How To Learn To Skateboard Online
When skateboarding, doing is obviously the best way to learn. You couldn't master baking a chocolate souffle just by watching hours of videos, right?
But that being said, there are plenty of great online resources that can point you in the right direction. Want to learn how to drop into a quarter-pipe or change your wheels? These 5 websites totally have you covered.
Udemy Trick-Tutor
So this one isn't free, but it's pretty reasonable. You pay between $20-$30 one time for lifetime access to 74 skateboarding lectures taught by Rob Dunfey, the founder of GoSkate.com.
Rob's broken it down into sections; The First Steps, where you learn how to push, turn, stand, and stop; Equipment Essentials, where you find out which board/helmet/etc. is right for you; The Transportation Foundation Part II, with instructions on going off of curbs and getting a running start; and Mindset and Motivation.
He also gives you videos on balance exercises, improving your ramp skills, tricks of the flip-and-spin variety, grinds, slides, and freestyle.
GoSkate YouTube
Rob Dunfey ALSO offers some totally free how-to videos on the great YouTube watering hole. Wondering how to do fakie ollies or how to skate handrails? Need some instruction on boardsliding or tailsliding? Are you afraid of falling and need some motivational videos that tell you not to be?
Whatever you're looking for, you can likely find it here.
Learn To Ride A Skateboard
Once an instructional DVD, "Learn To Ride A Skateboard" decidedly got with the times and uploaded all 7 of its episodes to YouTube. Most of the lessons focus on basic skateboarding practices, like learning and assembling the parts of the skateboard, finding your stance, and stopping/turning.
But on "Learn To Ride A Skateboard," you also get two 18-minute lectures devoted to skater stereotypes, and the unwritten rules of skatepark etiquette, to help arm you with the tools you need to skate with the big dogs.
And did I mention it's free? It's totally free. Get on it.
Skateboard.About.Com
You might roll your eyes at learning to skateboard from any branch of About.com, but this is actually a great resource, with links to everything from beginner skateboarding to common questions to instructional videos. And tricks? They've got street/technical tricks, skatepark tricks, and more.
Howcast
Howcast's Beginner Skateboarding series offers 16 informative videos. Want to learn how to customize your skateboard? Maybe how to clean your skateboard bearings? Or how to do basic tricks like ollies or boardslides? Howcast is a pretty good place to start.
Another neat thing is that they have written instructions below their videos, so you can reinforce what you just learned in a whole new way!
Which are your favorite places to learn to skate online? Let us know in the comments!