If you own a skateboard or thinking of owning one, the next question that will arise in your mind is how long does it take to learn to skateboard.
While becoming a pro skater takes time, with practice it is not impossible to achieve this feat.
A skateboarder needs to learn a lot of advanced tricks that can allow them to compete at the highest level.
Many people also ask how long does it take to learn to skateboard overall, whose answer is that there is no definite time to learn it but practicing can make you better at skateboard tricks of different sorts.
Skateboarding is mainly a street sport but has gained worldwide recognition recently with a part in the upcoming Olympics, which has made it even more interesting among youngsters.
How Long Does It Take To Learn To Skateboard Properly?
There is no basic end to learning skateboarding. If one puts in enough time and effort, they can be a pro skater with advanced tricks under their control.
For a skater to be perfect, he has to master the art of using a balance board at first.
As you train you will gain confidence to hit the busy roads with your new board. Your expertise will depend on the time you spend on the balance board.
A skate park is the best place to start where professionals are there to assist the amateurs to learn faster.
The answer to how long did it take you to learn how to skateboard and to learn and improvise a trick is an infinite effort-putting process.
How long did it take you to learn the Very Basics of Skateboarding?
A complete skateboard learning process depends on how much time you put in.
We conducted a survey on some skateboarders where it got revealed that training 3-4 hours every day will help you learn the basics within a week.
Learning through trainers in a skate park can be even more beneficial in the earlier stages of skating.
Some basic factors elements like the appropriate skate shoes, grip tape on the deck, and proper protective gears determine how quickly you would learn to skate.
While choosing a skateboard for yourself, you might wonder how long should a beginner skateboard be?
Well, for a beginner, a skateboard having 28-30 inch length & 8-inch width can be considered as perfect.
The right size will ensure adequate balance to the newbie rider while training which will boost his or her confidence level.
If you are buying for a kid, the length will not be an issue but the width should be somewhere around 7”.
How long does it take to learn to Cruise on a Skateboard?
Cruising is considered the very basics of riding a skateboard.
While balancing on a skateboard takes around a week to learn, cruising takes some more time as you need to balance properly to flow on the skateboard wheels.
An eboard deck provides extra support to balance and therefore learning to skate on an electric skateboard is much easier.
Things to Keep in Mind for Skateboarders
Considering your question on how long does it take to learn to skateboard, you must also know about the things that need to be kept in mind before starting the learning process.
There are certain important points that skateboarders should keep in mind.
Skateboard Type
Apart from the normal skateboards, there is a newly launched version of electric skateboards. Both are different in their respective uses.
The traditional skateboard needs more manual labor to start and push for gaining speed.
Whereas, the e-skateboard gives some assistance to shove since it comes with an in-built eboard deck that can be replaced if required.
Also, skateboards are differentiated based on the skateboarder’s age and shoe size.
Along with the age, good knowledge about your shoe size can help you choose the best skateboard for you that is perfect in length and width.
Safety Gear
Skateboarding is a sport that needs intense effort which in turn can result in deep injuries while mastering.
These injuries can hinder your learning process or may even hamper your career with this sport.
Hence the use of the protective gear is very important. Some of the most common and important gears are listed herewith.
- Elbow pads
- Grip Tape
- Wrist Guards
- Knee Pads
- Proper fitting skate shoes
- Helmets
Having proper safety gear not only prevents you from getting injured but also ensures that you have a smooth learning process with enough experience.
Process
Learning the process of skateboarding and balancing on a skateboard is crucial for every new rider.
Placing the right foot and the left foot properly on the deck is basic to start. Apart from that, learning new tricks needs a different level of practice and determination.
While the best place to start is a skatepark, nowadays many YouTube facilities are available with detailed tutorials.
For the complete skateboard learning process, it is also important to know the placement of the skateboard wheels to shift the weight across properly.
Only then would you know how to place your strong and weak foot.
Knowing the complete structure of the skateboard would help you to glide and turn through the air better and with precision.
Only then would you make it to the top and flaunt your skills.
How long does it take to become a Pro Skater?
Now that you know how long does it take to learn to skateboard, you might think by when can you ride like a professional. Being a pro is not easy, but at the same time not impossible.
Continuous practice along with determination is the key to learning any sport.
To become a professional rider, you have to keep on learning new tricks and this will require you to keep on practicing until you master these stunts.
How long does it take to learn to Skateboard Tricks?
Skating tricks are not something very easy to have expertise in and cannot be easily mastered.
There are various sorts of tricks that one can learn and perform with a skateboard.
Fakie, frontside boardslide, kickflip, and various other flip tricks are a part of the group of tricks that can be performed.
One of the other tricks is a riding switch, where the skater begins riding with his stronger leg and then quickly switches to his weaker one.
This is extremely difficult to master and even harder than learning to surf on a surfing board.
New learners need to keep in mind the use of safety gear since performing stunts can be dangerous and should only be practiced in a skatepark.
How long does it take to learn to Manual Skateboard?
Manual is a type of skateboarding trick where the skateboarder moves over the skateboard in a certain way that the front or the backside of the skateboard lifts in the air.
It is one of those basic skateboard tricks but takes regular practice to master the trick.
Your left foot and right foot need to be in sync to be able to master this skateboarding trick.
Along with that, the skateboarder must know the positioning of the wheel to be able to shift the weight across adequately to make the board flip.
Conclusion
As a newbie rider, you will be attracted to learn some flip tricks, or riding switch, or frontside boardslide. You must know this requires immense effort.
So, before leaning onto them concentrate on learning the basics of skateboarding.
A perfect skating board will have a good quality deck, truck, wheels, and bearings. So you must have a check on all of these key elements before you buy a new board.
This will ensure you have a durable product that lasts for a longer span.
Alternatively, you may have a longboard or a roller skate and maybe want to learn the basics of roller skate or longboarding.
Don’t worry! Our websites have different articles on all the trending skating topics.
As you enquired how long does it take to learn to skateboard, let me share with you the thoughts from the experts.
According to them, it takes regular and rigorous practice to master this art.
Frequently Asked Question
- Is it hard to learn skateboarding?
This sport is neither hard nor easy to acquire. It needs well-planned training sessions to get accustomed to the art of balancing on the deck of the skateboard, unlike the snowboard which has pre-shoving facilities from snow.
- Can you learn to skateboard at any age?
The best time for a newbie rider to start with skateboarding is at the age of 7-8 years.
If one starts at this age, they can surely ride like a professional by the time they become a teenager.
- Should I learn to Ollie while moving?
Learning Ollie while moving is easier than while not in motion. But keep in mind to arrange for elbow pads, wrist guards, and knee pads before starting with your practice as you have chances of getting injured from an unwanted fall.
- What age should you stop skateboarding?
There is no predefined age at which one should stop skateboarding. But, it is advisable to stop when your body is no more capable of taking the strain.
Usually, people stop skating after they have gained a lot of weight.
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