You always wanted to learn how to skateboard? Then let's finally tackle it together! You really haven't chosen the easiest sport, but definitely one with huge fun potential. If you approach learning to skateboard cleverly, you will be able to celebrate success after a short time. And poof, you'll make your first ollie. Well, you need a little patience in between. In addition, it certainly does not hurt if you can fall back on a few helpful tips and tricks when learning to skateboard. And that's where we come in. As passionate boarders - whether on water, snow or concrete - we're happy to share our Pearls of Wisdom on learning to skateboard with you. Let's go!

Learning to skateboard for beginners - the 5 most important steps

If you want to learn to skateboard, you need to develop a good sense of balance. Only then can you stand safely on the board and only on this basis can you build up when learning to skateboard. Our tip right at the beginning is therefore: Do not make too many steps at once. We have divided learning to skateboard into five steps, each of which you should practice intensively before moving on to the next. It's best to practice learning to skateboard in a place with a flat surface, ideally concrete, as this makes skateboard pushing (pushing off to pick up momentum) easy. But more about that in a moment. If there is a skate park in your area, then you are of course very lucky. There you will find ideal conditions for learning to skateboard - and also many like-minded people. Skating is especially fun in a group. Another plus: The cracks there you can certainly ask, if you learn to skateboard times do not know further.

Before you start learning to skateboard: Don't forget protective clothing!

Protective clothing is uncool? We think rather the visit to the emergency room or longer hospital stays uncool. Let's face it: even the pros wear helmets and pads, so you can do the same when learning to skateboard. And that brings us to your skateboarding equipment. Especially important when learning to skateboard is of course the helmet, which protects you from head injuries. Protectors on the knees, elbows and wrists also protect you from abrasions, bruises, sprains and torn ligaments when learning to skateboard. You should also think about your choice of shoes for a moment. They will wear out quickly as you learn to skateboard, so you may want to use older sneakers at the beginning. However, if learning to skateboard is your thing, then it's definitely worth buying special skate shoes whose good support and optimal cushioning will help you train.

Step 1: Push Test

First we find out whether you will ride goofy or regular in the future. The push test shows you which foot is placed on the front of the board (front or leading foot) and which foot is placed on the back or with which foot you push off (back or swing foot). To do this, simply stand on your skateboard, close your eyes and lean forward until you fall. The foot that hits the ground first is your front foot. From now on, when learning to skateboard, this foot will stand between the wheelbase and the nose - either pointing forward (when riding) or across (when standing).

Step 2: Stand on the board

First, practice standing correctly on your board, both for pushing and for riding. When pushing you stand facing forward, when riding you stand sideways on the board. In both positions you should feel safe, i.e. be able to keep your balance well. To do this, you can go through the following sequences again and again while learning to skateboard, preferably on a stable, non-slip surface such as a lawn:

• Push position: Your front foot is between the wheelbase and the nose, pointing forward. Your back foot is on the ground next to your board. Now lift it slightly and feel into your front foot. Shift your weight minimally and find your balance again and again.
• Riding position: Stand shoulder-width apart on your skateboard. Your front foot is between the wheelbase and the nose, your back foot between the wheelbase and the tail. Bend your knees slightly and make small movements in all directions. Keep finding your balance.
• Also practice changing both positions. When you have slowly developed a feeling for your skateboard, the next step in learning to skateboard is on the program.

Step 3: Riding the board

Take the diligently practiced push position and push off slightly. Go thereby calmly properly in the knees, then it is certainly easier for you. In the beginning, two or three pushes are enough - you don't want to go too fast when learning to skateboard. If you are sufficiently in drive, you also put your back foot on the board and also change your front foot into the driving position. Again, of course, it is important to keep your balance and to find it again and again.

Our tip: Practice pushing really, really long and often, because it is essential for further learning to skateboard. When practicing, vary not only the speed, but also the surface - as long as you already feel confident.

Step 4: Skateboard braking

When it comes to braking, it's best to clear up a misconception first: You don't brake with the board. That would not only be extremely damaging for the board, but also a pretty shaky affair. Rather use the anchor technique for braking. To do this, take the back foot off the skateboard and let it drag sideways on the ground. The more pressure you exert, the faster you stop. To avoid injuries and accidents when learning to skateboard, you need to practice braking very well. Start at a slow speed and increase your speed.

Our tip: Set a target point where you want to come to a stop. This will help you to plan the braking process better and to assess the situation in an emergency.

Step 5: Driving curves

Now you can drive and brake. Perfect! Now we'll take care of the curves, otherwise you'll just have to go straight. To turn, shift your weight in the direction you want to go. With pressure on your toes you make a right turn in Regular-Stand and with pressure on your heels you make a left turn. In the Goofy stance, it's the other way around. The more pressure you exert, the tighter your turn will be. Very tight turns, however, cannot be mastered with pure weight shifting. This is where the kick turn comes into play, but caution is advised - especially as a beginner learning to skateboard. Shift your weight briefly to the tail, thereby lifting the nose. You can now turn it in the desired direction with a jerky movement (but still with feeling!). Then put the nose back down and continue as usual.

Which skateboard for beginners?

Maybe you're already really into skating and want to get your own board. Good idea! So that you do not have to start from scratch in the store, we have a few suggestions on the subject of skateboard purchase for you. Basically, you should be clear above all, what you want to use your board in the future. If you want to learn to ride a skateboard purely for riding, then a longboard or cruiser board is probably more suitable for you. If you want to learn tricks soon, then you should go for a classic skateboard. Here we have all the facts for you at a glance:

Longboard

The longboard is perfect for you if you want to use your skateboard as a means of transportation. With it you can ride super-easy over long distances, because its longer and larger shape allows a smoother glide. In addition, you pick up speed more easily with it.

Cruiserboard

The cruiser board is also used more as a means of transportation, but can also be used for tricks. It is a mix of longboard and skateboard. But: its riding feel is not quite as good as the longboard's, because its shape is somewhat more compact. And: tricks are a bit harder to learn on it than on a skateboard because of its size.

Classic skateboard

The skateboard is simply unrivaled when you want to learn tricks. Its compact size helps you learn to control jumps and tricks well while skateboarding. At the same time, you train your strength and balance to a great extent, which especially strengthens your deep muscles. Especially your core is active while learning to skateboard, but also your butt and thighs are challenged. The result: By strengthening your balance, coordination, reaction and muscles, your posture and even your entire body awareness will improve. You will certainly notice this after a short time. Skating is not only a fun sport, but also has a positive effect on your health.

Skateboard balance training in focus

Balance is essential when learning to skate - that much is clear. Then we should demand and promote it intensively. By the way, you don't always have to stand on the skateboard to do this. To effectively improve your balance while learning to skateboard, you can use your indoor time for training - especially on rainy, cold days - with a balance board. This way, even after a long winter, you'll be able to stand safely on your skateboard right away in the spring.

Indoor training with the Balance Board

On the Balance Board you can easily start a training session in your living room to learn how to skateboard. Simply lay out the sisal mat, put the cork roller on it and start wiggling. Because you constantly have to find your balance, boarding on the balance board is an optimal support for learning to skateboard. Use our beginner guide to get started. Here you will learn step by step how to stand correctly on the balance board, descend safely and generally develop a feeling for the board. Once you have mastered this, and from experience this happens very quickly, you will also find further balance boarding exercises here. Above all, we explain the classics among the tricks with the help of clear videos. You can then get additional creative input from the large wahu community. Here, enthusiasts from all over the world exchange ideas and celebrate their progress.

Our tip: With a wall mount, your balance board is always safely stored and won't get in the way.

Learning to skateboard: Kids love it!

By wiggling on the balance board, you're sure to be able to learn to skateboard by the time you're 30 - after all, it's never too late for new experiences and sporting challenges! And by the way, not too early: Children love the fun on the balance board and can learn to skateboard faster and safer. Just try it out together as a family and enjoy the time together. If you have then, after sufficient indoor training, created the right foundation, you will certainly stand like a one on the balance board. And thus also safely on the skateboard. Now you can start with the tricks!

Learn skateboard tricks

You definitely have the feel for your skateboard now, so we can move on to the tricks. Skateboard tricks for beginners, that is, relatively simple skateboard tricks, there are quite a few. But there is one that everyone knows, everyone loves, and everyone wants to master: the ollie. That's important, too, because it's a real basic trick that many others build on. The best way to learn how to do the ollie and execute it optimally is to watch one of the numerous "how to" videos on the Internet. That would be too complicated to describe - you have to see it. Once you have the Ollie down, we recommend the Pop Shove-It as the next trick. It combines the ollie with a 180 degree turn of the board. If this also works, then you absolutely have to try the Heelflip. Like the ollie, it is an absolute classic and definitely belongs in your trick repertoire. If you do it really well, it looks extremely impressive. We are excited ...

Learn to ride a skateboard - tips from the pros

Of course you want to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible. But learning to skateboard requires patience above all. And many repetitions are necessary to really internalize all aspects of skating. So: practice standing, pushing, riding, braking and turning over and over again when learning to skateboard. Also, try to perfect your skateboard balance. By the way, you can also close your eyes and feel what a big difference this small change in training makes. Other tips from our board pros include:

Get to know your skateboard

While learning to skateboard, get to know the parts of your board. Learn what a deck is, what the wheelbase is, and what nose or tail is.

• The skateboard deck is usually about 70 to 80 centimeters long. The shorter it is, the less the board becomes (good for tricks). The longer it is, the smoother it rides (good for locomotion).
• The nose is the front area of the skateboard deck. It is curved upward.
• The Tail is the rear area of the skateboard deck. It is also curved upwards.
• The wheelbase refers to the area between the nose and tail.
• The skateboard wheels are usually made of plastic and can have different sizes. Small wheels can be accelerated very quickly, but with large ones you achieve a higher speed. As a beginner, larger wheels are more suitable for you, as they provide more stability while riding.

So there are not many elements and probably you already know a lot. Nevertheless, touch the board, try it out and take it apart. If you are unsure as a beginner, then feel free to use the advice in the store. Especially when buying a skateboard, tips from experts are worth their weight in gold.

Care & maintain your board

Every commodity must be cared for, otherwise it will soon no longer function properly ... and frustration sets in when you ride. Especially the care of the ball bearing is important for the skateboard. You should clean and oil it regularly to guarantee a perfect riding experience and extend the life of your skateboard.

The right surface often makes the difference

Try out different surfaces when learning to ride a skateboard. This will help you learn how your skateboard behaves on different surfaces and how to adjust to them. Start with concrete and then eventually practice on asphalt, wood or plastic. Test it out: What's more slippery, what slows you down, what do you feel best on?

No training break in winter

We've mentioned it before, but we also want to emphasize it again as a closing statement: Continuously train to keep your balance - even in the winter. Use a balance board for this purpose to never lose sight of your balance while skating, even in your living room at home. Have fun learning to skateboard!