Q&A for How to Longboard Skateboard

I'd start off by putting it in the grass and just getting used to standing on it. Then you can move to something smooth with no gravel or traffic, like a tennis court. After that, give the parking lot a shot!

The bigger the board is, the easier it will be to balance on it. Turning might be harder, but balancing is really your main priority when you're just starting out. I'd say either go for a big skateboard or a longboard.

You're better off saving up for a full longboard if you're new to skateboarding. It's actually pretty hard to learn on a penny board, and you're pretty limited when it comes to riding a penny board.

No! Heal up to the point where you can move your body around comfortably without anything hurting, and get back to longboarding. Just take baby steps once you start back up. It's better to take things slow so you don't get hurt further.

Whatever you feel comfortable with should be the way you ride. There's not really a right or wrong foot to put on the back.

If you've never fallen off your longboard, then perhaps do just that: fall off of it. As safely as possible, of course. Make sure to know how to properly fall off your board beforehand so you do not break an arm/wrist/etc. by trying to catch yourself wrong (Google:"how to fall without injuring yourself"). In short, roll with your falls. Once you've had some experience and gotten some bumps and bruises from longboarding, you will be less afraid and your board will feel more like an extension of yourself.

Yes, but remember that the board will keep moving forward. If you do decide to jump off, be ready to catch your board so that it does not get lost or crash into anything.

Get on the longboard and find your balance. Place your back foot on the ground and push yourself forward as many times as you want. Once the board is moving, put your foot back on the board.

Make sure you have your arms placed in a planking position, where your forearms are on the ground. This will keep you from breaking your wrists, since you are using half of your arms, instead of just a single joint, and applying pressure evenly among your joints.

Choosing the right board is dependent upon how skilled you are. Most beginners should start with a longer, more expensive board, and also use tighter trucks for more balance. More experienced riders can get away with cheaper, shorter boards and loose trucks for more control and tighter turns.

Keep your knees bent and stay relaxed. It can help to stay low to the ground. It may seem nerve wracking at first, but after a few minutes you'll have it down.

Just step or jump off. You can also put your back foot on the ground so it will still move but eventually the your board will stop moving.

Go to your local skate shop and try some out before choosing. Get some advice based on your particular needs from the people who work there.

If you ride normally (left foot forward), you turn to the left by shifting some of your weight to your heels, - or to your toes if you ride goofy. It may help to bend your knees at higher speeds.

Don't just drop your foot; lean back a little and lightly graze your foot on the ground until you stop. Once you get better, you can do it more abruptly.

Yes, as you will have more controlled riding, but if you feel you have trouble balancing, then stick to a longer one.

Get more speed and start with small carves and then try bigger ones. Work on your balance.

Do whatever is most comfortable. It's really not a big deal, and there's no correct way to ride.

Safety gear is always recommended but if you don't have any and can't afford to buy it, long sleeve shirts and jeans work well enough unless you're going at serious speed. Also wear high-top shoes to avoid ripping your ankles to shreds.

When you turn, you want to put pressure on the side of the board that you are turning with. Basically, if you want to turn left, lean and put pressure/weight onto the left side of the board. If you want to turn right, put pressure/weight onto the right side of the board.

The short answer is yes. However, as a beginner it isn't recommended that you slide without gloves without getting used to it first. Most slides you would be able to run your momentum off, until then there's that one that tears your skin.

Some people may think it is cool, but others won't.

I do the same thing, let the grooves between the segments of concrete create friction to come to a long gradual stop, but if you must stop faster, ride your board into the closest patch of dirt or grass, then hop off. Stumble forward as you dismount, you still have a lot of momentum and trying to hop off and stand up immediately will make you fall.

Everyone has their own riding style. The good thing about longboards is that they give you the freedom to ride however you want. As long as you feel comfortable, you should just continue riding that way.

Lightly put down your front foot into the ground and it will slow your board down.

Depending on which "foot" you are, yes. Most people will feel more comfortable twisting one way or the other.

Lean on one side of the board. Generally, if you want to lean left, then you will lean backwards. For goofy footers then just lean forward to go left. Likewise, lean the opposite direction to turn the other way.

Adjust your stance to be more aerodynamic so that your body slices through the air and gains speed more efficiently. You can look up examples of aerodynamic poses on sites like YouTube.

It should be relatively simple for you if you know how to skateboard. You might have to get used to the different feeling of the board, but you should be fine after a little while.

"Speed wobbles" refers to when your board starts to shake uncontrollably as you hit high speeds. I would recommend looking it up on YouTube to get a better idea. To control this, most people transfer their weight to their front foot so that their weight falls over the front trucks, making the board easier to control.