How to Slide on a Longboard
Longboarding is a popular street sport. If you like doing this fun hobby, it’s not long before you want to try out several moves and tricks with your board. One popular example is sliding. If you haven’t tried this out yet, here’s a quick guide to help you out.
What You’ll Need:
Longboard
Helmet
Sliding gloves
Area free from traffic to practice on
Shoes for skateboarding
Procedure:
Get a longboard. You can either borrow one from a friend or buy one from a sporting goods store. Longboards are different from skateboards in terms of stability and weight. Get one that suits your style and preference, and which you feel comfortable using. You should also get sliding gloves, to protect your hands and arms as you do this.
longboarding
Find a wide area with a gentle slope to practice on. Make sure there’s not much people or vehicles passing through.
Figure out your stance. This refers to which foot you put forward and which one you put behind. If you put the left foot forward, it’s the regular stance, but if it’s the right foot, you have a “goofy” stance. The foot which you balance and feel more comfortable with should be in front, while the other, the one you’ll use for kicking, will be at the back.
Stand on the longboard, getting a feel of its springiness. Bend your knees, crouch, and stand up again. Shuffle and move around, without your feet leaving it. Be as comfortable as you can be on the longboard.
Start rolling your longboard. Give it a gentle push, taking the back foot from the board, then using it to push off the ground. Build up a relatively fast speed, going down the slope.
Bend down carefully, reaching an arm out infront of you. This will let you grab the longboard’s front, if needed.
Lean backwards, as far as possible, but don’t fall over.
Put the other hand down on the ground behind you, then lean back your weight on it. You’re going to spin, so get ready.
Spin, going 180 degrees. This is your longboard slide. Even as the board turns, make sure your face is forwards. Maintain your balance.
Release your hand, then straighten up. You’ve done it!
Sliding on a longboard isn’t something you’ll master in 10 minutes, so keep practicing and improve your skills. Soon enough, you’ll be able to do this trick smoothly. If you enjoy learning from this article, you’ll surely learn more from reading how to surf a longboard.