Off-Season Training: Skateboarding Update

Nothing impressive, but I want to log the progress that I’m making as I learn how to skateboard. I found that keeping a public list of my goals really keeps me accountable and helps me progress. Fit-wise, I’m doing OK. The first few times out I got really sore because I was using muscles that I’d never really used before. I did a lot of skating this week and although I feel some fatigue, I don’t feel “sore” anywhere. Definitely skateboarding works your legs and core pretty hard, and I also feel it strengthening my ankles (particularly my right one which I tweaked this past winter) so that should all translate positively to the slopes this winter.

Here’s a few takes of me working on my ollies. Yes, it’s only a 2×4 stud and a small curb step-up. Yes, I know I’m not very good. Yes, I edited out most of the fails.

Learning how to ollie a skateboard (captured on a Blackberry Tour at an undisclosed location in Troy, Michigan) via Vimeo.

I like taking some vids so I can see what I’m doing wrong/right on each take. In this, for instance I see that I’m often not sucking my knees up, (that’s why the board is getting away from me) and also that I’m not using my front foot properly to level out the board in the air (that’s why I don’t have good height). In order to be more consistent, and also to land bigger and faster ollies, I’m going to have to correct both of these deficiencies – but seeing & recognizing them is the first step towards correcting them.