pretty much make them wait until I land it to contunue the game. It’s motivation for me… I don’t think it really matters what tricks people have and what they do as long as they don’t lie about it and they’re having fun. Fun for me though is landing new tricks, and even tricks I’ve done before because when you do something so clean, even if no one sees it you get like a tingly feeling of awesomeness haha or at least I do
I forgot one thing. The part about lying about what you do, I would say that if you lie about being a badass skater, like claiming that you can do tricks that you can’t do. If you do that you are a poser! On the other hand if you claim that you skateboard and you do, slow learner or not you’re a skater.
You know man everyone used to be “shit”
and I have a few friends that dont know tricks. But there good at other shit.
everyone has something to be proud of on there board.
Go to skate parks with nice people that are usually popular dont be afraid to open your mouth and ask better skateboarders how to pop a trick man ya know.
cya
-Hendo
Well posers do piss me off…some guy at school that’s been skating for 3-4 years now(and can barely ollie) lied to all the skaters about tre flipping a ledge…then when the moment of truth came he only ollied! He’s been getting punked for over a year O: DONT BE A POSER
I got my board a month ago and i’ve been trying to find my balance and master turning. I’ve been going at the ollie since the first week but i can only do it on the grass and the soft padding around the jungle gym lol. I haven’t tried it on concrete at all.
it’s b/c my parents are pretty unsupportive and say things like i’ll get hurt and stuff. I’m going to get completely padded up TODAY, so i know it’s only the fear that’s stopping me. I’m still committing! this article and the comments esp are really motivating thanks!
what about if you’re a Girl AND a Slow learner?
that just puts more pressure on me.
i’ve been wanting to skate for almost 5 years but my parents were never supportive and barely any of my friends skate, i just got my board about 3 months ago but sometimes i feel really discouraged a lot of times because i havent progressed much and pretty much everyone expects me to suck and quit. So i barely ever go out to even try anyomore. /:
Karen. parents are like that ya just gotta do it (if wearing a helmet makes it easier on them wear one) i hate wearing a helmet and i rarely ever wear one but its not safe and people really should wear them (im just a hipocrite LOL)just take your time relax and have fun thats all that matters is that its fun,just cruise until your comfortable with turning,stopping and speed,then try to ollie.Really if you just wanna skate for fun and arnt big on tricks,all ya gotta know is cruising and how to ollie (but tricks are fun).just break out the board an start skating if you like it, if you dont enjoy it at all there is know point in skating p.s. being your a girl and you wann skate that right there (in my book) makes you cool,every time i see a girl skater i just think (heh shes pretty cool)well keep skating Karen!
I’ve been skating since i was around 7. But i never really got serious or tried to learn anything until about a few months ago.
Im scared to go to park because i am a little slow to learn tricks. plus im a girl.
Ive been out skating and stuff. I found that when i fall, all eyes are on me because im the girl. Everyones asks me if im alright, either that or they laugh.
When guys fall, no one gives a crap and i hate being the center of attention. I wish it was normal for girls to skate, just like it is for guys
so i stay in my backyard. its sucky
I’m catching grief at the skate park for being a slow learner. I’m trying to keep it light, you know, not let the yankers* get to me. The way I see it, true skaters don’t waste time on hate so I ignore the crap-talk. But it can definitely suck to be out there sometimes.
*Yankers: my term for older or skilled skaters who get off on harassing the new, or slow learners. Opposite of posers and equally as derogatory a term, obviously.
*Yank Skanks: skaters who follow yankers (aka: pack mentality).
ugghhh i always have to carry around my skateboard… my neighborhood has old concrete with giant pebbles so i walk with my skateboard in hand to the side with better concrete =). Then i realized that i still suck so theres not a different between my nicely paved drive way and the other side of my neighborhood besides the amount of space. So ive been practicing turning in circles in my driveway till im comfortable riding down the whole street. p.s. ripstick was my first form of skateboard and they are pretty nice actually MINDBLOWING depending on what your planning to do with it =/.
@anyone who’s slow at learning and wants a very good way to progress =)
Well, I’ve been skating for about 8 or maybe less years and I can ollie and all that s**t, but the best way to progress is find decent skaters who encourage you and give you props when you land tricks, its the best decision I made, because they encourage you but also push you to progress more because they skate stuff which is hard for new skaters to ride but you will get soooo much better =) <3
Well I’ve been skating a few weeks now although skated first a year ago and can do an Ollie. I haven’t fallen much but still don’t think of myself as good. I think slow learners should just be encouraged but posers should frowned up.
well i just started and a kid who has been skating longer than me gives me sooooo much shit so do all my friends like “go get your board skater” (sarcasticly) and always tell me i suck im sick of it really
I’ve been skating since august, and I can’t ollie high and i cant land any flip tricks except for some weird kind of no comply handflip crap
i really want to ollie high so skateboard becomes much funner for me so i can just jump on to and slide and grind stuff (sadface)
i only landed one heelflip and landed and messed up a varial flip
Haha i am a slow learner,Just started a month ago and im still learning how to ollie, All i can do is land with one foot, But i practice(Holding bars and that stuff) I think im progressing slowly hey my friends are better in skating and all they do is give me tips and teach me
Getting better 
i have been skating for about a year but can only ride it and i cant do tricks ..ALL of my brothers friends make fun of me And say im a poser and since im a girl it makes it worse not even my mom is supportive It blows but im still trying
most of my brothers friends call me a poser im a really slow learner so it annoys me and none of my family is supportive So its really hard on me but i try my hardes and slowly im getting better
I´m back on skateboarding after 11 years, i´m 29 years old, wish me luck guys. Adios amigos.
flip tricks rock!!!! im 14 and ive been skating for 5 months and i can kickflip (not constantly), varial flip, pop shuvit, shuvit, ollie (lol), boardslide, rock to fakie (on a ramp), i just find it so impossible to 180 but my friends do it so easily….
im a girl and ive only just started skating about a week ago, and i can do an ollie idle but its so sketchy, but i cant ride on rough roads yet i still trip. but im pretty happy with my progress for me its not just the tricks its something i use as an escape from stress. so if me being a ” skater girl ” as ive been called or a poser means that im doing something that makes me feel good and that i like doing then go ahead and call me a poser. and just because im a girl doesnt mean that im crap or i cant skate as good as guys! and i hate when girls that dont skate but think the skaters are hot say that im just doing it to get guys im not.
I used to skate a lot from when I was a sophomore to a senior in highschool, back then I could usually land a heelflip but that was about it.
It’s been 5 years since I touched a board and I just picked it up again about 3 months ago (took the last month of that off because of a shoulder injury from skating).
I’ve been skating everyday for the past 2 weeks now, my trick list has grown quite a bit.
Heelflip, kickflip, tre-flip, 180 ollies, fs/bs shoveits and pop shoveits, multiple mini-ramp stalls.
Can heelflip and kickflip a euro gap as well.
One thing that kind of clicked is no matter what, you have to try and land on it. If you keep thinking you’re gonna fall, that thought is gonna enter your head right before you land and you end up bailing. Usually you get hurt from bailing more then just taking a slam from falling.
shred hard, thats all you can do and do it to the best of your ability.
Ive been skating for about a month and all I can do is a manual, im too scared to ollie cus I dont hav a helmet/padding….. Skating in ireland sucks balls
I’ve been skating 4 around 4 mnths (im 13) and can now do heelflips, kickflips and other stuff. I got better cuz i skate every day from 7 to 9pm weekdays.
O and Posers f*** piss me off, they just sit inside the f**** bowl!!! It gets so annoying, but all I have to say is hav fun and keep on skating!!
I want to learrn to skate and i know pretty well im saving up some money to customize my own board any ideas on good companies brands or parts
I’m 57 and started a year and a half ago. I love skating. I can do a couple little tricks like a rock and roll and rock to fakie and I can carve and drop in. But I love to ride. In the 18 months I’ve skated I’ve never had a single kid or anyone else ever make a crack about me not being sick on a skateboard. They are so encouraging and supporting. (hundreds have tried to teach me to ollie.) :>) That’s what I love about it…the kids. They’re good to me. They respect the fact that I’m an old guy and I’m doing it.
I’m a girl and a slow learner..its hard cuz a few people call me a poser my rentz arnt supportive at all and I have no time or space to practice and rarly go to the skatepark..I’ve been skating a long time but just truley started over summer…its been really hard and everything is making my progress slower but its fun and people are helpful and supportive most of the time which reminds me one of the many reasons why I love skating
J209,
If you look uo the top ten you’ll get them all
I have an alien workshop and LOVE it
There’s also
Baker
Zero
Element
Birdhouse
Girl
Plan b
And sever other well known good brands
Bone or pig wheels are best I have form wheels
Industrial trucks are good and common
If you go to your local skate shop they will help you and gwt you started with everything that fits you
So true. I’m a girl that skates and I’m kinda agressive at it. I learned a stationary kickflip in like a week. It’s hilarious how guys try to put girls down just because skateboard used to be a male dominant sport. Yeah, there are guys who pose every now and then…but to actually keep skateboarding alive, support your local skaters who are actually trying. That’s way better than being shitty and thinking your the coolest guy who ever skated, and no one is better than you.