Be a Skateboarder
You may already be learning how to skateboard, but there's more to being a skateboarder than knowing a few tricks. Skateboarding can be considered both a sport and a subculture, which means you've probably got a little bit of learning to do. Luckily, both the sport and the subculture bleed into one another.
Contents
Steps
- Learn how to skateboard. This should be obvious but it's worth emphasizing. You'll never be accepted as a skater in the long run if you can't back up your behavior with your skills. To learn how to skateboard, just ride as much as possible. To learn what a trick is, it might help to play skateboarding games. The Tony Hawk video game series is good, but only the MoCap games. American Wasteland, Project 8 and Proving Ground are the best, because real pro skateboarders motion captured it just for the game. EA Skate also helps, but it's a bit more complex. Just go out and skate!
- Dress Like a Skater. Dress however you feel comfortable. skate brands are an obvious choice, but remember, just because you dress like a skater, doesn't mean you are. If you only ever wear DC or Adio, you'll probably get called a poser. Don't be afraid to be different. I wear skate clothes AND stuff like Gap and Old Navy. Wear whatever your style is, skateboarding is all about being different, rebelling from the normal, and having fun.
- Talk Like a Skater. Every subculture has its own lingo. So do skateboarders. Become familiar with skateboarding vocabulary, hang out at the local skate shop or skatepark and see what the kids are saying. Don't overdo it, though. Posers might say it, but skateboarders NEVER say "hang-ten, dude!". "Dude" is a normal word in skateboarding lingo, and you'll probably hear it among skaters as often as "like" and "the".
- Be Yourself. Skateboarding is all about having fun while being a rebel. But don't say dude in every sentence just because Dude Skater did. Skateboarding is huge. There are punk skaters, rocker skaters, hip-hop skaters, emo skaters, normal skaters and various other skaters. Don't be afraid to hop over sub-cultures. Don't be afraid to be yourself.
Tips
- Remember this: 20% of skateboarding is to "Not fear the Concrete/Falling" and 80% is PRACTICE! Every skater knows this motto.
- Be informed of all the street lingo and act as if you couldn't care less about what others can do.
- Most people might feel lame for asking help from a pro skater but it could be helpful. If you know people or hang out with peeps that skate all the time ask them to help you with the basics and you can do the rest on your own.
- If you go to do a trick and mess up don't blame it on anything around you such as obstacles, wind (unless it is one of those damn gale force winds.) or others just get back on your board, hope no-one else saw and try again, if someone saw you then just get back on your board as soon as possible. Skateboarding is all about doing new tricks so if you are embarrassed with not landing a trick, so what; everyone is going to be falling and bailing.
- If you're in a dangerous place then always have a friend with you.
- Don't worry about how you look.
- Keep your friends, don't try to fit in too hard or you'll look like a poser
- If you can't skate take your board and see if you can score some free lessons!
- Note:These tip effects may vary
- The best thing is to be actually good at skating!!!
- Don't get in the way of fellow skaters. Whether you're there to land some tricks, get a chick/dude or because your friends skate, find pros; they know how to skate ten million times better than you but it's just as much your turf than theirs!
Warnings
- If you do skate alone remember to have a cell on you in case you fall or break some bones and stuff like that so you can have backup to pick you up.
- Don't pick a fight with other skaters, especially if it's about race or style. Skateboards are lethal weapons. They can and have killed people.
- Be sure to wear helmet and pads when learning, even if you're the only one!
