Basics: Part II

Dateline: 30 August 2000

The following tricks are a far cry from your essential definitive success but will ultimately provide a reliable foundation from which to progress. Learn them. Love them. They'll get you there. I swear.

GI Joe:

Stand on the board with both feet perpendicular to the length. Put one foot over the back kick and one on the very front. Then raise one truck and set it down in front of you never lifting the foot from the deck. Do the same with the other foot and proceed to walk the board forward as if you were a little green plastic army GI Joe man. (You guys remember GI Joe, right?) It's good for your balance.

TicTacs:

A TicTac is a good means to gain speed without pushing. It requires several rapid turns of the nose that done in succession will serve to pump the board in a forward direction. Do this by lifting the nose and putting it down on your right then lifting again and putting it back down on your left. Lastly, keep going and going and going...

Space Walk:

This is where you lift the front trucks of the board and swing the nose from side to side without touching the nose to the ground. The wider the swings, the better it looks hence, swing it wide. Knowing how to do something like this will lead right to the all so coveted manual so practice lots and get it down. As with tictacs, this trick can be used to propel you forward, in a circle, or even to move backwards. Do it forever or as long as you can as either you or your skateboard will give out eventually.

Manual:

Back when boards were fishy looking and different, there were some that had a skid on the bottom side of the back kicktail. The skid was used for stopping by lifting the front trucks and dragging the tail. Dragging the tail is not doing a manual and will likely wear your board out before its time. Chip chip chip goes the tail. Poor little skateboard. Please don't abuse it that way.

A manual is achieved by skating in a forward direction, lifting the front end and rolling on the back wheels. It is accomplished by leaning back a bit (a slight bit) and lifting the front trucks. Yes, it's a wheelie. Exceptional balance on this is imperative and you should ride it out for as long as you possibly can.

Manuals can also be done off the nose. These are appropriately named Nose Manuals.

Acid Drop:

From a standing position hold your board in one hand and jump high into the air. Lift your knees to your chest and put your board under your feet. (Wheels down) On the way back down, let go of your board, straighten your legs and land solid with your feet over the trucks. Only don't forget to bend your knees somewhat for impact absorption. This trick is really just a drop to the ground from somewhere that was not the ground. Later you can do this trick by just riding off a curb. And after that you can do it as a way to jazz up your drop ins. Useful.

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All in good time young Jedi. All in good time.