When I first started skateboarding, I got all my advice from videos and some friends; however, I wished someone was there to guide me and stop me from making dumb mistakes, so here is a guide to help you start your skating journey.

Before getting a board, you need to decide the board you want. There are boards with various designs and sizes that come with different parts like trucks, bolts, wheels, etc. For your first board, I recommend getting a pre-built board in your size. For your first board, since you don’t know any of the parts, it’s best not to build your own. Also, if you’re starting, I don’t recommend dropping a lot of money on your first skateboard, especially if you don’t know if you’re going to commit, and even if you do, your first board always gets wrecked.

So after you get your board, buy or set aside shoes just for skating. This is because when you’re skating, your shoe is always rubbing on the grip tape, and it will slowly destroy them. Skating is also a high-impact sport especially if you’re doing tricks, so I recommend getting a shoe that absorbs a good amount of impact but still gives you a good board feel. Some recommendations are Nike SB, Vans Half Cab, and Vans Old School. My current skate shoes are Vans knu Skool since they offer a good board feel and they pad my ankles, but for skate shoes, make sure to get what’s comfortable and you like. The only thing you want to avoid is shoes with a canvas-like texture since they don’t last long; instead, opt for suede or leather. For protection, you can get a helmet and padding if you feel the need, but most skaters don’t due to skating culture and not wanting to become reliant or dependent on them. I suggest not getting padding till you start doing tricks so you don’t become dependent on them to skate, but you should get a helmet to protect your head. Over time, though, the more and more you skate, you will learn how to fall. Some tips are to spread the impact, always have your arms out loose, not locked since they are the first line of defense, and most importantly, tuck your head into your body; it helps lower your chances just overall. But the best way to make sure is to bend your knees and lower your center of gravity. If you don’t bend your knees, you will fall.

So now that you have your board and your helmet, it’s time to start skating. But before that, you need to know which parts are the front, the back, and which foot to put forward. The front of your board is called the nose, and it’s stepper than the back or tail, but the best way to know is the graphic on the back; whichever way it’s facing is probably the front. Next is knowing which foot goes forward or if you’re goofy or regular. You can do some things to figure out which foot is which, like falling and catching yourself with your foot, and that’s your front foot, but you will know what feels best for you. Regular is left foot forward, and goofy is right foot forward. Being regular or goofy doesn’t affect how well you skate, just how you stand on your board. For the cruising position, you should have your feet over the trucks, which are under the bolts on your board. You should have eight in total, four towards the front and the back. Lastly, make sure to have your front foot forward on the nose. This will be the position you will be riding in and doing tricks in, so you have to get comfortable.

Right now you might feel stiff, but you have to get loose on your board and not stiffen, especially your knees. To get more comfortable and better board control, practice standing on it, standing on one foot, dropping down, and getting on and off. When you’re a bit more comfortable, make sure to do pivot turns, tic-tacs, and duck walks since these will help you get used to using your hips, which helps with tricks and cruising. Just do this as often as you can, and you will get more comfy, and don’t forget to bend your knees. Also, practice riding around. You can start by just standing in the position, holding on to something, and pushing yourself around with your hands. Something else I recommend is just finding something with a soft slant, like a driveway, and just going down on it. This is the best way to get used to your board while moving without worrying about pushing and everything else. Make sure you start slowly and don’t go fast at all, or you might get hurt. The best way to stop as a beginner is just to drag your foot on the ground and slowly stop. While this ruins your shoes over time, this is the best and safest way to stop as a beginner since it doesn’t require knowing how to do anything.

While it may feel awkward standing on it right now, you will get more comfortable and get better over time. My advice is to ride as often as possible, bend your knees, and wear a helmet. Skating takes time and a bit of dedication. You might not feel like skating some days, but it’s a fun hobby that I recommend anyone pick up if they can. Just remember the most important things, which are to bend your knees and just have fun.