Go Skateboarding Day

June 21 is Go Skateboarding Day! What better time to give a brief little update about my off-season plans to keep the shred alive and stay in better shape by learning how to skateboard?  (You can check the site for info on events – many free – near you)

As far as off-season training goes, it’s a hell of a workout.  There’s a reason you don’t see very many fat skateboarders. Lots of cardio and it really works the legs but it’s like playing a sport: you don’t feel like you’re exercising, it’s not boring like running on a treadmill at the gym.  You can break mad sweat especially on warmer days, and the legs and core get a solid workout.  I’m actually losing weight because of skateboarding.

For now, I’m finding empty parking lots with nice smooth asphalt and just working on my ollies. I have made some progress: I ollie from a standstill pretty consistently, and I’m making progress on rolling ollies. I’m working on simple ones like ollying over a 2×4 or a step-up on to a curb.  I’m working with an old pair of Thunder trucks which a friend gave me about a decade ago, the deck is blank, branded by the local skate shop (Modern Skate & Surf), and I picked up some new mini-logo wheels and Redz bearings. My kicks are also hand-me-downs. I believe at one point they belonged to Garrett.

There’s a few small skate parks near my house; one actually is right across the street in Huntington Woods, but it’s not much for a street course (a few weak rails and a ledge or two) although it has a decent triple-bowl thingy that goes from 4′ mini to 6′ mini to bowl. I will be dropping in on that action before the summer is over.

There’s a better street course with a 4′ mini ramp in Troy, near my work. Unfortunately, I’m not yet good enough to take my game to the park. Something about getting shamed by 9-year olds doesn’t sit well with me.

I’m satisfied with my progress so far, basically I “started” skateboarding a little more than a week ago. I feel like I’m on the verge of getting the ollie locked and I’m getting a little better each time out. I will work on amplitude once I can land ollies consistently, and then I guess it’s on to shuvits or kickflips or something fun.