More of this Feature • Part 2: Cruising • Part 3: Getting Hurt and Getting Back Up

Join the Discussion See our reader board, and what other skaters have to say Click here to go to the forum

So you've bought or borrowed your first skateboard, and you are wondering what to do with it. You've seen skaters at the park on on TV, and you know what skating's supposed to look like, but how do you get started?

Well, the first thing you should do is get a pair of skate shoes. You can skate in regular shoes, but it will be a lot harder and even sometimes dangerous. Skate shoes are built with a large flat bottom, to better grip on the board, and often with other features like reinforcement in areas where you'll likely wear the shoe down. You should also get a helmet. You might see skaters not wearing helmets, and worry that wearing one will make you look weak or stupid, but don't worry about it. It's common now for skateparks to require helmets, and it's just plain smart, especially when you first start out. Wearing other protective pads can be good too, but what you need totally depends on what you are doing. If you are trying to do tricks in your driveway, elbow pads might be a good idea, but you really only need knee pads if you are skating on a ramp, or trying some pretty crazy tricks. Wrist braces can be nice, but be careful not to get too used to using your hands to catch yourself when you fall.

Now you should be ready to skate. First, before you try anything crazy, you need to get comfortable with your board. If you borrowed it, or if you went to a shop and bought a complete board already built, there's a chance that there may be some things about it that you might find uncomfortable. Set the board either in some grass, or on the carpet in your living room, and try standing on it, jumping on it, whatever. Try balancing only on the front or back wheels. Standing on the board, move your feet into different positions. Get used to the feel and size of your board.

Next page > [Next, take the board out to some pavement...] > Page 2, 3