How to Grind Rails

Grinding rails is one of the essential tricks skateboarders must learn. It allows pros to work a street course, and allows amateurs to take their new -found skills to the next level. It can be tricky at first, but once you have it down it will come with relative ease.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Skateboard
• Rail
• Optional protective gear (helmet, elbow and knee pads)

1. Approach the rail at approximately a 40-degree angle, with the front of your board facing the rail. Make sure you have adequate speed, or else your board will get stuck on the rail. However, you do not want to go so fast that you end up slipping off and falling backwards.
2. Ollie onto the rail, keeping your weight balanced to the center of your board so that you aren't leaning to one side or the other.
3. As you near the end of the rail, turn out of the grind by rotating your board so that it is parallel to the rail.
4. Ride off the rail with a clean landing.

Tips & Warnings

• The grind outlined above is called a frontside grind. In order to do the backside grind, do everything the same but approach the rail when it's behind you.
• Skateboarding can cause serious injury. Make sure to take proper precautions before attempting this trick.