If you think learning to know normal skating is hard, downhill skateboarding is even harder as well as requires more commitment. Therefore, this skating style is not very beginner-friendly but by preparing the following aspects carefully, I bet every newbie can still get the hang of it.
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THE UNIQUENESS OF DOWNHILL RIDING
Downhill longboarding appears to be addictive to anyone who truly loves insane speed and in some cases, they consider downhill more like a lifestyle than a normal sport. What makes downhill skateboarding stand apart from the rest is the insane speed skaters can accelerate by bombing down steep hills.
Unfortunately, owning the top longboards for beginners doesn’t mean you have prepared well for learning. This unique style requires more advanced skills than just a decent set of apparatuses.
PREREQUISITE QUALIFICATIONS
Of course, when it comes to high-speed riding, mastering the fundamental control skills is compulsory. In other words, skateboarders have to be proficient at the following skills and techniques:
Foot braking: though this method is widely used for slowing down at moderate speed, it is still usable in learning to take advantage of friction to brake.
Turning: handling corners on the way down hills is inevitable; therefore, riders must find no difficulty in steering the board to the left or right.
Carving: this skill refers to making deep turns and reducing the speed at the same time. While going down hills, you can unintentionally go faster and faster so carving is necessary to control speeds and avoid getting to hazardous speeds.
Sliding: beginners are usually not able to perform this skill smoothly and it would be extremely dangerous to practice on real hills. Hence, newbies can begin by learning to skateboard on flat areas until they can sharpen their skills.
DOWNHILL LONGBOARD GEAR
Like any other kind of skateboarding, longboarding also has specific requirements for the necessary apparatuses. In the process of finding the best longboards for downhill, I think you may want to start with the deck.
Skaters can choose either a drop-through or top-mount model as long as they find comfort when skating on those boards. In my opinion, getting a drop-through deck is a much safer option for beginners; however, pro riders are more interested in the agility and responsiveness of top-mount products.
Next is choosing trucks that provide the best traction and the turning ratio. By testing and experience, many skaters go for a reverse kingpin model since they find that their performances are much more steady on these responsive and stable trucks. In case you aren't interested in any types of skateboard trucks, go for a hybrid model which has different turning capabilities in your front and back trucks.
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Finally, the selection of wheels and bearings are critical as well. The two main factors that affect the traction and durability of your skateboard wheels are the diameter and durometer. My advice for beginners is to pick softer wheels engineered with larger contact patches so that they can experience the incredible grip.
CORE TECHNIQUES
We have been discussing the required skills and equipment for a proper downhill session so now is the time for the core techniques. If you are confused by the variety of techniques and skills needed for this skating style, you just need to be proficient at the following techniques:
High-speed cornering
Downhill carving
Skateboard tucking
Drafting
High-speed sliding
RISKS OF BOMBING HILLS FAST
Skateboarding is well-known as an extreme sport and with downhill skating, the risk of injuring yourself or getting severe accidents is pretty high. Normally, without any severe accident, the common injuries may be scratches, bruises, and cuts; however, there are some cases where skaters have to suffer from traumatic brain injuries from colliding with moving vehicles.
In general, skaters have to deal with a number of hazards such as traffic situations and obstacles. However, with proper safety gear and the right techniques, they can significantly reduce the worst chance. If you don’t want to share the road with other vehicles, try to find somewhere empty and do the observation carefully before beginning.
Last but not least, you can get into big trouble if you don’t pay attention to maintaining the equipment after each ride. Just imagine how bad it would be if you are riding at insane speeds and a bolt gets off. Fortunately, this problem can be easily prevented by frequent checks and updating the conditions of your skateboard after each ride.
CONCLUSION
Good skate gear is recommended but not a must; however, commitment and open-mindedness are the most crucial things in order to get the perfect results in getting the hang of downhill skateboarding. I know there must be so many difficulties during the process of getting familiar; therefore, I would recommend riders to visit SkateAdvisors to get valuable advice from pro skaters.
