| Before explaining how to skate downhill, you should | | | | It's important to not just go straight down the hill. |
| know that if you fall, it's not my fault! This is just a | | | | Since you haven't skated a hill before, you're |
| little disclaimer. You should also know that if you try | | | | probably not used to controlling speed wobble. You'll |
| any type of extreme sport, there's a possibility of | | | | experience this quite a bit in downhill skating. |
| getting hurt. Stay within your limits, and don't push | | | | Overcoming speed wobble can be incredibly difficult. |
| them too hard if you're just starting out a new sport. | | | | When you first feel it, your natural instinct will be to |
| When downhill skating, it's also important to wear | | | | tense up and brace for impact, but you'll want to do |
| your safety equipment. Get a proper helmet; your | | | | the opposite. Let your ankles loosen up, and try to |
| every day skatepark brainbucket just wont help you | | | | ride out the speed wobble. |
| at 50 miles an hour. You may want to invest in a | | | | If you feel like you can't ride the speed wobble out, |
| good leather suit, too. Of course, if you plan on | | | | jump off and start running. This is a lot better than |
| keeping your speeds down, then these won't be | | | | thinking you can handle the wobbles and then falling |
| necessary. | | | | off. If you do fall off, try to roll. Rolling is better than |
| Besides a helmet and leather suit, you'll want to | | | | scraping. |
| invest in some slide gloves and a proper pair of | | | | To control your speed, you'll want to slide. Put on |
| shoes. When you want to slow down, you'll either | | | | your slide gloves, and find a hill. As you're going down |
| need to drag your foot on the ground, or slide. Since | | | | this hill, try to push out the back end of the board by |
| you don't know how to slide yet, you'll probably be | | | | kneeling down, putting one hand (with the slide glove |
| dragging your feet a lot. Get some good shoes. | | | | ON!) on the pavement behind you, and twisting your |
| The best way to start downhill skating is to just go | | | | body towards the hand that's on the ground. The |
| out and try it. Find a hill near your house, preferably | | | | board should get thrown into a slide, and you should |
| one that's not too steep or too long if you're just | | | | start to slow down. |
| starting out, and then try and ride it. Wear your | | | | Sliding takes practice, and there are many ways to |
| safety equipment! As you're going down the hill, you | | | | do it. Don't forget that while you're skating downhill, |
| may want to carve back and forth. Start slowly at | | | | you'll probably fall off a lot. Just try to control the |
| first, and work your way up to bigger, crazier carves. | | | | speed wobble, and wear your pads. You should come |
| Carving will slow you down a little bit, too. | | | | out of your first run with a good experience. |