Why you MUST learn how to stop

After learning to ride and adequately balance on your longboard, learning to stop is the next most important skill to know.

Learning to stop will allow you to control your speed and will help keep you safe in almost all riding situations.

Being safe is essential as it means you can ride time and time again and not have to take time off because you’re injured.

7 ways to stop on a longboard

The are a variety of different ways to stop on a longboard. Each has its ideal use case and skill level. Mastering all of them will make you a versatile longboarder.

1. Don’t go faster than you can handle

My first tip is NOT to go faster than you can handle. 

If you don’t think you can make it down a hill without falling or manage to stop in time, don’t go down or allow yourself to gain too much speed.

It’s not the most exciting rule, but it'll save you from some possibly severe injuries over time. Always abiding by this rule will allow you to stay out of all sorts of trouble. Simply skate within your limits.

2. Run it out

One of the easiest ways to stop on a longboard is to run it out or "bail."

If you feel like you're going too fast, you can simply run off your longboard, sprinting on the ground.

As you start to lose momentum, you'll be able to stop. However, it is important that you continue your run and not just jump off as the sheer speed you're going at will knock you over.

3. Carving aggressively

Carving back and forth across the road allows you to shave off a bit of speed.

Carving aggressively works because it allows you to increase the distance you take down the road. If you’re aggressive enough, it makes your wheels “scrub” which is essentially a “micro-slide”, and the friction from your wheels scrubbing slows you down a bit.

4. Stomping

Using your back foot, you stomp on the ground and lift your foot again multiple times in quick succession. Each stomp slows you down a little bit.

Most people that try to learn foot braking will start with the stomping variation as it is easier to learn. It's a viable technique when you're going at slow speeds and it doesn't wear your shoes down as much as regular foot braking does.

5. Foot braking - MUST LEARN

Foot braking is the most consistent and reliable method of controlling your speed and coming to a stop on your longboard. 

I highly recommend everyone learn this method and take time to get to grips with it.

Some people will have a harder time than others, but it is worth the struggle. For the average skater, it will take more than a few sessions to learn it.

How to Footbrake in 5 Steps

You footbrake by bringing your back foot off the board, and placing it lightly on the ground heel first. 

Doing this allows the sole of your shoe to grind against the ground, creating friction. In turn, the friction slows you down gradually.

Step 1 - Position your front foot

Bring your front foot slightly over the board's center line, close to or over the front trucks.

You can have it directly over the center line or slightly skewed. Some people feel they have better control when their foot is skewed. You’ll have to play around with which you like best.

Finally, shift all of your weight over your front. Apply it as close to the middle of your front foot as possible will make balancing easier.

Step 2 - Bring your back foot to a parallel

With your rear foot deweighted, you can now comfortably bring it parallel to your front foot and hover it to the side.

Step 3 - Bend your board leg

Slowly bend your board leg to bring your hovering foot closer to the ground.

Surprisingly, this is the step that is most challenging for the majority of skaters.

Surprisingly, most longboarders will find this step to be the most challenging. It isn't easy to confidently balance on a single leg while also bending it.

I recommend you practice this move 10-15 times daily off the board to build strength and balance in both legs.

The balancing bit normally develops over time the more you footbrake.

Step 4 - Drive your heel into the ground

As you bend your board leg, lower the other foot to the ground heel first. You want to do this as gently as possible and then gradually apply more pressure to get more braking force.

You must drive your heel into the ground, not your toes. If you go toes first, your foot may catch on the ground. This will could potentially send you off your longboard.

The most important piece of advice here is always to feel the movement. Only make minor, gradual adjustments in braking pressure as too heavy shifts in power may throw you off balance.

Step 5 - Bring your back foot to its starting point

Once you’re done slowing down as much as you want, gently lift your foot off the ground (heel last), place it back gently on the board and then shift your front foot back into a comfortable standing position.

Cons of foot braking

You tend to wear down your shoes quite a bit using foot braking. Most skate shoes constructed for the purpose last a while, but non-skate shoes get obliterated fairly quickly.

Some seasoned skaters use footbrake soles. These soles are made from rubber that you stick on the bottom of your actual shoe soles. This additional layer is easy to replace and lasts a long time.

Foot braking can also be time-consuming to learn. I know some skaters who never bothered learning it because they couldn’t put enough time aside. Some casual longboarders can't be bothered with the daunting learning curve.

Finally, foot braking at faster speeds is hard and scary. So, if you’re bombing a hill or going super fast, have some other ways of slowing yourself and controlling your speed that you feel comfortable with. 

6. Air braking

Similar to carving aggressively, air braking is a way to shave off a bit of speed.

It works by extending your arms out and making your aerodynamic profile as wide and as large as possible. This increases how much air is pushing against you (like a parachute), and it can slow you down a bit.

7. Sliding

Out of all the above methods, sliding requires the most skill. It is the most challenging braking method to learn and truthfully deserves an extensive guide of its own, but we will do our best to give you a brief overview of how it’s done.

Once you've conquered sliding, it is a highly reliable method for shedding speed. Downhill longboarders use it to slow down from as fast as 60 MPH in seconds.

If you consider yourself a casual skater, sliding isn't a necessary skill. However, making it down a hill without foot braking is a great feeling.

Different types of sliding

There are different ways to slide and different names for each slide, but we will categorize them into two;

• stand-up slides
• hands-down slides

Stand-up slide (also known as powerslide) is when you make a slide without putting your hand (or any other body part) in contact with the ground.

Hands-down slide is when you anchor your hand in the ground (with slide gloves) while kicking the board out into a slide.

How to slide on a longboard

A slide is when you turn your board so hard that it makes your wheels break traction and slide across the pavement. This creates a lot of resistance as the wheels aren't spinning around the trucks.

You maintain the slide by leaning back, placing your weight in the right places, and controlling the way the board rotates with your feet and body placement.

How to hands-down slide

Step 1 - Do a setup carve

To do a hands-down slide, you start with a setup carve. The setup carve is an aggressive carve that allows you to bring the wheels to their limit of traction.

It then becomes easy to push them into a slide. It also places your body in the optimal position to control the slide.

Step 2 - Place your hand on the ground

As you do your setup carve, you also place your hand on the ground. Which hand to use depends on whether you're doing a toeside or heelside slide.

The specifics of doing a toeside or heelside slide differ, but they share similarities. We’re covering the similarities to give you a brief idea of how the slides work.

So as you come to the zenith of the setup carve, you start to push the back of the board out. This makes the rear wheels lose traction. 

Step 3 - Distribute weight and position your hand

As you do the above, you need to ensure you have most of your weight on your front foot and that your hand on the ground is in line with your front truck or ahead of it.

You also want to shift a bit of weight (not the majority) to your hand to ensure it appropriately acts as a pivot point for the board to rotate around. This will allow you to control the slides more effectively.

Step 4 - Come back to the starting position

Once you’re done sliding as much as you want, you can release pressure on your back foot and allow the wheels to come back under you and regain traction.

You may want to bend your knees to absorb the lurch of the wheels hooking up.

How to do a stand-up slide

Step 1 - Do a setup carve

The stand-up slide starts with a setup carve as well. The setup carve will make completing the following step easier, as you can use the generated momentum in your direction change.

Step 2 - Kick your back leg out

At the setup carve's zenith, you kick your back leg out. As you do this, you should have a lot of your weight on your front foot as this will allow the board to pivot/rotate around it. 

You should also have most of your weight on your heels or toes, depending on whether you're doing a heelside or a toeside slide.

Step 3 - Lean back

As you kick out the board, you should begin leaning back.

If you’re doing a heelside slide, you can imagine sitting back in an imaginary chair.

For a toeside, lean back (with a twisted torso, so your chest faces down towards the ground).

Leaning back allows you to drive weight into the board and control the slide much better. You’re going to want to lean a lot more than you imagine is necessary.

Step 4 - Control the slide

As you break into the slide, hang in there, maintaining pressure on your back leg and weight on your front leg until you’ve shaved as much speed as you’d like.

Keep your arms broad from your body to better maintain your balance.

Step 5 - Release the slide

To bring the board back into going straight, release the pressure on your back leg whilst maintaining your weight on your front leg. This will allow the board to rotate back into going straight.

As the board comes back to a forward position, bend your knees to absorb the lurch that occurs from regaining traction.

Wrapping it up

Hopefully, you've learned something about stopping or slowing down on a longboard. At the bare minimum, I think you should learn to footbrake. It is one of the most essential skills to have in your skill set, and it doesn't take too much effort to learn.

If you wanna take things to the next level and do high-speed downhill riding, you'll eventually have to learn sliding. While the above info doesn't cover sliding into complete depth, it is an excellent starting point to get you dabbling with sliding.

What are longboard bushings?

Despite their small size and insignificant appearance, bushings can make or break a longboard setup.

Bushings are urethane rings seated on the kingpin, locked into place by the kingpin nut. Each truck has two bushings - one seated at each side of the truck hanger.

There's an array of different bushing shapes and bushing hardness ratings. Each combination allows you to dial in your longboard to accommodate your desired ride style.

Bushing locations:

Bushings positions are either referred to as boardside or roadside, depending on their location on the trucks.

• Boardside - The bushing closest to the deck. It is seated between the baseplate and hanger.
• Roadside - The bushing closest to the road. It is seated between the kingpin nut and hanger.

What is the function of bushings?

Truck bushings act as a cushioning layer to prevent the surrounding metal components from wearing and tearing on one another.

Bushings directly affect:

• ride stability
• turn radius
• how your board leans
• how much rebound your board has

While small truck changes can be made by loosening/tightening the kingpin nut, larger changes happen on a bushing level.

Why do bushings matter?

Swapping stock bushings for custom bushings optimized for your weight and riding style can turn your mediocre longboard into pure bliss.

While there is nothing inherently wrong with stock bushings, they're designed with the broad spectrum of riders in mind. It's a "one-size fits all" scenario. It might be fine for beginners, but when you develop your ride style, standard bushings will perform subpar to specialized ones.

Bushing shapes

Bushings come in a variety of different shapes that each serve a different purpose. While really niche shapes exist, these are the most common ones:

• Barrel
• Cone
• Stepped barrel
• Stepped cone

Barrel bushings

The barrel shape bushing is arguably the most common choice for stock setups. Barrels fill the bushing seat completely, yielding lots of stability at the expense of turnability as it limits the hanger's ability to move.

Barrel bushings are excellent for downhill or freeride longboarding, but soft ones will allow for some carving action as well as they have less resistance. Barrel bushings come in short and tall variants. The taller ones are more steerable.

Cone bushings

As the name suggests, these bushings are shaped like cones. You'll find them in short and tall variants.

Unlike barrels, the cone shape allows the hanger to move more freely. This translates to a far more responsive truck that is lively even at low speeds. If you like carving and don't care too much for speed, the cone bushing is ideal for you. Keep in mind, it is less stable than barrels at high speeds.

Short cone bushings give the hanger more freedom than the tall ones. This makes tall cones a solid midway between a barrel and short cone bushing. It is also worth mentioning that the tall variant is most commonly used with RKPs (reverse kingpin trucks) while the short ones are typically seen on TKPs (traditional kingpin trucks).

Stepped barrel bushings

Also commonly referred to as a chubby, the stepped barrel bushing provides even more stability than the regular barrel. Apart from filling out the bushing seat, it has extrusions on the sides to further support the hanger and keep it from moving a lot.

Stepped barrels are the ultimate solution for high-speed downhill racing but they also let you ride at a softer hardness than regular barrel bushings for added responsiveness without sacrificing support.

The double-stepped variation is called an eliminator and it provides the most rebound to center you'll find in a longboard bushing.

Stepped cone bushings

Also named a "freeride bushing", the stepped cone offers more stability than the typical conical bushings while adding additional support at the base due to its extruded design. Stepped cones are highly versatile and often overlooked, but they're well worth delving into.

Bushing hardness

The majority of longboard bushings are made from polyurethane with varying hardness ratings. This hardness rating is often referred to as the durometer rating (written as e.g. 65a or 85a).

The higher the durometer, the harder the urethane compound is (which results in stiffer bushings). A soft bushing is more responsive and less resistant while a hard bushing is less responsive and provides more resistance.

Getting the durometer rating right is crucial for a good ride. If you can match the hardness rating to your weight, you'll usually be golden.

If you're mixing bushing durometer ratings on the same trucks, it is usually recommended you use the harder bushing on the boardside.

Picking the right bushings

The goal is to match both bushing shapes and bushing durometer ratings to your weight and riding style. Here are some of the most common configurations for various ride styles.

Keep in mind, softer bushings will give a more responsive ride, while harder bushings will give a more stable ride with less maneuverability.

Use the information below as a general guide, not a fact sheet. Ultimately, personal preference will play a big part in your decision.

Cruising/Carving

If you want to cruise, carve or even pump your longboard, your best bet is to go with a cone/barrel setup. This combination is extremely versatile and is what you'll often find on stock gear for that reason. Typically, the cone does roadside with the barrel sitting boardside.

We recommend going with both a large cone and a large barrel unless you want a really narrow turn radius, in which case you can go with a small cone at a higher durometer.

General durometer chart for cruising/carving longboards:

Freeride

General freeriding requires a bit more stability than when you carve. However, you still need more rebound and responsiveness than super fast freeride/downhill riding. While some pros ride double conical here, the double barrel setup is recommended for beginner-intermediate riders.

If you mix durometer scores, make sure to prioritize the higher durometer barrel on the boardside.

General durometer chart for freeriding longboards (for reference):

Downhill

Downhill riding requires a restrictive setup to ensure stability at high speeds and prevent wheelbite. A double barrel combination with higher resistance is the most common choice here as it helps eliminate speed wobbles.

Downhill riding is also where softer stepped bushings become interesting. They're definitely worth experimenting with if you have time and money to invest.

General durometer chart for downhill/high-speed longboards (for reference):

Recommended Brands

There are heaps of bushing brands around. Knowing the difference between each and figuring out which is best can be a headache.

Here are some of the brands we recommend:

See on Amazon

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Related components

Bushings are only part of what makes a board ride well. Several related components work in combination with the bushings.

Bushing washers

Washers help secure bushings in their position. A washer pairing ensures the bushings are seated correctly so they can perform optimally. Washers will also help reduce wear on your bushings, ultimately giving them a longer life span.

There are various types of bushing washers, and they should be matched to the bushing shape and size.

The most common types are flat washers and cupped washers:

Cupped washers are some of the most used ones. They wrap around the edge of the bushing, restricting the ability of the bushing to cushion.

Flat washers allow for more movability but generally feel less stable.

There is no right or wrong setup. Some will swear by an all-flat washer setup, while others prefer the added support of cupped washers.

If you want to try a hybrid setup, we recommend cupped washers at the rear and a flat washer setup at the front for a blend between stability and carvability.

Pivot cup

Pivot cups (or pivot bushings) sit in the pivot hole on the baseplate, holding the extruded part of the hanger into place. This creates a rotational axis for the truck to turn when you lean from one side to the other.

Like bushings, they are made from urethane and have various durometer ratings and come in a variety of sizes. Like with bushings, you should try to match them to your weight and riding style. Harder pivot cups aid in stability and high-speed riding while the softer ones are better for cruising.

Frequently asked questions

Longboard pumping explained

Why should you learn to pump your longboard?

If you’re doing long-distance skating, pumping is a great skill to have. It allows you to take a break from pushing, and instead use high-speed carving to move forward. When you’re long distances, it's an effective way to take a break, but ensure you’re still covering ground.

Some people even build setups specifically for pumping. This allows you to pump for miles on end. 

And finally, it’s simply a fun skill to have. It’s a great way to engage with and enjoy your skateboard and ultimately develop a better feel for your board. 

When I’m out skating, I'll try to pump whatever longboard I am riding. It’s just a fun thing to do and it feels great. Nothing beats the satisfying feeling of pumping for miles without touching the ground.

It’s also super interesting to see what will or won’t pump well - unfortunately, not every longboard will work great for pumping.

However, if you have the skill and experience, you likely can pump just about any board. With your skill, you will be able to keep up the rhythm and the weight distribution and placement requirements you need to get the board to pump.

A skilled longboarder can pump just about any longboard. If you're experienced enough, you'll be able to adapt to more difficult setups and find the right rhythm, weight distribution, and foot placement.

However, if your longboard isn't optimized for pumping and you don't have a lot of experience, it is going to be hard to learn and completely nail the technique. More on that later.

How to pump your longboard

Let's get into the nitty-gritty of how to pump your longboard effectively.

The basics of longboard pumping - how it works

In its essence, longboard pumping is just carving left and right aggressively. By carving aggressively, we get our trucks to change direction quickly. This quick change in direction generates forward momentum, leading to more speed.

To make pumping easy and effective, you either need the skill to carve your setup quickly or simply ride your trucks loose so they are more responsive to direction change. In an optimal scenario, you'd have both.

Let's cover the skill half of longboard pumping first.

1. How you dig into your board is key for pumping - how to turn aggressively

How aggressively you can turn your board is key for pumping.

If we want to turn our board in a smooth leisurely way, we simply place a bit our weight on our toes or our heels, and the board will turn in the corresponding direction.

If we want to turn our board aggressively, we place a lot of our weight on our toes or heels, and the board turns a lot quicker.

Now for pumping, we want to turn super aggressively. We need to place a ton of weight and force it into our heels or toes. So, here is how to dig a ton of weight into the board.

2. We mainly want to turn off our front foot

We need to be able to pump primarily off our front foot, or at least ensure most of the turning is coming from the front truck.

The aggressive turning of the front truck is what generates the majority of the forward momentum.

So as you turn aggressively based on the instructions above, make sure you are driving into your front foot primarily, leaving less weight on the back foot.

High-angle / low-angle truck setups

Some pumping setups have high-angle trucks in the front, and low-angle trucks in the rear. 

This allows the skateboard to mostly turn from the front - almost like the way a car turns, with the front wheels turning and the back wheels only following.

These setups are significantly easier to pump than the average setup - where both trucks are at the same angle and turn the same amount.

A surf skateboard is a good example of this. They have that obnoxiously turny front truck and a comparatively unturny rear truck. They do pump quite easily for this very reason.

3. Rhythm is key

Once you learn the basics of driving your weight into the board to turn, rhythm is the next key thing to learn.

Shifting force from left to right in a consistent manner will allow you to build up speed when pumping. If you're only hitting your technique right every two or three pumps, you'll struggle to accelerate.

Every board has its own rhythm so it’s hard to say exactly what is right. It’s up to you to figure it out by developing a feel for your particular hardware and setup.

Initially, figuring out the perfect rhythm may be difficult, but it gets much easier the more experienced you get.

4. Not every longboard is good for pumping

Pumping is a fairly niche discipline and the average longboard isn’t optimized for it.

However, there are several things you can do to make your longboard better for pumping.

Tag on below!

How to make your longboard pumpable

With the right tweaking, most longboards will be capable to pump to some degree. Let's talk about the optimum setup for pumping.

What makes a longboard good for pumping?

Generally speaking, a longboard with a rather loose front truck will be good for pumping.  But, the average longboard isn’t good for pumping for two main reasons:

1. Standard front and back trucks turn the same amount
2. Standard bushings keep your trucks relatively stiff. These bushings prevent the truck from being able to turn quickly enough to allow for pumping.

If we want to pump well at all, there are several things we need to address some several problems by optimizing the hardware.

Disadvantages of making your longboard good for pumping

Before jumping into hardware changes, we want to note, that optimizing a longboard for pumping has its drawbacks.

If we make our boards turn mostly from the front, we lose the ability to ride them backward.  We’ll only be able to ride our longboard well in one direction, and if you enjoy riding switch, or fakie, this is an obvious disadvantage.

But that aside, there are many advantages to having a fairly locked rear truck while having more play in the front. Namely, stability, a more confidence-inspiring experience, and a more “playful” ride. 

Personally, most of my favorite longboards have more play at the front, and I do not miss riding switch in the slightest.

Tuning longboards for better pumping

From easiest to hardest, below are some tuning tricks we can use to make our boards better for pumping.

1. Top mount beats drop-through trucks

Top-mounted trucks are superior for pumping. They have a higher pivot point and better aerodynamics for pumping than drop-throughs.

Top mounts are also taller than drop-throughs. The increased height allows you to drive more force into the trucks, resulting in stronger pumps with less effort.

You can still pump drop-throughs, drop mounts, or even double drops, but it won't be anywhere near as efficient. It takes a lot more effort and requires almost perfect technique.

2. Mess around with your washers and bushings

Washers and bushings are relatively cheap, so they're an easy way to optimize your pump setup.

Change the washers only

If you flip the roadside washer of your front truck, it will turn more than the back truck because the bushings have a bit more freedom to compress. 

You can also tighten your back truck by a full turn off the kingpin nut to reduce how easily it turns by a bit. This can make pumping a bit easier.

Change the washers and get different bushings 

You can buy softer aftermarket bushings for your front truck and harder ones for your back truck. Alternately, you can buy more voluminous bushings for your back truck so you still get a nice playful squish that compresses, instead of the rough feel of harder bushings.

For example, on my Landyachtz Drop Hammer. I used a softer Cone/Barrel combination in the front truck and a Barrel/Barrel combination in the back truck.

I also considered more voluminous bushings in the back truck like a Venom Barrical, but I didn’t want to fully commit this board to a pumping-only setup.

I know I haven’t touched on what durometer I used, but that is very user- and brand-specific. Most brands have independent durometer charts much like a size M t-shirt can be different from one brand to another.

3. Use different trucks with different angles

With RKP (reverse kingpin) trucks, you can buy them with different turning angles.

The angle of a truck describes how much a truck turns when compared to its lean. The higher the angle, the less lean you need for the same turn. For example, you can get a 50° Caliber III front truck and a 44° Caliber III rear truck. The high-angled front truck will outturn the low-angled rear truck due to its angle.

In most cases, you will need to buy after-market bushings to ensure the best performance out of your trucks, as most of these trucks come with fairly hard 90a bushings. Ideally, you need bushings of different hardnesses if you use two different angle trucks - more on this later.

However, with the majority of TKP (traditional kingpin) trucks, you will need to use wedge risers to change their angles - more on wedge risers below.

4. Mess around with your bushings, washers, and wedging

If you want to go beyond just the washers and bushings, you can also add wedge risers to your setup.

What do wedge risers do?

Wedge risers change the angle of your trucks. 

How to use wedge risers

Wedge risers have a fat end and a thin end. They're typically installed between the trucks and the deck.

• De-wedging - If you place the fat end under the pivot side, you reduce the angle of your truck.
• Wedging - If you place the fat end under the kingpin side, you increase the angle of your truck.

The increase in ride height varies between wedge risers so do note this.

You need different bushings for different angle trucks

If your trucks are of different angles, for example, 50° in front and 35° in the back. You will need different bushings.

This is because trucks with different angles work bushings differently. An 85a bushing in a 50° truck will feel stiffer than the same 85a bushing in a 35° truck, where it feels quite soft.

This is because the 50° truck doesn’t have as much leverage as the 35* truck, so it doesn’t work the bushing as hard. 

So, you will need harder bushings in the 35° truck to keep it from feeling too soft.

For example, I would use soft 85a bushings in the 50° truck, and harder 93a bushings in the 35° truck. This has worked well for me in the past.

Examples of boards that use wedge risers

The Comet Cruiser

The Comet cruiser is a good example of a board that uses wedge risers. 

It uses 7° Paris wedge risers on Paris TKP (traditional kingpin) trucks, effectively changing the angle to be +7° in the front and -7° in the back. 

It then uses soft 83a cone bushings for the front truck and harder 88a cone bushings for the rear truck.

This setup makes the board super turny and super pumpable.

My setup

I use a Landyachtz Ripper and have set it up to be good for pumping and general fun.

I have a 50° front truck and a 40° rear truck, de-wedged to 35°. This gives me 50/35° angles.
I’m using 130 mm wide Bear Gen 6 RKP (reverse kingpin) trucks on it.

I then use 78a/85a soft barrel bushings for the front truck, and harder 93a/93a barrel bushings for the rear truck.

I have a flat washer in the front truck and cupped washers in the rear truck.

This setup is pumpable and super fun to ride.

Is it hard to make your custom setup?

If you understand the various moving parts that go into making a pump-optimized setup, no it is not hard.

However, there is a bit of trial and error, and - more importantly - you have to get a board under your feet to feel the road and develop your own technique. Just like people have different running techniques, your pumping technique will vary ever so slightly from others.

A setup that works well for one person may be suboptimal for another. It comes down to variables that exceed the hardware of the board itself and thus you really have to get out there and try various setups to find the ideal one for you.

5. Buy a setup tuned for pumping

Some companies make longboards that work well for pumping out of the box. 

If you're looking to make pumping your main style of riding or you have some money to splurge, it may be worthwhile to get a prebuilt complete designed for the cause.

However, you may find yourself spending anywhere from $250-$1000 for one of these setups - depending on the quality of the hardware.

There are definitely money-saving and knowledge-gaining incentives to building your own, but it doesn't make pre-tuned boards any less viable.

There's a lot to choose from and it’s worth joining the LDP community for more advice on what to get. It’s beyond the scope of this article to break down which is best and why.

Get out there, and do some pumping!

I hope this article has been useful to describe the basics of pumping, how to do it, and what longboard setups work best for it.  

Practice, trial, and error, and trying different things, are all key components to successful pumping so don't give up just because you don't get it right on the first try. Perseverance is an important part of it. 

Carving on a longboard is a great way to enjoy riding. Not only does it help by practicing turning, it can also aid in the ability to shed some speed when riding down a hill! Carving is a basic technique but it is crucial you pick it up and become comfortable with it to improve as a longboarder.

This guide will walk you through the steps to get started and understand how you can get out there and start carving on your board today!

Step 1: Make Sure Your Longboard Is Set

You can carve on any longboard or skateboard, but using a longboard is an ideal setup for carving because of the range of motion of the trucks and the grip of the typically larger wheels.

Make sure your board is in working condition by checking that;

• the wheels are secured properly
• the wheels spin freely
• the trucks are set to a medium tightness
• the deck is not cracked or broken

Step 2: Learn The Difference Between Toeside & Heelside

Toeside: Where your toes will be located on your board

Heelside: Where your heels will be located on your board

Step 3: Take An Active Stance

When you ride your board it’s essential to have an active stance if you plan to carve. Having an active stance means bending both of your knees.

Bending both of your knees allows you to flexibly feel the longboard and adjust your position and shift your weight more accurately when you begin to carve.

If you do not do this, carving will not feel very natural and it may actually be more difficult to learn.

Step 4: Start With Turning

Before you can start carving, it’s good to know how to simply turn your longboard to either side. Remember to keep an active stance while you practice this!

Your board steers by leaning and shifting your weight - the harder you lean, the harder the longboard will turn. Practice turning left or right and get comfortable with just focusing on turning in one direction.

You may notice that turning one way might be easier than the other, this is normal for beginners. It’s good to get comfortable turning both ways before you really get started with putting them together.

Step 5: Start Carving!

Carving is just turning left and right in a fluid fashion with some pressure behind your feet. Start off slowly on a flat surface - not a hill - and simply turn your longboard left to right or right to left.

To initiate a turn you will be applying pressure to your toeside for one turn and heelside for the next or vice versa. Preference is big here, if you prefer to initiate on your heelside or toeside first, this is up to you.

It’s quite normal to be more comfortable turning one way over the other, but in order to really carve you’ll need to get a hang of both.

A Quick Recap

Carving can take some time to learn, but it’s one of the best ways to feel the longboard and the road.

Skateboarding got its start from surfing the pavement and surfers wanted to create what they felt on a wave to something on the ground. Find a big open road, parking lot, or other smooth flat surface and skate!

Take small and gradual steps to challenge yourself only when you feel ready to advance but don't be scared to push your boundaries to improve.

Tips To Keep In Mind When Learning To Carve

Don't Skimp On Safety

Safety equipment like knee pads, elbow pads, gloves, wrist guards, and most importantly, a helmet, are always a good idea. Not only will it keep you safe, it'll also make you more confident in your ability to progress faster.

Use Your Arms

Remember to keep an active stance and don’t be afraid to use your arms out by your sides to help with balance. As you get more comfortable, you can start to use your arms less.

Gradually Increase Carving Power

Carve harder and deeper with more power behind your feet once you feel comfortable. Beware the board can lose traction if you carve too hard or if the road is wet.

Get Used To A Run

Check your surroundings: If you decide to navigate a hill, it’s best to start towards the bottom and work your way up. Carving can only cut down so much speed so don’t go down a hill you can’t stop on.

Be Happy!

Keep a positive attitude! Skateboarding is all about fun. If you aren’t getting the hang of carving, go back to riding in a straight line or focus on turning in one direction. Some learn faster than others, but mastering carving is possible for everyone in due time.

Don't Ride Your Trucks Too Loose Or Tight

The tightness of your trucks has a direct impact on your carving ability.

If they're too tight, carving will take too much power to the point where it is counterproductive for a beginner.

If they're too loose, they'll be unforgiving for a beginner to ride and you'll struggle with stability.

The solution is simple. Ride your trucks at medium tightness to begin with. This gives you the best foundation for learning how to carve. You can explore different truck setups to see what you like best as you get comfortable.

If you want to get better at skateboarding, follow these simple guidelines. They will instill fundamentals, improve your balance, and give you the form you need to learn new and better tricks.

1. Learn to Fall

This sounds cheeky, but knowing how to fall is a legitimate skill possessed by the best skateboarders. When you are performing tricks on a board with wheels, you can expect to stumble and fall a lot. If you know how to fall and land properly, though, you are less likely to injure yourself and get back up for more practice. To avoid serious injury when a trick goes awry, follow these guidelines:

• Do not land on your palms or hands – you can break your wrists. Wrist protection can help with this.
• Run out of the trick
• Roll so you land on your back or shoulder, not your face
• Wear kneepads and elbow pads so you can slide
• Wear safety-certified skateboard helmets to protect your head

Each of these guidelines teaches a different way to fall and land so you avoid serious injury.

Don't Land on your Palms

The first rule is one of the most important. It is human nature to throw the hands out when falling so you can catch yourself, but this is a terrible idea on concrete or hard ramps. The fall will place all of the force on your wrists, which are small and easily broken.

Run Out of the Trick

To run out a trick, you need to literally run. If you are learning something new and realize it is not going well, bail out and run out your momentum. This prevents a fall and gives you a chance to try again.

Roll When Falling

Rolling, meanwhile, is a great way to reduce the force and momentum of a failed trick so a fall is not as painful. To roll, you need to tuck your arms in and flip so you land on your back when falling off of a skateboard. This technique should be practiced on grass first so you know how to do it properly when skateboarding.

Wear Protection Gear

Finally, remember to wear kneepads. These protect your knees from damage and often have a piece of hard molded plastic on the front. The plastic is designed to slide on a ramp or across concrete so you don’t hurt yourself with a blunt impact.

2. Go to Skateparks and Meet People

One of the most difficult parts of learning skateboarding is trying to teach yourself new tricks. While some people have great luck on their own, it is best to become part of a community. Making new friends at skateparks allows you to be social, have fun, and also correct each other when learning new tricks or techniques.

Meeting people can also be a great way to learn from one another. Other skateboarders will have new tips. Let’s say you know how to do a 360 hard flip and your new friend can do a 360 toe flip. You can teach one another and show off new skills, helping everyone improve. You then also benefit from the skills of another.

Plus, having a dedicated group of friends can give you an extra incentive to practice, improve, and visit the skatepark every day. Trying to do it alone by practicing in your driveway can be fun, but you’re missing out on tons of opportunities.

Community is one of the most powerful motivators we have as humans so becoming a part of a skating community is the way to go.

3. Train Your Core

Skateboarding is a sport that requires strength and flexibility throughout the body. If you are out of shape or just beginning, it is important to train your core, build muscle, and learn endurance. This can be done by skateboarding every day, but you can also learn by doing other forms of exercise like weightlifting, cardio, and crunches.

Training your core offers numerous benefits. It teaches greater control and balance while on your board and can make it easier to fall properly so you avoid injury. It also makes tricks easier, since you have better control over your muscles.

If you are unsure about core exercises, there are many YouTube videos and guides tailored to skateboarders. Some of the best activities are lifting, sit-ups, and crunches because they focus on building abdominal muscles. You don’t need a weight bench: even just having one or two dumbbells will be enough.

4. Learn Fakie and Switch

Maybe you know how to ride properly and move forward but never learned fakie and switch. Not taking the time to develop these skills can close off entire catalogs of skills and tricks. If you are struggling to get better and want a new way to improve, challenge yourself by learning how to skateboard backward or use a different stance.

At the same time, it is a good idea to avoid Mungo pushing and instead instill proper pushing habits. Although Mungo is easy, it is lazy and causes you to forget some essential skateboarding fundamentals. Learning fakie, switch, and good form might take time, but they are fundamental skills that will improve your overall technique and give you something impressive to show your friends.

If the switch stance is too hard, don’t sweat it. Focus instead on Fakie and avoid the Mungo.

5. Practice Every Day

Finally, the only way to get better at skateboarding is to practice every day. This means trying the same tricks over and over again, working on your form, and focusing on fundamentals. Skateboarding drills are not exciting, but they are necessary. Although it can be annoying and take a lot of time, there is a major difference between someone who has a good background of experience and someone who neglects the basics.

If you are struggling to get to a skatepark every day, there is nothing wrong with practicing in your driveway or garage. While you won’t have the opportunity to learn tricks on a ramp, you can still improve your form. You can then devote your skatepark time to trying out new tricks, flips, and styles.

Wrapping It Up

As with any new skill, skating takes a long time to master. It is important to remember that you should enjoy the journey rather than focusing only on the end goal. If you let yourself get down for not being able to land a tough trick and only focus on how good you want to become, you'll soon wear yourself and your motivation out.

Experts say it takes 10,000 hours to fully master a skill and that may be true for skateboarding as well. Don't sweat it too much and remember to have fun. Our brain is wired in specific ways and by completing certain tasks (like skating) we slowly change how those wires are connected in the brain without noticing. This is called muscle memory and it is crucial for your continual improvement.

There's no easy way to become a master overnight but following the above five steps, a solid foundation for improving your skating relatively fast should be laid.

The more time you spend on your deck and wheels, the better. Get out there, have fun, meet like-minded people and always challenge your current ability.

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