getting into skating as an older person

[jake snake]

............................................................................

[denimdestroyedmylife]

18 is not old

the best way to learn is to skate with other skaters

[jake snake]

............................................................................

[lintmunro]

I'm pretty much at that point where I'm just going to start skating again for fun. I'm going to mostly use it to get around and have some fun, but since I have a horrible ankle that swells up from an old skating injury I probably won't be too trick-happy.

To answer your question, 18 is not too old at all and you can take the hobby as far as you want. I skated heavily between 13-16, stopped for a few years, now I'm 19 and starting up again.

[kever]

If you're more into getting around and speed and stuff, you might wanna check out some longboards. I find them a bit easier and more comfortable to ride, especially for a beginner.

[kirbenvost]

I couldn't skate worth shit as a kid, so I just learned with my buddy a couple years ago, and I'm 23. Never too late to learn, I say. The actual skating's pretty easy once you get the hang of it. If you wanna learn tricks you're gonna have to find someone who'll teach you. Not everyone looks down on people who are new to the sport. Just try learning the basics on your own and see how you like it.

I wouldn't bother getting opinions on what's cool and what's not... just go to your local skateshop and ask for some recommendations and go with what looks good to you.

[lintmunro]

I wouldn't bother getting opinions on what's cool and what's not... just go to your local skateshop and ask for some recommendations and go with what looks good to you.

Just to add to this, don't start off with some $200+ set-up either. Just saying, don't go overboard like a lot of people do when they're starting up.

[ipractice]

The only reason you might think 18 is old is because a lot of people will call you a poser at the beggining... Just because you start late and don't know many tricks, people might pick on you for awhile.

The safest way to avoid this is to just skate with friends. I started at 17 - late, but messed around with friends who didn't care whether I could skate or not. They actually gave me a positive enviroment and thats how I learned most of the basics. The rest of it is up to you, though. Without time/practice you won't get too far.

[chub rock]

aha this reminds me I just saw the mtv show with Ryan Sheckler the other night. eff that little brat.

No, but to get into it seriously yeah youre way too fucking old. BUT, doing gangs of charlie, going to bars and sleeping with stupid chicks actually gets boring pretty fast so its nice to have something to fall back on once you hit your 20's and sk8ing is a pretty solid alternative. I was bangin out switch heels in my ann dem boots the other nite, no joke.

[upandcoming]

if you can stand up on the board and push yourself without falling to your ass, theres still hope.

[concealed]

i can definitely sympathize with you man. i just started skating last spring, and ill be 20 in october. shit is soo much fun. i have always snowboarded, and you would think the logical conclusion would be that i would skateboard, but i just never got into it. as snowboard season ended last year, one of my boys gave me a skateboard deck, and i havent stopped skating since.

[corned beef]

i just only recenlty got back into skating about a year and a half ago. Im 19 now. I wouldnt say im great in comparison to kids I've seen all over southern california skate parks and what not, but I'm not completely incapable. All i've got so far are ollies, pop shove its, fakie shit, and other random crap but the whole process has felt incredibly rewarding. Do it, you'll love it.

[MyAcademy]

Yes, start skating.

No, don't buy a longboard.

As you go through your first few boards, just try decks from different companies. Shape is important (my last 3 have been Krookeds), and will you definitely come to prefer a certain amount of concave/tapered tail.

Spend however much you want on it, but if you spend more than $110 or so for a complete, you're wasting your money.

Anyone who rags on you for being a 'poseur' can go fuck themselves, and chances are you'll only catch that shit from little kids in girl's pants who won't be skating 10 years from now anyhow.

Skate with anyone and everyone, and skate a lot.

Its probably the most fun thing you can do with your life.

[jake snake]

............................................................................

[kirbenvost]

Develop your skills until you can do things like ride off a curb successfully, slide to a stop and stuff like that. Then find some friends who know tricks and get them to teach you.

[Guest scruf]

just 'kick, push'

[upandcoming]

doing tricks takes practice, if your not willing to put time in forget it. It took forever for me to learn to olli. Its just like playing an instrument, if you dont practice, you wont get better. obviously.

[Cue]

Dude, buy a board and go and have fun. If you get into it you'll get better, if not, so what, doesn't matter.

Buy an OK blank with Indys, abec3 bearings and decent wheels around 54mm and you will be set for learning/ cruising about

[jake snake]

............................................................................

[Renny]

18 is not old...i started at 19...and yes always skate with friends...although going to the park and seeing kids half my age trashing their boards makes me feel a little uneasy... but hey i'm not as free as they are

[dizzle]

yeah man go for it. I'm 22 now and started less than a year ago. I'm not good by any means, but I still have fun, and the feeling you get when you land a trick is awesome. I fucked up my back a few weeks ago, and havent skated for a while, but I def miss it. Haha, I don't really go to skate parks tho since I dont want to get shown up by kids who are like 12.

[aaronS]

just get a board. I'd say something thats a little wider around 7.75 or 8, bigger wheels at least 55 i'd go for 57, some indy's and just go ride around, bomb hills ride off curbs, learn to push and be comfortable on your board, thats the most important thing.

it seems really sad when i see little kids who can 360 flip and switch heel or whatever and they can't bomb a hill or flow around a cement park

[GiZMO]

Yeah real important to be comfortable with a board. My flat trick were OK but those were the limitations of my skating and it'd be tight when I'd try to ride off a curb and bust my ass. Have yet to drop in but I'm wanting to do some vert. How do I beat my fear?

[Ryan]

wow you guys make me feel ANCIENT. i used to skate (horribly) when i was a teenager. im 27 now and ive been wanting to get a board just mainly to cruise through my neighborhood and attempt a couple ollies here and there. im thinking about getting a 7.75 and some cushy wheels so i guess 57s? all i know is that i was on a friends board the other night and just coasting felt really fun, i just know my body cant handle slamming on the concrete like it used to though..

[cheep]

youre never too old to skate... i know guy sin thier 40s who still do it... fucking rip too(in pools... id hate to see them try to kickflip)

get a board that fits your feet, some indys that fit the board, and some 55mm wheels. loosen those trucks alot(so you can actually turn), and go have fun.

[rome1]

The whole falling and slamming thing hurts as much now as it did back in highschool. As well as the rewarding feeling of pulling something magical off, still feels incredible.

[FAM0US.]

It's not that old I guess, but where were you when every single kid was skating around 1998-2001... It got crazy popular for some reason around that time... That's when I started... 6th grade, 1999.

Learning all the tricks takes time though, but practice makes perfect.

[rome1]

they pretty much stay with you too, I can still cruise down the street and pop a decent kickflip when the mood strikes, even though I don't really get to do that much anymore. sometimes being grown up sucks.

[cheep]

word... ive only been skating maybe once a week lately because i have my daughter full time... i always seem to find a way to do it tho... like last night i was skating inside of an old library at an art show... doing wallride to fakies on the pillars holding up the roof and shit.

[poopslush]

Youre def. not too old.

As for a setup, you can go two ways...

either a modern "popscicle stick" shape with a wider width around 8 inches, and small hard wheels about 55mm

or you could go for a more "old school"/ pool shaped deck thats wider and longer- like 33x9 and big, and softer wheels- something like 62mm and 95a hardness

the modern setup will be easier to do tricks on , but the pool setup will be better for crusing around and going fast...