Facts About Surfing

If you are expert in surfing, you can enjoy it for two-three hours at a stretch. It takes long time to learn surfing, but an expert surf instructor can help you develop really cool surfing skills. If you wish to develop the skills in surfing, then you can take help of some helpful resources for surfing. These resources may provide basic information about this adventurous sport.

Surfboard is the major gear to play this sport. Wax polishing on the board helps you keep a hold on your board and prevents from slipping around too much. A wax comb is used to clean up the wax exterior while building up the wax on the board. Fins used during surfing are of two forms such as detachable or fixed. The advantage of using fins is that they never get broken off while surfing. Nose protector and Board bags are the two important equipments used during surfing.

It is better to learn the skills of surfing from a well-trained instructor than to go into the water and try to learn on your own. The instructor also informs you about various facts about the ocean including risks. You will be come to know about the basic rules of surfing which should be followed by a surfer.

When you go through the helpful resources for surfing, you will come across the types of surfing and its techniques and rules. The most important rule is that do not surf on your own and without any help. Avoid surfing directly after eating or drinking alcohol. As far as possible, do not try to surf near or close in front of rocks. Avoid throwing away your board when you are paddling through waves. It may be dangerous if there is someone behind you.

There are numerous helpful resources for surfing including books, magazines, organizations and websites. There are numerous famous books such as 'Good Things Love Water', 'The Art of Surfing: A Training Manual for the Developing and Competitive Surfer', 'Fit to Surf: The Surfer's Guide to Strength and Conditioning', 'Learn to Surf' and 'Caught Inside: A Surfer's Year on the California Coast'. Some of the popular surfing magazines that provide detail information about surfing with pictures include Surfing, SG, Surf Transworld and Surfer. You can also get lot of information about surfing various websites.

Different surfing schools are also among the helpful resources for surfing. Many surf schools in different areas offer various courses on surfing. The benefit of learning with a surf school is that they offer a taste of surfing without spending any money for buying your own wetsuit and surfboard. Therefore, no one should think about going surfing for the first occasion without taking any lessons. Many beginners can learn standing up and surfing with the help of a single day course.

Online Skateboard Decks - Have a Look at Some Amazing Online Skateboard Decks

These days online shopping has taken the world by storm. One can shop for anything under the sun with a click of the mouse and not even have to move from where you are. Shopping online is so much fun, you can first find out all the information about the product, check out the various prices offered on the product and simply place your order right way. It is like counting 123 and you are done. It is so much better than walking from one shopping mall to another.

In stores or shops the variety is always limited and the prices are definitely much more than what is offered online. You can shop for clothes, shoes, purses, cosmetics, toys, flowers and even groceries online, and if you are a skateboarder looking for a new skateboard decks then check out some great looking online skateboard decks right here. Why do you want to roam the streets to various sports shops for skateboards, they always have a limited variety and costs more than online skateboard items. Why pay more when you have an easier option for a great deal.

To shop for online skateboards you can check various brands and there are big well known brands offering great quality products in competitive prices. The variety here is unlimited. Whenever you are free and have some spare time one can check sales, special discounts, holiday offers or festive offers too. There is always some discount or special offer available on online skateboard decks. For beginners why spend so much money on new skateboard decks initially. Kids, teenagers are always on a look out for skateboard decks priced reasonably. And why not take advantage of such great prices for such superior quality skateboard products.

When you shop for Skateboard Deck, what you see is what you get. There are no gimmicks here. These are big brands in the skateboarding business and they know how to deliver superior quality skateboard decks with the best prices. These skateboard companies are here to woo you with the best skateboard products, best services and the best prices. They know when a skateboarder is shopping for online decks it means serious business.

You might be a kid who is busy with school or college assignments or you could be a person busy with your 9 to 5 job or you could be a businessman with no time in hand and want to shop online. There is no need to get hassled, in your leisure time check out some great looking Online Skateboard Decks and place your order right away. Apart from online skateboard decks you could also shop other skateboard accessories like skateboard shoes, skateboard socks, skateboard protective gears, some extra skateboard wheels, skateboard backpacks, skateboard t-shirts and skateboard caps. Once you have a great sports deck with you, you know you can go zip, zap and zoom anywhere you want to!

Being a skateboarding fan, Manuel wants to share his experiences and passion for skateboards with expert boarders and those new to skateboarding. In addition to writing about skateboards, he also visits GoSkateorGoHome.com for all his boarding needs.

Protective Gear For Safe Skateboarding

Skateboarding is a popular sport especially among youngsters as it is fast, entertaining, and involves ample tricks and stunts. It is not only a recreational activity, but also a means of transportation and if you are good at skateboarding, you can become a professional skateboarder too. Street skateboarding, slalom skateboarding, and vert skateboarding are some popular types of skateboarding. For safe skateboarding, it is essential that you wear skateboarding protective gear. Protective gear helps in preventing minor cuts, bruises, and serious injuries.

 

Whether you are a beginner or an expert skateboarder, never go skateboarding without wearing proper protective gear. Protective gear helps in cushioning the fall of the skateboarders. It is also essential to get over the fear of falling and the experts recommend that beginners should learn how to fall to prevent serious injuries. Listed below is some commonly worn protective gear in skateboarding.

Helmets: Wearing a helmet is essential to protect your head from serious injuries while skateboarding. An unexpected fall can cause a serious head injury if the skateboarder is not wearing a helmet. While looking for a helmet, buy the one which fits nicely and is comfortable to wear. You can choose from a wide range of colors and even match the color of your helmet with your clothes or skateboard. Many popular brands like Industrial, Pro Tec, Terminator, and Triple 8 manufacture excellent quality helmets.

Ankle braces: Ankle braces protect your foot from ankle sprains. If you are not wearing ankle braces, you might actually end up having a sprained ankle because of a fall in case you lose your balance. Ankle braces support the soft tissues and ligaments of the ankles and are a must for any serious skateboarder. Protec ankle braces are the most popular ones with the skateboarders and are available in various sizes like small, medium, large, and extra large.

Skateboarding gloves and wrist guards: Various skateboarding gloves and wrist guards are available in the market. You can go for gloves with integrated wrist guards, standard skateboard wrist guards, or simple skateboard gloves. The gloves protect your hands from cuts and bruises in case of a fall.

Elbow pads and knee pads: Elbow pads and knee pads are especially useful in vert skateboarding. In case you fall during a jump, your knees and elbows won't get bruised. These help in cushioning your fall and make your skateboarding experience more enjoyable.

Why Sakteboarding Is Fun

One of the most enjoyable, fun and entertaining activities that anyone can participate in is skateboarding. Now, for the uninformed or uninitiated, skateboarding may, on the surface, appear to be a complicated and difficult hobby to master. And while it's true that, for professional or high-end skateboarders, their skills and abilities are as a result of many years of practice and patience, that does not prohibit anyone from taking up and getting in on the skateboarding revolution. As a matter of fact, skateboarding is more popular and more accessible today than it has ever been during any point in its history.

There are many reasons why people take up skateboarding, and there are many reasons as to why skateboarding is fun. For starters, skateboarding supplies a sense of thrill and excitement that other sports or activities simply can't provide. There's nothing quite like the feeling of standing on a narrow wooden board as you're racing down an urban landscape or grabbing some air in a skate park. Now, that doesn't mean that when you first step onto a skateboard deck that you should immediately try to attempt to complete a 1080 rotation. What it does mean that, over time, as you begin to feel more comfortable on your skateboard, you'll also begin to realize just why people turn to skateboarding for intense physical action and excitement.

Another reason why skateboarding is fun is because, compared to other hobbies or recreational activities, skateboarding is relatively inexpensive to enter and pursue. Sports such as ice hockey require a tremendous amount of time, effort and dedication in order to truly excel at it. And while the same can be said and applied to skateboarding, you can really participate in it at your own pace. Additionally, with something like ice hockey, you also can only enjoy ice hockey inside an ice hockey arena - which may or may not exist in your community. With skateboarding, there really isn't any limitation as to where or when you can hop on your board or deck and go for a ride.
Furthermore, skateboarding is a way to sort of "go against the grain" when it comes to the established culture. Even though skateboard decks have gained a strong foothold in mainstream life, there is still a certain counterculture or rebellious attitude when it comes to being a skateboarder. It's actually a funny dichotomy: all across the country, skateboard parks and half-pipes are being built in public locations such as parks, thus providing a testament to its popularity. At the same time, these popular and public locations are being visited by people who are considered "rebels". A third aspect is that, more and more people are deciding that skateboarding is a fun and exciting activity to get into.

A great way to get around town, build confidence and get or stay in shape, there are many fun aspects towards skateboarding. Children - and adults of all ages - are now discovering what skateboarders have known for many years: being a skateboarder comes with many different external benefits which may not be so noticeable at first, but which are fairly obvious and logical at the same time.

Duke McCallister has one philosophy when it comes to skateboards: and that's to go skate or go home! A skateboarding fan, Duke wants to share his experiences and passion for skateboards with expert boarders and those new to skateboarding. In addition to writing about skateboards, he also visits GoSkateorGoHome.com for all his boarding needs.

Whether talking about skateboard decks, trucks, complete skateboards, grip tape or anything else about skateboarding, Duke is more than happy to talk about it, write about it and share stories about it!

The Choice of Your Skateboard For Better Tricks and Stunts

One of the most popular sports among the teens and also for the not so young is skateboarding. Though the sport of skateboarding is relatively a newer phenomenon, still there is no lack in its popularity. The sport of skateboarding derived from and was deeply influenced by the sport of surfing, which means that the ride on the untamed waves on surfboards has hit the roads on skateboards with the passing of time. Moreover, these days the skateboarding is no more just a sport for recreation just for the hobby but has grown into a competitive individual and team sport.

The passing time has also changed the styles and skating methods. Therefore these day we can see skateboards in different styles and these are made based on different skating methods in mind. One of the very important thing about the skateboards is that you can do a lot of tricks and stunts riding on the wheels. But while doing any trick or stunt on your skateboard the safety factor should always be kept in mind. This is very much essential for skateboarding because though it may seem that skateboarding is very much easy to ride and easy to control but the real fact is that once the skateboard is on the move and picked up speed it can be as dangerous as any other wheeled vehicle and can cause serious accidents.

As stated earlier there are several types and styles of skateboards depending on the skating method you have in mind. In this respect the name of the traditional shortboard skateboards comes first. These are the most common types of skateboards but there are also several variations in the shortboard skateboards meant for performing several tricks. These boards are shorter in size and help the skater to move faster and effectively. Therefore these skateboards are better choices for performing tricks and stunts like nosegrinds, ollies, casperflips, and backstabs.

Other than the shortboards there are also the longboard skateboards which are of the style and fashion of the longboard surf boards. As stated earlier that the sport of skateboarding derived from its original form of surfboarding. Therefore the shapes and the sizes of the skateboards often are influenced by the style and fashion of the surfboards. Other than these there are the training and the special made skateboards. These are the skateboards for the surfers to train themselves mimicking the movement on the waves with the help of these skateboards and for these reasons these skateboards are training skateboards specially made for the purpose of training for the surfers.

However, there are several branded companies who manufacture skateboards of various styles meant for several stunts. And these skateboards are named after the name of the company manufacturing these boards. Among these the most notable ones are element skateboards, complete skateboards, almost skateboards or baker skateboards. Therefore, while choosing a skateboard the name of the company manufacturing these boards plays a very vital role. Besides that there are several online stores over the internet where you can find several branded skateboards and you can pick up your longboard or any other skateboard according to your choice.

Four Common Skateboard Terms

If you want to get into skateboarding, then you should first become familiar with some of the terminology and phrasing that skateboarders use on a regular basis. After all, skateboarding is more than just a recreation or a sport; it's a lifestyle and a culture that has its own unique personality. Additionally, skateboards themselves are also subject to phrases and terms that can help identify certain parts and aspects of the boards.

As a public service to anyone interested in skateboards, the following glossary listed below is a certain "getting started" guide to different words and sentences which are well-known and often used in the skateboarding community. Now, simply reading this list won't immediately turn you into Tony Hawk, but it will give you an introduction as to how skateboarders communicate when discussing their boards.

SKATEBOARD DECK

This is the actual board, which is flat, long and somewhat oval or rectangular in shape. Did you actually know that classic or standard skateboard decks are usually manufactured from seven separate pieces of plywood (normally maple, of course the type of wood can vary as well) which are then laminated together. Skateboard decks can also be made from other materials such as plastic, kevlar or fiberglass. However, professional skateboarders prefer conventional wooden decks.

SKATEBOARD TRUCKS

The trucks of a skateboard function and operate much in the same manner as an automotive axle. Skateboard trucks are the metal "T" shaped components that are fastened to the underside of the deck. Attached to the trucks are the actual wheels of the skateboard. Normal or common skateboards usually have two trucks, which can be found facing each other. And while the trucks look pretty straightforward, they're actually quite complicated, as they have many facets and pieces to them.

GRIP TAPE

If you've ever looked at the top of a skateboard (the topside of the deck), then you've probably noticed a tough, gritty surface that's layered to it. That's the grip tape, and its purpose is quite simple actually: grip tape ensures that the skateboard sticks to your shoes as your boarding and moving about on the board. Many skateboarders will often slice patterns into the grip tape to make it more comfortable and create a better feeling of control and traction. And while most people see grip tape in black, it actually is available in many different colors.

WHEELS

Attached to the skateboard trucks are the wheels, which ensure that your skateboarding journey is somewhat smooth. The wheels are commonly made from polyurethane and can range from forty to seventy centimeters in diameter. The most important aspect of the wheels on a skateboard is their hardness, which can be measured by using a durometer scale which ranges from zero to one hundred.

These are just a few of the skateboarding terms which professional and dedicated skateboard enthusiasts talk about when discussing their boards. And just as skateboarders can be unique individuals with colorful personalities, their boards are just as vibrant and as extraordinary as some of the amazing tricks that skateboarders can perform on them.

Duke McCallister has one philosophy when it comes to skateboards - and that's to go skate or go home! A skateboarding fan, Duke wants to share his experiences and passion for skateboards with expert boarders and those new to skateboarding. In addition to writing about skateboards, he also visits GoSkateorGoHome.com for all his boarding needs.Whether talking about skateboard decks, trucks, longboards, grip tape or anything else about skateboarding, Duke is more than happy to talk about it, write about it and share stories about it!

How to Buy Skateboards Online

Skateboarding is already a widely recognized sport, and therefore it's usually easy to find a local store that supplies you with all your skateboarding needs - from skateboarding wheels, to decks, to trucks, to a host of skateboarding apparel. The great thing about having a local skateboarding shop is that you get the opportunity to examine the stocks first, then decide later on which one you think fits your needs best.

However, this isn't always the case especially if you live in quite a remote area, or in a location where skateboarding isn't that popular. Because of that, you probably need to travel several miles just to get to your nearest skateboarding shop. It can both be a waste of your time and money.

Why Buy Your Skateboard Gear Online

Here's the next best thing: buying your skateboard online. Buying your gear from the Internet provides you with hassle-free shopping because the stuff that you buy will be sent to you through mail. You no longer have to leave your house just to buy wheels, for example. Aside from that, online stores are generally better stocked with the latest gear than your local shop.

You need to be extra careful, though, when buying your skateboard online, including your skateboard wheels. We'll show you how to make your online shopping experience as hassle-free as possible.

First of all, check out skateboarding forums and reviews of the skateboarding gear that you want to buy. You need to do this because you can't physically check the gear first before you buy it.

Forums are generally a reliable source of information when it comes to the performance of particular skateboarding gear. You can then base your buying decisions on the feedback of the people in the forum. Alternatively, you could join skateboarding forums yourself and ask for the opinion of other people.

Once you've made a choice, find out if these are reliable brands that you're buying. By reliable we mean that the company should always deliver high quality products and has a good track record of delivering the goods to its customers quickly and reliably. Again, you can consult online forums on this one.

There are online stores that sell used skateboarding gear, which could get you great deals if you're looking for discounted stuff. However, there are types of gear that you should always buy new. These include skateboarding wheels, bearings and decks. Used wheels may be more susceptible to flat spotting, used bearings may already be worn out badly, and old decks may already have cracks in them. Besides, getting new wheels, bearings and decks are generally affordable, so don't skimp on these things.

Find out too if there are a variety of shipping options available to online buyers like you. Most online stores accept credit cards, so that means a more hassle-free transaction for you. Just be a bit careful when using your credit card online to prevent cases of identity theft and the like. Check out if the site is secure enough before you buy.

All in all, buying your skateboard gear online helps you shop from the comfort of your own home. So if you don't want to get out of the house to buy, let's say skateboard wheels, online shopping is the way to go. It's great too if there aren't any nearby local skate shops in your area. Just remember that a little research and caution will help potential problems that are the bane of shopping online.

The Fastest and Cheapest Way to Building the Best Skateboard

Unlike pro skaters who can afford to change decks, skate wheels, and other parts of their board at will, most of us don't have sponsors who will foot the bill for every customization that we make. This is especially the case if you're just starting out and you are trying to build your board out of your lunch money. You simply cannot afford to plunk down your money for something that you will end up being unhappy with eventually. Of course, you can sell the board off later. But if you can get something right from the beginning, wouldn't you do that?

So, when it comes to the fastest and cheapest way to building the best skateboard for you, it is actually the slowest one. What's the deal, then? When you work slower, that's how you get the best results that you're looking for. Read this article and we'll show you how you can make haste slowly but surely, as an old saying goes.

What Do You Want Out of Your Board?

The first step, of course, is to find out what you want and don't want from your board. This takes a lot of time with you experimenting on a variety of boards and configurations. And again, if you're going to build one configuration just to find out if you like it or not, then, you're going to bust your wallet in the end. What should you do, then? The answer: borrow and test as many boards as you can.

With every board that you borrow and test, find out the stuff that you like. Also, see what doesn't feel right. Are the skateboard wheels too fast? Is the deck too wide? Whatever you notice, ask for the corresponding figures from your friends. If the deck's too wide, for example, check out the width and try to look for a deck that's a little narrower.

It also helps to check out online forums and reviews on particular brands of decks, skate wheels and other parts of your skateboard. Of course, they won't be as good as trying the board yourself, but the information that you'll get will give you a good idea of what to expect from specific brands.

Another thing that you should consider is the type of riding that you often see yourself doing. Analyze the way you ride. Do you like doing tricks? Are you in it for speed? Your answers, of course, will determine the type of skateboard that's right for you.



All the time, you spend analyzing your riding style, borrowing skateboards, and all those things will definitely take a lot of your time. But realize that you will be able to arrive at exactly the right kind of board that you're looking for at the end of the day. The end result is that you spend your money on the right stuff and you will never have to throw anything away. Of course, you might have to change a few things as your style changes, but what you'll have is a board that grows with you as you become a better skater.

For beginners just starting to skate, the best choice of skate wheels would be the softest you can get your hands on to provide grip and from there you can gradually increase the hardness as you advance in skill level.

Modern Skateboarding

Skateboarding has been a popular sport for the past 3 decades, and is quite modern. In fact, skateboarding has been around since 1980, which happens to be the year in which the first modern skateboard was made. Since then, both young and the not so young enjoy carving the streets and experiencing the adrenaline rush of free riding, trick skating, and the like.

Skateboarding is deeply influenced by and derivative of the art and sport of surfing. Surfing, which was developed and rooted in Hawaii, is the act of riding waves with a surfboard. Similar to surfing, skateboarding entails riding a skateboard on land, and more specifically, paved or concrete surfaces. Skateboards are made in different styles and made with different skating methods in mind.

Some skateboards are styled and fashioned after longboard surfboards. While these skateboards are not intended for extensive tricks, longboard skateboards are great for bombing hills and carving while you cruise the streets.

There are also skateboards that are intended for trick skating. These skateboards are shorter boards which allow the skater to manipulate movement more quickly and effectively to perform stunts and tricks such ollies, casper flips, nosegrinds, and back stabs.

Skateboarding has been popular since the 1980's, as was mentioned in the early part of this article, and has then spawned its own culture. The skateboard culture is also known as punk or skate punk culture. Skate punk culture, like many different cultures, has a fashion and language of its own.

There are many brands and companies of manufacturers of skateboards and skateboard-related items. With the popularization of skateboarding and the image that it entails, also came the monetization and financial aspect of this sport. There are numerous skating contest events, skateboarding magazines, and skateboard fashion and clothing companies. Some of these companies include Element skateboards, Sector 9 skateboards, Birdhouse skateboards, Baker skateboards, the classic Powell skateboards, and many more. Usually, each skateboard brand has a team of sponsored professional skateboarders that represent them at skateboarding events.

If you're looking for a sick skateboard or skateboarding gear, check out Skateboard Trends for Element skateboards, Baker skateboards [http://skateboardtrends.com], Birdhouse Skateboards, and more great skateboarding equipment and accessories. Skateboard Trends [http://skateboardtrends.com] provides great listings for hot deals on skateboards and the related at greatly discounted prices. You will not be disappointed at the selection of skateboards, parts such as wheels and trunks, and great skate fashion wear and gear that they have.

Few Methods to Repair and Maintain a Skateboard

Like any other sports materials skateboards also need a lot of maintenance for providing its optimum capacity to the skateboarders. Many people neglect this or do not get the time to maintain their skateboards, as a result of which their performance degrades. People, who use skateboards regularly, must do proper maintenance. Many people purchase high quality skateboard decks, skateboard trucks and wheels from the well renowned manufacturers, but when it comes to the maintenance of the board they go for the cheap tools. The result of such negligence is known to all. Either the skateboarders do not get optimum performance from the boards or crash during racing and land up in any hospital.

If you are an amateur skateboarder, you may not know about the maintenance procedures of the skateboards. You can either do the maintenance yourself or contract a skateboard maintenance store. Giving a skateboard in a skateboard maintenance store everyday is not possible for the regular skateboarders. For them, the maintenance kits are the best. The skateboard maintenance kit consists of several tools like the skateboard rails, bearing lube, skateboard wax etc. these tools are very important for the maintenance of a skateboard at home. However, if you do not know the exact procedures for maintaining a skateboard, you must take the help of a maintenance shop. There are several things that should be looked after during this procedure. The balance of the board should be checked, the wheels must be replaced with new one according to its condition. There are several other procedures that must be conducted on the skateboards for optimizing its performance.

While repairing the skateboards at home, the skateboard wheels must be taken well care of. Wheels are the most important part of a skateboard. Due to regular usage the wheels may wear out, which can result to bad performance. The skate wheels must be replaced as soon as you find out that your wheels are not in the condition to be used. During cleaning, the bearings of the skate wheel must be opened and cleaned. Due to regular usage, dirt gets deposited within the ball bearing of the skate wheels. If proper cleaning of the wheels of the skateboards is not done, it can slow down the board while racing and even cause several sounds. Besides cleaning the wheels, the skateboards decks must also be taken well care of; mainly the balance and the grip of the boards. It should be seen whether the grip of the skateboard is good enough to hold the skateboarder. If the grip is not good enough, the rider may crash during competing with others.

Besides the skateboard maintenance tools, the safety tools required for skateboarding are also very important. As we know, skateboarding is a risky game and a slight mistake can cause severe injuries to the skateboarder. To prevent such situations, proper safety measures must be taken. A person must use proper safety tools like the helmet, elbow and knee caps to prevent such injuries. People must not neglect these maintenance tools and safety tools of the skateboards.

Woody's half pipe provides great quality of Skateboards, Longboard Skateboards for the skateboard lovers. The Almost Skateboards provided by them are also very good.

Music and Skateboarding

Music has always been involved in the world of skateboarding since its earliest history. The counterculture of skateboarding, in fact, is known for its wide variety musical styles. Today, there are several different genres that are closely identified with skateboarding. The music most identified with the sport tends to have a fast beat to pump up your adrenaline while skating.

Since skateboarding grew out of surfing culture during the 1950s and 1960s, it follows logically that the music and culture of skateboarding was originally quite similar to that of surfing. However, skateboarding would soon be seen as more counter-culture than surfing, and began to develop a rebellious attitude displayed through clothing and music. This punk influence is still quite evident in today's skateboarding culture.

One of the first music styles to be associated specifically with skateboarding was reggae. In the late 1980s, the SMA Rocco Division skateboarders, including Jesse Martinez and Jef Hartsel, helped to usher in the emerging reggae-skateboarding culture. The song "I N I Style" was credited to Jef Hartsel and fellow skateboarders from Rocco, Jamie Zebulon and Albert Naphtali. Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, several of those involved in the skateboarding industry recorded reggae-style songs.

While skateboarding has traditionally been associated with punk or rock music, recently hip-hop and street culture have embraced the sport, having a huge influence on the music enjoyed by skateboarders. Today, skateboarding has grown to encompass a diverse fusion of cultures, including punk, hard rock, street, and hip cop culture. As a result, there is a wide variety of musical styles that are enjoyed by skateboarders around the world, though there is also a style popularized in skate shops that is specific to skateboarding and related sports.

One of the more recent moves within the skateboarding culture is the trend towards "emo" or "pop-punk" bands like Fall Out Boy or Green Day. These bands are very popular not only within the skateboarding community but also in the larger world.

Often, skateboarders will listen to their favorite music when skating around town or trying to get themselves pumped up to try new tricks. A perennial favorite among skateboarders is the band "CKY." The brother of popular pro skateboarder and stuntman Bam Margera (known for his "Jackass" movies) is in the band, one reason for the band's continuous popularity within the skateboarding subculture. Formed in 1996, CKY videos and music have long been favorites of skaters.

MXPX is another mainstay among skaters. MXPX is for upbeat music that is good for practicing tricks. For skaters who particularly enjoy getting their adrenaline pumping before a big race or performing a new trick, check out Offspring, NoFx, Rancid, Dropkick Murphys, or Flogging Molly. All are quite popular among the skateboarding crowd.

If you are a skateboarder looking to find some new bands, head to your local skateboarding shop. Skateboarding goes hand in hand with the local music scene. Often, it is the smaller local bands that are more popular within the skateboarding sub-culture. If you skateboard with friends, ask them to bring some music; you never know what new bands you might be introduced to. While there are certainly some bands that remain popular with skaters year after year, the styles are always changing, and the subculture of skateboarding has grown to accommodate nearly every musical style.

Skateboard Helmets - All You Need to Know

No matter how skilled a skateboarder you are (or think you are) you will eventually crash or come off your skateboard. AND... it doesn't take much to do some damage to one of the most vital parts of our body...OUR BRAIN! Many countries have also set laws which require a helmet to be worn when you are skateboarding.

Important points to remember:

1. Buy a skateboard helmet, not a bicycle helmet - they are specially designed to protect you while you are skateboarding and often offer more coverage than bicycle helmets.

2. The best interior foam for skateboard is probably Expanded PolyPropylene (EPP). It looks like bike helmet foam, but feels a little bit rubbery. Unlike bike helmet EPS foam, EPP recovers and is good for the next hit.

3. This may seem like common sense but make sure you actually secure the helmet to your head! A helmet that will just fall off your head is absolutely useless if you come off and land on your head. Make sure also that the strap and buckle are strong.

4. Make sure your skateboard helmet meets the industry standards of your country. You should find a sticker telling you as much inside your helmet. Ensure it is Skateboard standards and not Bicycle standards.

5. A good Skateboard Helmet shouldn't need replacing every time you fall or crash. Keep an eye on the straps and buckles though and replace if necessary.

What Does a Skateboard Helmet Do?

A helmet softens the impact when the foam inside crushes or slowly deforms.
The hard shell on a skateboard helmet holds up under multiple impacts.

What Brands are good to buy?

A reputable brand of skateboard helmet is one that is dual certified (ASTM and CPSC). Such as Arc Freestyle, B-2, Pro Tec, Free Agent and Mirra.

Want to Learn How To Surf? 10 Things You Must Know Before You Start!

Here is my list of the top 10 things every beginner surfer must know before paddling out!
1. Choose the right surfboard & wetsuit!
2. Go to the right spot.
3. Go surfing on the right day.
4. Know what rip currents are and how to get out of them.
5. Know about localism.
6. Know how to catch a wave.
7. Know how to stand up on your surfboard.
8. Know how to make it outside (beyond the breaking waves into the green water).
9. Know some of the unwritten rules of the line up.
10. Have fun surfing is a blast!
1. Choose the right surfboard & wetsuit
You do not want to start on a super thin high performance short board, or any short board for that matter. When you are learning, you need to start on a surfboard that has some width and thickness to it, yes a long board. How long depends on a how big you are, the bigger the person the bigger the board should be. If you do not want to be a longboarder that's okay, but you will get a lot better faster if you use the long board. A longer board will help you to get the basics down. From there you can scale down in size as you progress, think of it in steps. A short board is super wobbly and unstable if you are inexperienced. Starting on a bigger board will help you progress faster, ride more waves, ride the waves you do catch further, and have more fun! Along with choosing the right surfboard is choosing the right wetsuit. You will want to check with your local surf shop about the wetsuit thickness for your area. Your average water temperature will determine what wetsuit thickness you should purchase or rent. You can also ask the local surfers what they wear.
2. Go to the right spot!
You will want to go to a beginner friendly surf spot. If you do not know of one, ask your local surf shop where the best beginner spots are. The weather conditions can make a beginner friendly spot into a dangerous place quickly. Stay away from; heavy shore break beaches, reef breaks, and point breaks. You want a mellow sandy bottom spot, with slow peeling mushy waves, and a small crowd. You want to learn to surf, not get beat up, held down and thrashed around. Do your homework and this will make the difference between having a good first experience or a bad one!
3. Go surfing on the right day!
As mentioned above every day is different, you need to respect the ocean. It may be your first day off in a month, but if the current conditions are 14' W swells @ 13 seconds, it may not be the right day. Unless you are surfing a protected cove that is blocking most of that swell and does not have rip currents. Waiting for a better day may be difficult, but you want to be safe. When the surf is big there is a lot more water moving around. Rip currents are generally stronger under these conditions. It is also difficult to surf in poor conditions because you will be wasting all your energy battling the current. Again check with your local surf shop, or check your local surf report. Some surf shops (like ours) have a surf report right on their websites.
4. Know what rip currents are, and how to get out of them.
A Rip Current is a strong narrow current heading from shore back out to sea. Returning the water seaward that is pushed in from the waves, wind, and the tide. If you get caught in a rip current, don't panic, it wastes energy. Do not paddle directly against it, you will get exhausted. You want to paddle parallel to the shore where you see the waves pushing in, to get out of a rip. Most rip currents are not very wide, so by paddling parallel to shore you should be able to paddle out of it. Remain calm, you want to be able to hold your breath at any given time while out in the ocean. You never know when a wave could break on you, or in front of you. You will not be able to hold your breath long while panicking, so remember stay calm. Work with the ocean not against it. Sometimes (with strong rip currents) you may have to go out with the rip into deeper water, where the balance is restored and the pulling current subsides.You then can paddle parallel to shore and work your way in. Remember do not fight the ocean, try to work with it. The ocean is bigger than all of us.
Signs of a Rip Current:
1. Waves will usually not fully break in the rip (Water is deeper in rip, because it's a seaward channel)
2. You may see objects or other surfers being pulled out to sea rapidly, with little or no effort.
3. A change in water color within the rip. It may be murkier from sediment, or greener from depth.
5. Know a little about localism.
Like with life, or even driving on the freeway, surfing has its dark side! Surfers that surf the same spots a lot start to feel like that spot is theirs. They like to take a sense of ownership of the spot. Some locals feel like they should get all, or most of the waves out there. New people who show up are considered intruders. Localism may show itself as; someone yelling at you, dropping in on you, flattening your tires, waxing your windshield, or even throwing your shoes and or back pack in the water, along with many other tactics. What can you do about it?
1. Be respectful to the locals. If you are a beginner you probably should not surf the same surf spots as the locals, until your skill level improves. You will most likely just get in their way, and give your self and the locals a bad experience.
2. When you are ready to surf with them, just try to be nice and give them respect. You will find that most of the locals are regular guys and gals who when treated nicely, and with respect will respond in the same way. (Yes, I know their are exceptions).
3. Do not show up with a big crowd of people to the local hot spot. The locals will not be happy with you, and you will most likely get a negative vibe at the least.
4. If their are 5 or 6 surfers on a peak and you and your friends show up to go surfing, it is usually better to paddle out down the beach and wait for the crowd to thin. Let them have the peak that they were on first, and do not invade them.
5. Get to know the locals and you may gain a friend and a surfing buddy. They are not all bad!
6. I could go on, but I think you get the point! Do to others as you would want them to do to you!
6. Know how to catch a wave.
The first few waves you catch will be in the white water (already broken waves). You will want to catch your first few waves in a prone position (laying down). You should point your board toward the beach, wait for a white water wave to come in, then lay down on your board and practice riding to shore. After you get that down you can practice paddling to catch the wave. To paddle you need to dig down deep and really try to stay smooth, and keep the board in a planing position. The paddling method will be more difficult. Do not be to far back on the board as you will push water.
7. How to stand up on your surfboard.
Before going to the beach, practice doing pop ups. Lay down on the floor with your hands near your chest but not too wide. You want to be able to push off your board to get up to your feet in one smooth motion, without touching your knees. Practice going from laying down, to popping up to your feet, and landing side ways in a surfers stance. Jump back down to a prone position and repeat, until you can do 20 of these pop ups without stopping. Remember it will be harder in the ocean because you, and the water will be moving. Your board will not be as stable as the floor. You do not want to practicing going to your knees. This is a bad habit and will make progressing much more difficult. Your first experience surfing will be much better, if you get this down before you ever enter the water! Remember stay off your knees.
8. Know how to make it outside (beyond the breaking waves into the green water).
Look for a channel, or a spot that the waves do not seem to break in. These spots will have murkier and deeper water. You might be thinking, "Hey that sounds like a rip current, don't I want to stay away from those?" If they make you uncomfortable, yes by all means stay away from them. Do experienced surfers use the rips, and channels to get out into the line up? Yes, surfers do work with the ocean and do use rips, and channels to get out into the line up easier, and quicker. When you work with the ocean the rip can help you to get out beyond the breaking waves easier. It is still important that you remember your limits. Did you check the surf report? Do you know how big the swell is? Are you in good enough shape to handle the current conditions and swell size? All important factors to think about. With a longboard it can be difficult to make it outside if there is a lot of white water to battle, and without a channel or a rip to help you. You can paddle straight at the white water, and before it hits you slide off your board and turn your board over holding on to the rails, and pulling the board downward as the wave sweeps over you. You will need to turn your board back over quickly and start paddling before the next wave or white water hits you. With perseverance you can make it outside depending on how big of a day it is, and how much white water you have to deal with, and how strong and determined you are. This is called turning turtle. Short boarders can duck dive, but this is a beginners article, so we are not going there.
9. Know some of the unwritten rules of the line up.
1. The #1 unwritten rule in surfing is, the surfer closest to the curl has priority. If you are on the shoulder of the wave and someone else is deeper (closer to where the wave is starting to break), they have priority. Always look before you take off on the wave. Beginners are notorious for just paddling into anything, unaware that someone else may have the wave already. I try to stay away from beginners for this reason. I do not want to get in a collision with anyone while I am surfing. This is one rule you don't want to learn the hard way. It can lead to collisions, getting yelled at, or at the worst causing a fight. I think it's better to know the rules before any of this happens.
2. When you are paddling back out, it is your responsibility to stay out of the way of other surfers, who are up and riding waves. That may mean you have to paddle wide of the take off area, and then back into the take off position.You do not want be in anybody's way. If you do find yourself in a surfers way, who is riding a wave, pick a direction and continue to go that way. Changing directions at the last second makes it hard on the surfer, riding the wave, to steer around you! The surfer, riding the wave, also has responsibility to try to prevent the collision. Most of the time they should be able to avoid you. But sometimes this means you will be wrecking their wave. In which case, they will not be happy. If you find yourself in this position, try to apologise, and paddle wide the next time.
3. Don't be a wave hog! If you just caught a wave, you don't want to paddle back outside, and sit deeper than everyone else. If you just had a wave, give other surfers a chance! It is better to give a wave than always take a wave. I understand that sometimes beginners do not paddle into the take off spot, and therefore never really get any waves. The better surfers usually get more waves because they know where to go and have the ability to take off in the critical part of the wave. As you get better you will learn where you want to be, and catch more waves, and hopefully give a few waves to a beginner. Beginners should try to find a spot where there are not a lot of other people out. This way they can catch lots of waves, and learn to surf faster, and have more fun without the negative vibe!
10. Have fun surfing is a blast!
Do not get discouraged or expect to much of yourself to early. Surfing takes a while to get any good at, but it is still fun while you are learning! Try to have fun and enjoy yourself.
There is no other sport like surfing! I hope this article helps to make your first surfing experience a great one! I was so stoked the fist time I went surfing, and I hope you to will share in that stoke!

Why Make Your Own Skateboarding Video Recording

skateboard pro shops all over the world are abundantly supplied with skateboarding videos showing famous skateboard champions. These kinds of movies are the best method of passing the knowledge on the subject of techniques and hints in the sport. Normally available as a series and often a collaboration between several skateboarding professionals, a skateboarding video is often a fountain of hope for new skateboard hobbyists to turn into skillful thrashers themselves.

As a compilation or a team-up involving well known skateboard artists, a skateboarding video clip can provide training along with assistance that can not be drawn from reading ordinary how-to text books. skateboarding movies work far more successfully as compared to books as an instructional material since the former can be very easily understood by way of displaying the moves and tips as they are being performed again and again. Any one who is involved in skateboarding will be able to quickly master tricks, from simple to daredevil moves, simply by paying attention to the training videos.


With the convenience of skateboarding video lessons, basic and even advanced tricks may be broken up and analyzed into simpler and easier sub steps and sub-techniques. Honestly, a skateboarding training video is crucial for your dream of evolving into an ace skateboarder; without one going through years of figuring out by means of learning from your errors!

However skateboarding movies are certainly not solely for masters and pros. Anyone that has a revolutionary and amazing skateboard technique can easily share to the entire world such expertise by just creating your own skateboarding video clip. Should you have your own skateboarding video, the likelihood that skateboarding fanatics will probably recognize you will be higher; when this occurs, it might not be long before skateboarding businesses come to bankroll and market your feats. A good skateboarding movie will be your stepping stone as you rise up in the world of skateboarding.

If you want other people and big corporations sponsoring skateboarding as a sport to notice your talents as a thrasher, you can have a go at generating skateboarding movies on your own. Generating skateboarding movies tends to be easy, particularly when you have the willpower as well as the suitable tools. Always keep in mind that your video clip has to be extremely well made. You never know, the video clip you create could be your admission to skateboarding fame and fortune!

To make your own skateboarding video tutorial, you need to ask for the help of a pal to work the video recording camera and do the filming. It really is simply impossible for you to control the video recording camera whilst you do your stuff. A fellow thrasher, if possible, would be great as cameraman as he knows all of the essential techniques and angles that needed to be included in the video recording.
Now that you have your cameraman, you need to consider the location for the skateboarding video tutorial. A great skateboarding video will be shot in several different locations. From sidewalks to skateboarding ramps, an assortment of settings for various scenes in your skateboarding video will continue to keep viewers hooked on it.

Most importantly, remember to perform incredible tricks in your video clip. Prospective sponsors and regular viewers of skateboarding video tutorials want attention grabbing and uniquely amusing stunts on the deck of your skateboard. That is why, your movie will need to display your skateboarding abilities.
Remember to keep your skateboarding movie concise. Sum it up it in such a way that only the greatest segments are shown. Edit out the scenes where you fell to the ground face first or the part where you smashed your ankles; except if you want to be the world's most daring skateboarding clown. Even so, be sure that your video is still filled with awesome and dazzling skateboard techniques to help keep your audiences interested.

How to Ride a Skateboard - Includes: Pushing, Stopping, Turning, and More

Pushing
So once you know what stance you are, you can start pushing on the skateboard.
To push properly you need to have one foot on the skateboard at all times. Place that foot by the nose. The ideal place to have your foot is over top of the front hardware. That way when you place your back foot on, you don't need to move your front foot further up to make room for your back foot.
Your back foot will be the one pushing off the ground. Try to keep your back foot fairly close to the side of your skateboard. If your back foot is too far from the skateboard, you will lose your balance.

Stopping
There are a few ways to stop on a skateboard.

1) Drag
Dragging your back foot is easy and effective. With your front foot on the front of your skateboard's hardware, take your back foot off the skateboard and slowly drag your foot on the ground. Drag your back foot to the front-side of the skateboard rather than the back-side. Dragging on the back-side may cause you to lose control and trip over the board.

2) Scrape
Probably the most common way to stop. With your front foot on the front hardware and your back foot on the tail of the skateboard, apply pressure to your back foot to scrape the tail on the concrete. The harder the pressure, the faster you will stop.

3) Powerslide
The most fun and most impressive way to stop. A powerslide is when the skater swings the back wheels of the skateboard 90 degrees to meet the front. Once the skater is facing forward he/she continues to slide, but with all four wheels. The skater will slide like this until he/she loses speed and comes to a complete stop.
Tip: Wind your shoulders up the opposite way you will slide. This will allow you to slide the back wheels easier.

4) Walk Off
Avoid this method of stopping unless you absolutely have to. With some speed you simply walk off the skateboard. Hopefully, your skateboard will not travel too far and become a hazard for someone else. It should only be used if none of the other methods can be used. Yes, you can stop fast, but it shows you're an amateur.

Turning:

There are two ways to turn on a skateboard: leaning and kick-turn.
Leaning:
Simply lean with your weight on one side of the skateboard. The more you lean, the sharper you turn. If your trucks are loose, less pressure will need to be applied in order to turn the board.

Kick-turn:
A Kick-turn is when you press the tail of the skateboard with your back foot and guide your front foot in the direction you want to go. The best place to have your front foot is over top of the front hardware.

Getting On the Skateboard:

A few obvious and a few creative ways to get on the skateboard.

Stop and Go:
From a non-moving position, place your front foot on top of the front hardware and push with your back foot

Hop On:
Stand a few feet behind the skateboard. Get a bit of a run and hop onto the skateboard. Make sure you line yourself up to it or you might bail. As you hop onto the skateboard, aim your feet over top of the hardware. This wide stance will give you better balance. Once you land on the board, bend down to absorb the landing. Ride off.

Ride On:
For this one, hold the nose of your skateboard with one hand and extend your arm so the board is in front of you. The grip tape will be facing you. Take a few steps forward while still holding the skateboard in front of you. When you are ready, you will place your front foot over top of the front hardware as you drop the skateboard to the ground. Now, bring your back foot onto the board and place it over top of the back hardware.
Tip: Make sure your front foot is hovering over top of the skateboard as you bring it to the ground. If you don't, the skateboard can jump and turn in an unpredictable direction.

Bomb Drop:
This one is similar to the ride on. Start off just like before. Hold the skateboard in front of you with your hand extended. As you bring the skateboard to your feet, jump onto it. You want to bring your feet to the skateboard and then bring your skateboard to the ground.

Drop Flip:
This one is an awesome looking trick. Hold the skateboard with your front hand so the trucks are facing towards your body. Drop the skateboard, grip side down, onto the concrete. The deck needs to drop flat. If you do this correctly, the skateboard will pop back up and do a half flip. When the skateboard rotates around like a kickflip, jump onto the board and aim your feet onto the hardware.

Getting Off the Skateboard:
Once your riding you are going to be having too much fun. You are not going to want to get off;P

A Brief History of Skateboarding

 How did skateboarding come to be? Who invented the first skateboard? Where was the concept of skateboards and skateboarding developed? While there aren't any definite or definitive answers to these questions, skateboard decks do indeed have a colorful and rich history to them. And while it's nearly impossible to imagine a world without skateboarding, many people are surprised to discover that skateboards are a relatively young cultural phenomenon, unlike say, bicycling. So, sit back, relax and enjoy reading this little article which will - hopefully - provide you with some insight with the interesting and unique past that skateboards enjoy.

Modern skateboards were probably first developed around the 1940s. Since skateboarding is somewhat similar to surfing - in theoretical terms, that is, it makes sense that skateboards more than likely came out of California. Surfers, being passionate about what they do, were looking for something to surf when the waves of the ocean weren't cooperating and weren't conducive to optimal surfing conditions. And while it's pretty much impossible to put a name or a face to whomever built the very first skateboard, early skateboards were probably no more complex - or were just as simple (depending on how you want to look at it) - as wooden boards with roller skate wheels attached to the bottom.

These primitive skateboards, which were made by the boarders themselves, were more than likely in heavy use until the 1960s, when the first skateboard manufacturers started to establish themselves. From there, skateboarding - or "sidewalk surfing" as it was called (again, to reflect its surfing origins) started to explode in popularity. For ocean-based surfers, it was a way to keep active and keep moving when the waves weren't available. For other people - mainly non-surfers - skateboarding was a way to "surf" as it were without having to enter the water. In fact, the body motions of a surfer and a boarder are strikingly similar, which is another testament to the strong historical bonds that the two sports share.

In the 1970s, people started to push the limits of what skateboards could be and of what skateboarders themselves could actually perform on the decks. It was during this time period in which the first polyurethane wheels began to appear - which, of course, is now pretty much standard on any modern or contemporary skateboard. Additionally, more exotic building materials also began to come into play when manufacturing skateboards. Fiberglass, aluminum and other composite materials were being explored in the never ending quest to develop and build the perfect skateboard.

From the 1980's until today, street skating came to the forefront as more and more people took skateboarding away from cumbersome and complicated skate parks. Skate parks began to make appearances in the late 1970s, but because boarders could injure or hurt themselves on them, many municipalities were closing them down. And because building homemade ramps, pipes was an expensive venture (and perhaps, still is), people took skating onto the streets. As a result, today's modern skateboards are designed to handle any street or urban skating environment. Today's skateboard decks are lighter and their wheels are harder.

From humble beginnings in California to a worldwide culture that's growing and expanding in popularity each and every day, skateboards have had a strange and wonderful trip to enjoy the status that they do today. Where skateboarding will go from here is merely and only anyone's guess, but it's safe to say that the next 60 years of skateboards will be just as interesting as its first 60 years.

Getting Information on Skateboards and Skateboarding

If you recently took up skateboarding as a sport or hobby, and you've never been involved in skateboarding before, there is a lot of information you will need to know in order to ensure that you are safe and know how to properly use the skateboard outdoors and at indoor skate parks.  There are many information sources available if you are seeking information about skateboarding techniques, skateboard models, safety tips, and skateboarding as a sport.  If you know where to look for this information, you will be able to get the most accurate results in the least amount of time.

Skateboarding Magazines
Skateboarding magazines are one of the best resources for finding skateboarding information.  Articles on this sport can help you learn new techniques and learn tips for staying safe.  The advertisements contained in these magazines can help you find new products and services that can help you become a more experienced skateboarder.  Skateboarding magazines may also have classified ads that allow you to connect with other skateboarders and learn more advanced techniques from people with experience.

Skateboard Shops

There are two major types of skateboard shops where you can find information on skateboarding.  One is your local skateboarding shop, a brick and mortar store where you can find some of the latest skateboarding equipment and accessories.  In the skateboard shop, you can get information on Sector 9 skateboards, Sector nine products, longboards, mountain boards, and other popular skateboard models and products.  You'll also be introduced to local skateboard enthusiasts who can help you develop new techniques and may also be able to give you information on new skateboard parks in the area.

The second type of skateboard shop you can turn to is the skateboard shop online.  This online shop is ideal for finding information on skateboarding because you can access it from the comfort of your own home.  The online skateboard shop may have many more products than a regular shop and you may also be given access to articles and product reviews that your local skateboard shop does not offer.  Visiting online skateboard shops makes it easy to get information on skateboarding as a hobby or sport and also gives you the opportunity to see what everyone else is buying in order to skateboard.

Online Forums and Discussion Groups

Online forums and discussion groups are yet another resource for you when you want to find information on skateboarding, new techniques, and the best skateboard models.  When you visit an online discussion group, you will find hundreds or even thousands of posts about skateboard models, tricks, techniques, and professional skateboarders.  You can post a question about skateboarding and get an answer from an experienced skater in a matter of minutes or hours.  You can also get answers from many different people, which will give you a lot of information in a short amount of time.  The one thing you need to watch out for when using forums to get information on skateboarding is that you do not follow every single piece of advice offered by other members.  While they are experienced, most of them post based on their own experiences.  They will not know your level of expertise or experiences with skateboarding, so some of their suggestions may not work for your individual needs.

Skateboard Parks

If you have a skateboard park in your neighborhood, it can be the perfect place to get information about skateboarding.  The people who hang around these parks are usually skateboarding enthusiasts, so they may be able to make recommendations on products or offer advice on improving your technique.  Visiting a skateboard park also gives you the chance to observe other skaters and see what works for them and what doesn't.  Observing other people involved in the sport can give you some good ideas for what you can do with your skills and talents.

Skateboard Review Sites
If you are interested in buying a skateboard, but don't know where to start, visit a skateboard review site online.  These sites offer reviews of some of the most popular skateboards and skateboarding accessories.  You will find the reviews categorized by brand name, price range, or model number, so it's important to see how each site organizes information.  If you have a particular skateboard or piece of equipment in mind, look it up by name on the review site.  If you don't have anything specific in mind, some sites will allow you to do a search by brand name, price range, or skateboard specifications.

Books About Skateboarding

If you don't have access to some of the popular skateboarding magazines and forums, you may want to spend some time at your local bookstore.  While there are not a ton of books about skateboarding, the ones that exist offer a lot of information on developing your technique and learning new skateboarding tricks.  You can spend a lot of time reading books in the bookstore if you don't want to spend a lot of money on buying the books.  If you want to refer to the books again and again, you may want to invest in buying them so that you can add them to your home library.

As you can see, there are a lot of information resources available for people who want to get involved in skateboarding as a hobby or sport.  The resources you use will depend on several factors including your location, budget, and access to the Internet.  If you live in a rural area with no Internet access, you may have to visit a local skateboard shop or park in order to ask people for information in person.  If you live in an urban area, you will be able to use the library and your own Internet access to look up information on skateboarding.  Once you have all of the information you need, you can perfect your technique by spending time at local parks or in your driveway.

What Is Skateboarding??

Here’s a simple question that may prove challenging and difficult to actually answer: what is skateboarding? Now, we know what a skateboard is, and what the activity of skateboarding looks like. For those who are unaware, a skateboard is a flat piece of wood with wheels affixed to its bottom and skateboarding is the act of moving by shifting your body on the topside of the skateboard deck. Now, that, of course, is a very rudimentary definition of the entire skateboarding package – but hopefully you’ll at least get the drift of it.

Skateboarding

Skateboarding can, in fact, be many different things. It all depends on how and what you intend to actually use your skateboard or longboard for. For many skateboard deck professionals and enthusiasts, the act and the usage of a skateboard can have many different variables to it. Let’s take a look at some of the many different ways in which people use a skateboard:
1. As a mode of transportation: This makes the most amount of sense, as a skateboard is designed to allow people the freedom to move about quickly. Many young people are realizing that skateboarding is a great way to navigate through an urban center without worrying about gas prices, locating places to park and about emitting harmful toxins into the environment. Just as more and more people are cycling to work, many people are also now skateboarding to their workplaces – or to wherever they need to go.
2. Skateboarding as an activity: Some people run, some people swim, some people climb mountains and other people decide and choose to skateboard for fun and recreation. Skateboarding is a great way to get in shape and improve your overall body balance, posture and flexibility. Additionally, skateboarding as an activity is relatively inexpensive to begin when compared to other forms of sports, recreations or hobbies.
3. The skateboard as an art form: If you’ve seen some of the tricks and moves that high-level skateboarders can perform on their decks, then you would definitely agree that skateboarding is an art form. The sheer fluidity of how the board moves to the gravity-defying heights that boarders reach to the flips and turns that they can achieve while in mid-air truly makes skateboarding a form of physical performance art. As well, some of the designs on the skateboards themselves are true visual sights to behold.
4. As a profession: Yes, there are professional skateboarders out there who make their living participating in competitions all over the world. From tricks to jumps to races, more and more athletically inclined people are looking to the skateboard as a way to make money. An established part of the X-Games, skateboarding has taken hold in all corners of the world and people realize that skateboarding is, indeed, a profitable and fun way to earn a living. In fact, one might argue that it’s just a matter of time before skateboarding makes its way into the Olympic Games.
So, the next time that you look at a skateboard, don’t just view it as a piece of wood with wheels attached or affixed to it. Consider all its possible definitions and possibilities, and how people are utilizing the skateboard in their everyday lives – both personally as a source of fun and enjoyment, and professionally as a source of income. Since it’s development in the 1940′s, skateboarding has exploded like few cultural activities either before it or since.(mbe)