A 7-step guide how to skateboard for beginners

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Always wanted to know how to skateboard? Or do you want to start skateboarding? Great, you’re at the right spot! At CityLegends, we empower street athletes and artists of all skill levels. Skateboarding is one of the most iconic street culture sports and an essential part of urban sports. This beginner guide will cover the crucial steps to help you become confident on a skateboard and unleash your inner legend.

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_{Step 1: Gear up like a pro}

Equipping yourself with the right gear is essential for safety and performance. As a beginner, make sure you have a well-fitted helmet, knee and elbow pads and sturdy skateboard shoes. This boosts your confidence a lot which makes you fall and mess up less (painful). Otherwise you’ll break stuff, trust us ;).

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_{Step 2: Get to know your skateboard}

Understanding the parts of your skateboard is an important step. Spend time getting to know the deck (the main board), trucks (the metal part that holds the wheels), and wheels. Knowing your skateboard well helps when you start skateboarding and building your skill. Looking for great spots to practice skateboarding? Check CityLegends for tons of skate spots.

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_{Step 3: Stance and balance}

One of the first things to figure out is your stance on the board - regular (left foot forward) or goofy (right foot forward). Experiment with both and choose the one that feels most natural. Practice balance by placing your feet shoulder-width apart on the board, keep your knees slightly bent and distribute your weight evenly. Now you're ready to ride!

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_{Step 4: How to fall}

When skateboarding, you will fall a lot (trust us again ;)). It’s part of improving your skate skills but not always the most fun… So learning how to fall properly without breaking or damaging anything is a must. When you fall, go with the flow. Lean in and try to minimize the damage by relaxing your muscles and try to try to roll with the fall. Try to ignore your reflexes to decrease the fall damage with your hands or wrists.  

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_{Step 5: Push the skateboard}

Before you start rolling, you'll need to master pushing the board forward. Place your front foot on the skateboard, while your back foot pushes against the ground to create speed. Push off the ground with the ball of your foot and extend your leg forward. As you gain speed, place your pushing foot on the skateboard and switch to a nice riding position and stroll along.

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_{Step 6: Turning and carving}

Turning on a skateboard involves leaning your weight in the direction you want to go to. For gentle turns, shift your weight slightly and use your ankles to guide the board. As you progress, start practicing carving - a more powerful and stylish way to navigate corners and curves. Carving means making wide, quick turns by putting pressure on the edges of the deck, and it looks really cool.

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_{Step 7: Stop!}

Knowing how to stop is crucial for every skateboarder. The best stopping methods are the foot brake and power slide. Foot braking is placing your back foot on the ground and applying pressure to slow down. Power sliding means shifting your weight to the back foot, kicking the tail of the board and sliding it sideways. This by using the wheels to gradually reduce your momentum. Power sliding is a more advanced option. If you’ve lost control of the board and are about to hit something, just jump off your board for your own sake.

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_{Ready to ride?!}

Skateboarding is an urban sport that takes practice, patience, and determination but it's also an incredibly awesome and fun activity. It’s really for the ones who get up once they fall down. This 7-step guide is the one to follow when you want to hop on a board. CityLegends is all about urban sports around the globe. Join if you want to make the most out of skateboarding by exploring spots, uploading clips and competing in battles! Hop on CityLegends.