Downhill longboarding can be challenging, especially when you’re starting. It’s easy to feel stuck and make minimal progress if you’re not sure what to focus on. This guide provides practical tips to help you improve your skills and enjoy your downhill sessions more effectively.
Essential Tips for New Downhill Skaters
Warm Up Properly
Don’t jump straight into intense runs. Start with easy laps and slides to gradually warm up your body. Treat the beginning of each session as a fresh start, not a continuation from your previous one. Your body needs time to reacclimate to the movements and sensations involved in longboarding.
Skating without warming up can be risky. Cold muscles and stiff joints can affect your balance and make it harder to get into the correct slide positions. This can increase the risk of injury, so incorporating dynamic stretches (like leg swings and lunges) before each session is crucial. A proper warm-up will significantly improve the quality of your sessions, consistency, and overall safety.
Gear Up for Falls
Longboarder falling
Falling is part of learning. It’s inevitable when you’re trying new maneuvers. Wearing protective gear is essential to minimize injuries and keep you progressing. While some protective gear can be bulky, there are comfortable, low-profile options available.
For beginners, consider:
- Hard cap knee pads: TSG DHP, Smith Scabs, or Triple 8 (budget-friendly).
- Low-profile elbow pads: Demon D3o (for heavier riders), G-form Elbow pads (for lighter riders), or Triple 8 Exoskin pads.
- Hip pads: Options from G-form, Triple 8, or Hillbilly, available at Stoked Ride Shop.
Choose the Right Wheels
Icy, round-lipped freeride wheels are ideal for beginners. These wheels are durable, slide easily, and don’t flat spot easily. While they might not offer the most control for tight, technical slides, they help you get accustomed to the feeling of sliding and build a solid foundation. A great example of this type of wheel is the Powell Peralta Snakes.
Flat spotted longboard wheel
As you gain experience, you can transition to wheels with slightly less round lips and more grip. These will help you control your slides better, although they may flat spot a bit easier. Don’t worry about flat spotting your wheels at first, it’s a common occurrence for beginners.
Invest in Quality Gear
Low-quality gear can significantly hinder your learning and enjoyment. Cheap trucks might not turn smoothly, cheap wheels won’t slide well, and cheap decks could break easily. Investing in quality gear improves your skating experience, accelerates your learning, and provides better protection. Don’t compromise on essential equipment like wheels, trucks, decks, and protective gear.
Skate Regularly
The best way to improve your balance and skating is to skate often. This doesn’t mean you need to downhill every day; just general skating will improve your skills. Consider getting a cruiser board for daily commutes or relaxing rides. Riding regularly will naturally enhance your balance and control, ultimately improving your downhill performance. Riding with looser trucks can also strengthen your ankles and calves. Consistency is essential for progress, but make sure you are enjoying the process and not treating it as a chore.
Session a Specific Corner
Focusing on one corner allows you to master the fundamentals. Once you’ve learned a particular corner, any other corner will be a variation of it. Sessioning a corner helps you practice line selection, sliding techniques, footbraking, and exit speed control.
Master Footbraking
Footbraking is the safest and easiest way to slow down. Learning to footbrake will boost your confidence and enable you to go faster without worry. There are two main techniques:
- Normal footbrake: Drag your back foot lightly on the ground. This method is effective at low speeds.
- ‘Swiss’ footbrake: Crouch down, grab your board with your front hand, and put your back foot firmly on the ground. This provides more stopping power and is ideal for high-speed situations. Some beginners have even used this method to safely slow down from high speeds, such as 60mph.
Longboarder using a stand up footbrake
While sliding is a vital skill, footbraking is more practical for immediate speed reduction and emergency situations.
Choose the Right Trucks
Trucks with an angle around 45° are excellent for learning to slide, as they allow you to ‘push’ your board during slides instead of ‘sitting’ on top of it. Trucks without rake tend to make sliding easier, although opinions may vary. Experiment with different setups to find what works best for you.
Longboarder performing a swiss footbrake
A split setup, using a higher angle truck in the front and a lower angle in the back, enhances stability, especially for beginners going fast. This setup is stable and reduces wobbles but might not be ideal for slide practice. However, if you are comfortable using the swiss footbrake, a split setup can allow you to navigate mountain roads at high speeds. It also allows for looser trucks while maintaining stability.
Don’t Tighten Trucks Too Much
Tightening your trucks increases stability, but it also limits your board’s turning and lean, which affects its optimal performance. Instead of tightening, try using harder bushings to achieve a tighter feel while retaining the ability to lean and turn correctly. It’s best for beginners to learn using trucks with bushings that are not too hard or soft.
Too tight trucks will limit your ability to initiate slides, while trucks that are too loose make it hard to maintain your center during slides. While tight trucks may give you more stability, they won’t help you improve as a skater.
Use the Right Board Length
Longer boards offer more stability, but they can be more difficult to control during slides. Beginners should start with boards that have a shorter wheelbase, around 24-26 inches. These are easier to control when initiating and exiting slides.
A drop-down board, where the platform is lower than the truck mounts, is also recommended for beginners. These decks provide greater stability and make sliding more comfortable and easier.
Improve Your Flexibility
Longboarder with poor slide form
Longboarder with good slide form
Flexibility plays a critical role in longboarding. Many slide positions may not feel natural initially, but with improved flexibility, they will become more comfortable and improve your skating. Regularly doing stretches can dramatically speed up your learning. Prioritize dynamic stretches before each skate session, such as lunges and leg swings, to prepare your body. Afterwards, do static stretches like touching your toes.
Stretching ensures you don’t lose flexibility, which can be detrimental to your progress. Make sure you have the energy for stretching so you can maximize the benefits after each session.
Join a Community
Learning with others can greatly enhance your progress. Ideally, you want to find both a mentor and a peer. The mentor can provide insightful advice, while you and your fellow learners can share tips and experiences. The longboarding community is incredibly supportive. If you can’t find a group, don’t worry; you can still learn and enjoy the sport by watching videos and practicing on your own.
A group of longboarders
Many groups are more than happy to share knowledge, allow you to try gear, and invite you to join sessions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and get involved in your local scene.
Final Thoughts
While these tips may not be easy to follow, they will lead to greater progress and enjoyment of downhill longboarding. As challenging as it can be, downhill skateboarding is an incredibly rewarding hobby that provides a unique and thrilling experience.
