Skateboarding is cool and all, but it’s sure not easy to learn. To improve your chances of succeeding at learning new tricks quickly, let us hook you up with a little tutorial. This week, the FRONTSIDE BOARDSLIDE!
Read carefully and remember that after the technique, the number one secret to skateboarding is practice!
Before getting to the heart of the matter, it is important to understand the difference between the frontside and backside approach. The principle is quite simple. Frontside means that you approach the rail so that it is in front of you when you prepare to pop. Your back is looking forward during the entire slide. For the backside boardslide, the rail is behind you when you approach it and you will look straight ahead while you slide on it. Some Say Frontside is harder than backside when it comes to holding balance, but once you get the hang of it, it'll become an easy one.
The approach and the pop
First, approach the obstacle you want slide on so that it is in front of you at an almost parallel angle. Position yourself for an ollie with your shoulders in normal position, pop and turn 90 degrees over the obstacle in order to land ON it. Try to aim for the middle of the board by looking at your feet when you land on the obstacle. To avoid blocking on the obstacle or even breaking your board under the impact, try not to ollie too high. The key for success: Land on the obstacle smoothly. Once you have popped, made a 90-degree rotation and landed softly on the obstacle, turn your head so you look behind you over your shoulder and try to maintain your balance while sliding.
The position on the obstacle and the slide
The most crucial stage of the frontside boardslide is the actual slide. Getting the middle of your board on the top of the rail or ledge is not too difficult because you have a lot of space to work with, it's the balance you will need to focus on.The key is how you place your shoulders. Try to have your feet well positioned on top of your bolts. Once you get the right lock, center your weight as much as you can. To avoid blocking and falling backward or slipping and falling forward, practice centering your weight directly on top of the rail by placing your shoulders parallel to the obstacle and looking over your front shoulder. Don't hesitate to do it as many times as you can until you feel the perfect weight distribution method to stay up on that board of yours.
The landing and roll away
The easiest and most enjoyable part of the frontside boardslide! Once you have slided long enough and got to the end of the obstacle, turn your shoulders so that they come back in the same position as when you approached the obstacle. By doing so, you will make your board move back 90 degrees, so you can roll away. Once you've done that, you should be able to keep rolling without blocking. Absorb the impact by bending your knees and roll away as smoothly as you can.
THERE YOU GO! Now you now what to do to master your frontside boardslides! Once you've practiced enough and figured out how to land this one every try on a flat rail, we encourage you to take it to the next level and try it on a rail or ledge going down steps for an extra dose of adrenalin!
HAVE A GOOD SESSION!