Q&A for How to Differentiate Between a Real Skater and a Poser Skater

No one is a poser in that scenario. If none of you are pretending to be a skaters currently, you aren't posers. If you want to learn to skate, this also doesn't make you a poser. Newbies aren't posers, they are just new to skating! Posers always pretend to be skateboarders without ever trying to learn.

You can wear whatever you like as a skater girl. If you are a girl that skateboards, then you're a skater, regardless of what you're wearing! Skater fashion is actually quite unisex, so styles tend to be about the same, regardless of gender. You can check out everyone at the skate park for style ideas if you want to look more like a skater.

It doesn't make you a poser, per-say, but you aren't a skater. It's perfectly okay to enjoy the skate culture, even if you don't skate, as long as you don't pretend to be an expert on something you don't actually do.

Practice always makes perfect. Start with easier tricks and progress. Skate boarding is 100% practice and error.

A large portion of skating is perseverance and muscle memory. Watch some videos on tricks you want to learn and get your form as best as possible. Make sure you’re comfortable on the board and just keep working until you’ve got it down. I’d recommend shuvits, front side 180s, and kickflips to start.

Nah. If you're a real skater you're more concerned with learning to skate than playing dress up. But the shoes do matter, I'd say. You want good shoes for skateboarding.

Because longboarding is primarily just a way to get somewhere faster than walking, while a skateboard is designed for also doing tricks.

In my personal opinion, I would say no. Skateboarding tends to mean you ride a street/park board, and work hard to learn tricks. That's why it's normally called pennyboarding or longboarding, instead of skateboarding. You can certainly wear penny merchandise though.

It absolutely doesn't. The "mall grab" only indicates you're a poser when combined with a lot of other red flags mentioned in the article. If someone mall grabs and just holds their board all of the time, never being seen actually skating with it, and can't hold a conversation or answer any simple questions about skateboarding, that all adds up to strong evidence of posing.

You have your own personal style, and that's fine. As long as you don't seem like you're an expert in skateboarding, you shouldn't be considered a poser, especially considering you don't actually skate.

Of course you can. Just make sure you grab yourself a longboard or a cruiser board, especially if you want to avoid the "do a kickflip!" scenario. People are less likely to ask you to do a trick if you're on a cruiser or long board. This doesn't make you a poser at all.

Being confident in your abilities without bragging doesn't make you a poser. It's great to have confidence in yourself and your skills, especially as a newbie. As long as you're genuine and respectful towards others in the skateboarding community, you're not a poser. Embrace your journey with your longboard and keep enjoying the ride!

You can definitely skateboard without knowing professional skateboarders. Enjoying the activity is what matters most. Knowing about pro skateboarders can enhance your appreciation for the sport, but it doesn't define your authenticity as a skateboarder. As long as you're respectful of the culture and enjoy skating, you're not a poser.

If your friends are using cheap, low-quality Walmart skateboards primarily for image and not because they genuinely enjoy skateboarding, they might be seen as posers. Skateboarding should be about passion and enjoyment rather than just for show. While Walmart skateboards can be okay for beginners to get a feel for the sport, they're generally not as durable or high-quality as boards from dedicated skate brands. Doing dances on their boards doesn't necessarily make them posers, but it might indicate they're more interested in the image associated with skateboarding than the activity itself.

Yes, there can be BMX posers. A BMX poser is someone who pretends to be heavily involved in BMX culture or acts as if they're skilled at riding, but in reality, lacks experience or genuine interest in the sport. They might dress the part or talk without putting in the effort to actually ride or improve their skills. Being genuine and respectful to the BMX community is important, whether you're a beginner or a seasoned rider.

In the grand scheme of things, whether someone is a "poser" doesn't directly affect most people. However, in activities like skateboarding, authenticity and passion are valued. When someone participates only for the image, it may seem disrespectful to those who genuinely dedicate themselves to the sport. Ultimately, everyone has their own reasons for engaging with hobbies.