Articles Index
What should I do when I'm STILL afraid?
I just got an email from a reader who is having a hard time with chickenfoot. He explained that he read Chickenfoot Help, and How to Conquer Fear in Skateboarding, and is still having problems. Nothing helps. No matter what, when he comes down one of his feet finds its way to the ground...
What should you do about torn shoe laces?
If you are like me, then you go through a lot of shoe laces in your skate shoes. It's frustrating, and even though some skate shoes have little guards to help protect your laces, there's just no good way to protect them. So, what should you do about frayed and broken shoe laces in your skate shoes?
What should big or tall skaters do when learning to skateboard?
What should big or tall skaters do when learning to skateboard? Im a big guy for skating , 6' 2", and I have size 12 feet. I haven't met any skaters as tall as me. I know that Tony Hawk and Andrew Reynolds are big guys, so its no excuse. I was wondering if a bigger skater should approach skating differently? I get this question a lot, actually. Being a bigger guy just means you’ll have to work harder. Your center of gravity is ... read more about hints for big or tall skaters
What should heavy skaters do, to not break so many skateboards?
What should heavy skaters do, to not break so many skateboards? Tough, strong skateboard options, and how to not break skateboards. Some skaters are heavier than others - a little overweight, or taller, or just more solidly built. Often, being heavier means you will snap board boards, even if you are careful. What should a heavier skater do? Should you buy a tough, strong skateboard? Is there something you are doing wrong when you skate?
Should I Ever Change my Skateboarding Stance?
Changing your skateboarding stance IS possible, but just to warn you, most guys I've talked to who have changed their stance, have had a rough time with it. But it CAN be done! Sometimes I get emails from skaters who skate one way, but wish they skated the opposite stance. One reader even had the problem where he skates one way, but then ends up not being able to do regular ollies, but instead ends up nollying, or doing the trick fakie, and he's sick of it!
What's the Best Place to Buy Skateboards, Skateboard Parts and Equipment?
Where's the best place to buy skateboards, skateboarding parts and skateboard equipment? I get asked this question all the time, and t's abut time I put together a good answer! I've got three options for you, in answer to the question, where to buy skateboards, skateboard parts and skateboarding equipment.
How to Get Back Into Skateboarding
How to get back into skateboarding is a question that comes up a lot. A reader wrote to me and explained that every couple of years he tries, but he just doesn't know how to get back into skateboarding. He doesn't stick with it. So what do you do, if you're trying to get back into skateboarding? Read this skateboarding FAQ for insight, wisdom, and a little bit of humor.
Ollie Problems
A reader with ollie problems wrote in and asked, "Whatever I do, I cannot ollie. I do what people say, and I try really hard,but I can't even ollie one centimeter into the air. Can you give me any tips?" Ollie propblems are extremely common for new skaters. Skateboarding is kind of cruel this way - the ollie is probably the most important skate trick to learn, and it's one of the first tricks skaters try. But it's also one of the toughest!
Can Skaters Ollie Without Touching Their Tails to the Ground?
A reader asks, "I was at our local sk8 park today and I saw this one guy doing some good ollies but when he popped his tail it did not hit the ground like most sk8ers do. I have also seen this type of ollie before. Have you seen anything like it?. Does it have to do with the front foot slide maybe?"
Am I too old to learn to skate?
A lot of skaters pick up their first board when they're in their teens. Many even younger. But then there's the late skaters; people who get interested in skateboarding later in life. If you are one of these people, you might be wondering if it's just too late for you. Read this skate FAQ for your answers to this question.
What should I do to help my kid become a pro skateboarder?
What should I do to help my kid become a pro skateboarder? This is a great question, answered here in the Skateboarding FAQ. What should you do to help further your kid's skateboarding ability? Where should you start now if you want a pro skateboarding career in the future? Becoming a pro skater, and having a career as a pro skateboarder, is more and more a legitimate life option! Read this article to see what to do for you son or daughter who wants to become a professional skateboarder.
How Do I Fall Safely Skateboarding?
How to Fall Safely Skateboarding - A skater asked, "If I do fall is there any proper way for me to land without hurting my self and ending up on an EMS vehicle to the nearest hospital? Sometimes Safety Gear is just not enough." Read this Skateboarding FAQ to get the answer!
Does Cold Weather Make Skateboards Break Easily?
A skater named Matt wrote in, "I usually go through a deck every 6 to seven months. But recently within 2 months I've already snapped 2 decks and my third is already cracking. This has all happened since October and here in Korea it gets really cold. Does cold weather affect your skateboard, does it make your board snap easily?" Does the cold make your skateboard more likely to break?
Should I Skateboard in the Rain?
Should I Skateboard in the Rain? Skating in the rain is not a good idea. The wood of your deck will want to soak up water and warp, and the bearings won't like being wet. So basically no. However, sometimes you might just need to. Here are some things to do if you must skateboard in the rain!
What do extra numbers like K13 or K12 mean on skateboard deck sizes?
A lot of online skate shops will simply show you a picture of a board, with the width, and then some random other numbers. When you see something like this 143-k13, what does it mean? Well, the first thing it means is that you are looking at a Skate One board (Skate One makes Powell, Powell Peralta, Surf One, MiniLogo, Golden Dragon and Positiv boards). This is their method for telling you the shape of the skateboard deck you are looking at. This first number tells the shape of the...
How Can I Make My Ollies Higher?
How Can I Make My Ollies Higher? How can I get more height when ollying? How do I ollie better? I get asked this question a lot - read this FAQ for some helpful info and answers.
As a Skater, How Should I Dress?
As a Skater, How Should I Dress? How Should Skateboarders Dress? A lot of young skaters ask how they should dress, to dress like a skateboarder. It's a good question, but a tough one to answer... Skater style is a little confusing beyond just buying skateboard brand clothes. A lot of skaters wear super-tight jeans. Others wear baggy jeans. T-shirts are popular with skaters, and sometimes rough or ragged looking clothes are popular...
How Do I Keep my Skateboard from Breaking?
How do you keep your board from breaking? How do you jump large gaps without breaking your skateboard? How do pros frontside flip 16 stairs and land without breaking their boards? As a reader named Brendan wrote and asked me, "How do they manage to keep their boards from breaking under supernatural heights?"
How Do I Find a Good Skatespot?
We're always looking for new places to skate. Skateparks are the obvious answer, but they can get old, or crowded, or have too many restrictions. Finding your own skateboarding spot is fun, and changing things up will help you develop more as a skater! But how do you find new spots to skate at? Here are some tips for finding a good skate spot.
What should I do when injured skateboarding?
What should I do when injured skateboarding? Getting injured skateboarding is normal. Skateboarding is dangerous, and there's really no way to stay totally safe. So, what should you do after getting injured?
Should I Wear Pads When Skateboarding?
Should I Wear Pads When Skateboarding? Specifically, we're talking about elbow and knee pads. Should you wear elbow and knee pads when skateboarding? Read this FAQ to find out more.
Do I Need to Wear a Skateboard Helmet?
Skateboard Helmets - Do I need to Wear a Skateboard Helmet? This question is asked by skaters and parents alike - do skaters really need to wear helmets when skateboarding? The simple answer is no, you don't NEED to unless you are skating somewhere that requires one, or your parents force you to wear a helmet. But here's the truth - you ARE going to crash ... read more about wearing skateboard helmets!
How Do I Start Skateboarding?
How Do I Get Into / Start Skateboarding? New or beginner skateboarders often wonder what they should do right at the start. How do I get into skateboarding? What should I do? Read this skateboarding FAQ and get some answers!
My parents wont let me skateboard - what should I do?
What should you do when your parents make up crazy rules about skateboarding? Or when they won't allow you to skate at all? It can hurt a lot when your parents don't support you doing something you love. It can feel like they don't care about you, or don't love you. But let me start off by telling you that that's not usually the case. Read more about what to do if your parents have rules against skateboarding.
How should I act at skateparks?
How should people act at skateparks? Skateparks might be designed as places to play, but they can be intimidating to skate in. New skaters usually don’t know what to do or how to act at the skatepark. How should you act at skateparks? What should you look out for? What’s the code of conduct for skateparks?