During the 2019 X-Games, there were more than 17 million video views of the events. It’s evident there is a strong following for extreme sports.
Among the most popular of these sports is skateboarding. If you’ve ever watched Tony Hawk or any of the other pros, it’s very likely had the urge to try skating.
While reaching that level of prowess takes a lot of practice, there are some beginner tricks.
If you are interested in learning the art of skateboarding, read on. This guide will take a look at some of the iconic and approachable skateboard tricks every novice should focus on.
The Ollie
There is plenty of cheap streetwear clothing for men that is great for skaters. However, the truth is, if you want to do more than look the part, you need to learn this trick.
The ollie is the most fundamental of all the skating tricks. Not only is it one of the easy skateboard tricks, but it’s also the foundation for several moves.
The ollie is a trick where the skater jumps in the air and the board stays with them. The principles of the trick are simple, but the technique takes practice.
With work, you will raise your ollie from a few inches to a couple of feet high.
This is the best trick to break into skating.
Riding Switch
Although riding switch is not the kind of trick that dazzles, it is an important building block for advanced maneuvers.
Every skater needs to practice riding switch to master the sport. Switch riding is learning to skate the opposite way that is natural to you. If you normally have your left foot forward on the board kicking with your right, the switch reversed.
Mastering this dexterity of the feet will payoff huge as you get better.
Kickflip
If the ollie is the best introductory trick, the kickflip has to be the most iconic in the sport. The reason it’s a practice point for so many skaters is because it looks so cool.
The trick is performed by turning the board 360 on its axis while the skater is airborne. After the turn, the rider lands on the board.
Begin by practicing the trick on flat surfaces. When you get good enough, show off by kick flipping off curbs and down staircases.
The Manual
A lot of skateboarding is about balance. Therefore, the manual is one of the best basic skateboard tricks.
The manual is a trick where you ride with your front wheels popped in the air. As you ride, only the back trucks touch the ground. With practice, you can manual for long distances and use it to combo other tricks.
If you get good enough, try the opposite nose manual for a tougher challenge.
Start with These Skateboard Tricks
These are some of the best skateboard tricks for breaking into the sport. Not only are they some of the easier ones to practice, but they are also the foundation for more advanced maneuvers.
In no time you’ll be performing tricks that would make Tony Hawk proud.
If you enjoyed this article, look around the blog for more cool ideas.