How to Slide on a Longboard

Longboarding is the term used for skateboarding with boards larger than the usual short board trick-oriented skateboards that you see in skateboarding competitions. Longboarding is closer to sidewalk surfing. A lot of longboarders use their boards to actually get places, since longboards are more stable and heavy than skateboards.So you've bought or borrowed your first skateboard, and you are wondering what to do with it.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Longboard
• Skateboarding shoes
• Helmet

1. 

   Firstly, you need to figure out your long boarding stance - as in, which foot you will put forward while longboarding. There are two stances - Regular (left foot forward) and Goofy (right foot forward). go get a ball or something like that, and sit it on the ground in front of you. Now kick it. Whichever foot you kicked it with will likely be your back foot. You want the balancing foot in the front, and the kicking foot in the back.

2. 

   Next, try standing on the longboard. Get a feel for the longboard's springiness. Bend your knees and crouch down, then stand back up. Get used to shuffling and moving your feet around to different spots on the longboard, without stepping off of it. Basically, get comfortable on your longboard.

3. 

   Next, try giving the longboard a push. To push, take your back foot off of the longboard, and put it on the ground. Next, you simply push off with this foot, and get your longboard rolling. You can push a few times if you want to get more speed quickly, or just one big push. Either way, the goal is to get the board moving, and then put your foot back on the longboard.

4. 

   Next, you'll want to find a gentle slope to ride down - and I mean gentle! You'll be riding down hills in just a minute - first, find a slight slope. This can be a parking lot with a slope to it, a road without traffic, maybe a footpath across campus...and slide..!!!

Tips & Warnings

• Skateboarding shoes are perfect, but really, any shoes with a flat bottoms work well.
• Basically i would recommend borrowing a longboard from a friend, or at least standing on one at a skateboarding shop to see how you feel on it before buying one
• Put a good amount of weight on the front foot when hill bombing, to remain in control.

[skate4life]

on 10/25/2007 you dont say how to slide