Skatepark Guide for Beginners
Skatepark: Rules or no rules - part 1
From day one when we started to operate as a company , we had a big goal – we wanted to convince as many people as possible to leave their homes, hop on bikes, skateboards or scoots and start riding. Undoubtedly one of the best places to start is the skatepark.
However, many newbies shy out – they are afraid of crossing paths with better riders, getting into a crash (like in these viral stories „scooter and BMX meet in the bowl “). Too bad! Skatepark is the place where you can meet experienced riders, get useful tips on your gear and technique and improve your riding skills.
Despite the place looks crazy and chaotic – skatepark people follow a few unwritten rules. This is why we’ve put together a skatepark guide for newbies. We hope our tips will help all the skatepark first-timers to feel more at ease during their first rides. See below our take on the skatepark savoir-vivre, and enjoy the read!
- Understand the skatepark flow - after arriving to the new skatepark spend some time just watching people. Riders and skaters usually follow “lines” – it means they choose one or a few obstacles in the park to create a line to ride. Take a couple of minutes to observe how the skatepark features are interlinked and how they are used by the locals. Some combinations are very common, so multiple riders go through them one after another.
- Try not to cross others’ lines – instead go around them. See what are the most popular kick-off and landing zones, that would help you navigate. And keep in mind - in bigger skateparks the landing area can be a run-up place to the next obstacle, so keep your eyes open.
- Choose your line - choose a place in the skatepark that you want to try out. Make sure that your line doesn’t collide with the line of other riders and that there is no one approaching form the opposite direction. There is no worst thing that BMX and scooter dropping to the bowl and landing in the same spot.
- Learn from other riders - if you chose one of the popular lines – wait for your turn, and in the meantime see how others are going through it – their fails may teach you a lot about the difficulty of the spot. If you have some doubts or questions do not hesitate to ask, most of the people riding in the skatepark are extremely friendly and eager to show you how to go through the obstacle.
- Move out of landing area - after the obstacle do not stay in the landing area. There may be other riders coming after you. That’s the easiest recipe for a nasty crash.
In our opinion these are the top5 rules, but of course there is more to keep in mind when you go to the skatepark for the first time. Next week – more info and more tips for the skatepark newbies. Ride More!