First off you need a longboard. There are many online stores across the internet that sell quality longboards but they aren't cheap as some longboards can cost up to $700 or more!
Longboards come in many different shapes and sizes and all have there own jargon and names, for example there are pintail longboards which look like surf boards but with wheels they are most commonly know as "Cruiser" as they are made for 'cruising' around the streets and are normally the cheapest longboards to get if you are low on money. Another is the "Freerider" which is the combination of both which makes these kind of longboards very versatile as they can reach good speeds and are able to cruise around. They are made of lighter material and are more flexible than the other longboard types. Freerider longboards are also the only longbaords made for tricks and are overall the best choice for a beginner. Another example is the "Downhiller" which the name gives it away, it is made for high speed down hill longboarding. They are the longest longboards as they need the length for stability at high speeds. The trucks (metal connectors that connect the board to the wheels) are connected to the longboard itself instead of attached on to provide even more stability and have no tails (extended bits past the trucks).
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| Freerider Longboard |
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| Downhill Longboard |
This is my personal longboard but once you have found a longboard that suits your style and taste you need to learn how to do the proper stance and how to ride it.
Short video of me riding my longboard
1. Firstly you need to learn how to stand on the board properly. You need to position your feet about shoulder length apart. To decide which foot goes first stand up right and fall forward, which ever foot you place forward is the foot you balance with on the board while the other foot is the foot you push off with.
2. Secondly, depending how to ride the proper style to ride a long board is to have you balance foot at the front of the board with your push foot behind your balance foot. Though I prefer to have my balance foot behind my pushing foot (skateboard stance).
3. Thirdly it is important to gain your balance so start off slowly. First practice on the carpet standing still and practice standing on one foot until you gain your balance. Once you have achieved this you can go on the footpath but still start off slow and push forward with your pushing foot.
4.Once you learn how to get moving you need to learn how to turn. While moving use you toes and heel to decide which way you want to turn. Practice doing toe to heel, back and forth, this is called 'carving' which is going side to side swaying as you move across the ground.
These are the basics of longboarding. Once you have the basics down you can move on to trickier skills like 'step overs' and sliding. YouTube provides many tutorials on how to do the more advanced tricks and skills. Just practice them and you'll get better at it. "Practices makes Perfect."
Most of all have fun longboarding :)
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