Esk8 / EMTB Skills basics

#1

Hey!

If you were going to start skating anew, with little to no experience (and the associated lack of co-ordination :smiley:), what would you wish someone would tell you?

I’m looking to build a ‘curriculum’ of sorts for extremely new skaters, a kind of checklist of goals to ease into confidently cruising up hills and over the rainbow (maybe not actually over the rainbow). Any input is appreciated!

Thanks in advance and stay safe!
Oli

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#2

if someone would have told me to put your weight at the front for acceleration and for braking put weight on the back foot it would have saved around twice falling off

also at first accelerate slowly and dont lean as far as you can to turn

can i ask where i london are you as i am in london also

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#3

Hah! Good good input there, thank you - I’m all over, I live in Acton but work in Romford a lot.

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#4

Protective gear. Just wear it, dont ask why. One day you will see why :stuck_out_tongue:

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#5

nice im only liek 30min from you im in nw11

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#6

Amen!

For my clients, I will be looking at getting a supply of knee / elbow pads, full face lids, wrist protection, and gloves.

Autism being a sensory processing disorder, I would like to look at things like armoured trousers, as that would be less stressful for them, but the cost seems to be a killer with that kind of thing.

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#7

@ratheruseful You should properly make this thread [SERIOUS] to prevent @Halbj613 making this offtopic :wink:

anywayyy, learn to jump to get over curbs everywhere. Also, learn to fall without damaging yourself, and if no bindings do not try and run it off at 20-25mph or more.

Edit: The mark where you can run off at is different for all people and also depends on age, obviously.

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#8

@LAZYROLLING for armoured stuff

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#9

Think of it as snowboarding or skiing if you’ve been.

Keep the weight up front. Use your shoulders and hips to turn, not your ankles. Get comfortable leaning further off the board, it will be awkward at first. Start with loose bushings. Use your read foot almost like a boat rudder, dragging behind you and swinging out on turns.

Example (normal stance, left turn):

  • crouch lower
  • more weight on front heel
  • turn shoulders to the left, hips follow
  • lean out off the board
  • swing your right foot out gently to maintain a smooth turn
  • bring your body back in while the board returns underneath you
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#10

Oh good shout about jumping as a key skill, any advice on how to fall off?

#11

We should do a thing!

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#12

yeah would love to finally get together and ride with someone

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#13

I’m going to london next year for a weekend for a school trip, wanna lend out an esk8 and take a group ride?

Edit: just realised now i’m turning this off-topic

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#14

if i got 2 working then sure

found like 1 other esk8er in my area everyone else is like 30min + away

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#15
  1. Don’t try and stop your fall with your hands or you’ll end up with broken wrists
  2. Best way to get “good” at falling is to fall purposely, but in a controlled environment where you KNOW nothing can go wrong, do this at YOUR OWN RISK, this is just how i got comfortable with bailing
  3. Rock and roll it out, and when i mean roll, i mean roll like. You don’t wanna land on hard parts of your body, land on the soft stuff since they’ll only mostly only get scratches or get bruised Amazing Cat GIF • Clumsy cat rolling down stairs I was a stunt performer in a previous life 809
  4. Wear protection
  5. This is from own experiences and how i got comfortable with bailing so take this with a grain of salt since there might be better ways to get out of a shitty situation without getting fucked up. So also do your own research, but that’s up to you. I do not want to be held accountable for shit that happens for other people on esk8’s. Hope you understand.
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#16

Do note, at high speed, how you crash is very hard to control

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#17

You get better with practice :joy:

Learning how to stack is the best skill you can develop. Practice stacking at progressively higher speeds.

I still can’t stack properly. But I’m fucking awesome at keeping my beer upright when I do :beer::beer::beer:

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#18

This should be a sticky :smiley:

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#19

you may find you can get armored motorbike trousers cheaper than dedicated skate ones
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=armored+trousers&_sacat=0

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#20

It’s a valid skill! Falling down stairs while somehow keeping your beer upright.

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