Skateboarding Explained is a walkthrough DVD for beginner or intermediate skateboarders to learn the basics of skating, and all the tricks you need to know to be a truly intermediate, competant skater. There are several how-to-skateboard DVDs out there, but Skateboarding Explained is honestly the best one I've seen. This video takes the time to really teach the basics of skating (basics that anyone of any level could really use), and the style is such that any skater of any age (even adults!) should feel comfortable with it.
Skateboarding Explained is simple and straight forward. You can watch the whole series of instructions in order, or go straight to the section or trick that you want to learn about. The DVD was directed and designed by Dan MacFarlane, a pro skater and the top skateboarding instructor at Camp Woodward's Lake Owen Resort. Dan has a comfortable, easy going style in his instructions, though his voice got me a little tired at times. But, I did watch the entire DVD all the way through in one sitting, and there aren’t many people who’s voices I can sit and listen to for an hour! On the plus side, there isn’t anything to distract you from the instructions – Dan doesn’t try to entertain, he tries to teach and explain. And he does an excellent job of it.
Skateboarding Explained - Detailed Instructions
The instructions say everything you need to know, and never get lazy. I have no idea how many times he had to say, “Place your front foot directly over or behind your front bolts with your toes pointed to the side…” It sounds like Dan is reading from a script, and it gets old hearing that line over and over (you need to put your foot like that for a lot of tricks!), but the fact that he doesn’t get lazy and say, “Set up your foot just like you always do…” is great!Dan MacFarlane says in the video that these are the same instructions that he gives when teaching skaters in person, and he’s taught solidly since 2000. His methods have been tried, and he knows they work. (Bonus fact - Dan instructed Shaun White at an Encinitas YMCA summer camp back when Shaun was 8 years old!) Dan MacFarlane knows how to teach, and what needs to be taught. I was very impressed with how he didn’t let his ego or personality get in the way of the teaching at all – this DVD is pure skateboarding, step by step, piece by piece. The music and video editing all add to the instructions, not distract from them.
Complete Fundamental Beginner Help
One of my favorite things about Skateboarding Explained is the whole first third or so of the video – it’s all devoted to the fundamentals of skateboarding. And I mean the fundamentals. Things like, the parts of a skateboard, how to see if you are regular or goofy, where to put your front foot when you push, how to push, tick-tacking – all the way up to 180 kickturns. Dan even has 8 special fundamentals that he goes though that, if you really apply to your skating, should help a skater of any skill level. These are things like how to use your shoulders, how to stand, where to look, and what to think about. I haven't seen another how-to-skate video cover anything like that, and these are skills that will honestly help you skate. If a brand new skater watches this video and actually learns these skills in the order that Dan teaches them, he or she should learn to skate in a steady, almost easy way.Most skaters are going to want to watch the fundamental beginner part all in one sitting, but the rest should really be watched in chunks, where you watch one trick or part over and over a few times, go out and skate, then maybe come back and watch that one part again. That way, you really learn. The concepts get a chance to sink in deep. And, with the instructions being so precise and step-by-step, you shouldn’t miss anything.
Covering the Bascis of Skateboarding
Even the ollie instructions are easy, adding in a brilliant learning step where he talks to the skater about doing a sort of half-ollie first. There are instructions for flatland skateboarding tricks, and ramp tricks (including how to drop in and pump on skateboard ramps). Here are the basic tricks covered in Skateboarding Explained:
- Street Basics:
- Ollie
- Fakie Ollie
- Frontside 180 Ollie
- Backside 180 Ollie
- Backside Half-Cab
- Frontside Half-Cab
- Switch Ollie
- Nollie
- Fakie Backside Shove-It
- Ramp Basics:
- Pumping
- Backside Kickturn
- Frontside Kickturn
- Dropping In
- Rock to Fakie
- Tail Stall
- Backside Axle Stall
Advanced Tricks Explained
More advanced tricks are very well explained too. They are covered a little quickly, but Dan tells you at the start of each one which basic skills you need to master before trying each advanced trick. This style of teaching is perfect for you to focus on the tricks that you want to learn. Here are the more advanced tricks covered (what Dan MacFarlane calls the "Most Wanted Tricks"):- Backside Pop Shove-It
- Frontside Pop Shove-It
- Kickflip
- Heelflip
- Varial Kickflip
- Backside 180 Kickflip
- Frontside 180 Kickflip
- 360 Kickflip
- Backside Boardslide
- Frontside Boardslide
- Frontside 50-50 Grind
- Backside Noseslide
Skateboarding Explained - The Final Word
The background music, video editing, style and feel of Skateboarding Explained are top-knotch. I'm especially happy with the way the video doesn't try and get wild or "extreme" at all - Dan MacFarlane just teaches you each trick. The music is energetic, but doesn't get in the way. Each trick features high quality slow motion parts that blend perfectly with the instructions, walking you through every aspect of what you are learning.The only drawback I could find was the rehearsed, slow, scripted quality of Dan MacFarlane's voice. But, the trade off is that his instructions are precisely worded and timed with what's happening. You don’t get distracted with some comedian's personality - you will learn what you actually need to know. Plus, Dan comes across as very humble and likable, which makes taking instructions from him as an adult even easier and more comfortable!
So, if you are looking for an instructional skateboarding DVD, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Skateboarding Explained. The fundamentals that Dan MacFarlane presents are universal – any skater of any level can improve by keeping these in mind. But primarily, if you’ve been skating for a little while or are just starting out, the only thing better than getting the Skateboarding Explained DVD would be visiting a skate camp in person.
