How to Slide on a Freebord

Sliding sideways on a Freebord is made possible by an extra rotating wheel mounted on the trucks, and is the very reason to ride a Freebord in the first place.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Skateboard Helmets
• Skateboard Pads

1. Carve into a turn (see "How to Turn on a Freebord," under Related eHows). It doesn't matter if it's a backside or frontside turn. Extend your arms forward on frontside slides to counterbalance your backward-leaning weight.
2. Start your slide with your back foot. Imagine your front foot as an axis around which the tail of the board may slide in either direction.
3. Keep your weight on your uphill edge.
4. Push downhill with your back foot, still keeping your weight on the uphill edge.
5. Feel the board beginning to slide beneath you.
6. Control the board's slide by regulating the amount of extra force applied to your uphill edge.
7. Practice and experiment with different degrees and types of foot pressure on your slides. This is how you'll start to learn slide tricks.
8. Carve into an opposite turn or aim your board downhill to stop sliding.
9. Grab your downhill rail and lean away from it for a power slide. This will bring you to a stop.

Tips & Warnings

• Sliding takes some practice to figure out and may vary from surface to surface. Start slowly and add extra force to increase the distance and attitude of your slides.
• The principles of sliding on a snowboard apply almost exactly to the Freebord. If you already know how to snowboard, it should come to you quite easily.
• Freebords are quite unlike the regular skateboards they resemble - they'll slide sideways and stop abruptly when they catch an edge. Be very careful until you're familiar with your board.
• Always wear complete skateboard pads and a helmet when Freebording. It can be a very dangerous sport - be responsible for your own safety.