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great video and totally relate to what you’re saying. The more grown up we are the more we all develop a sense of danger and defensive automatic mechanism that makes us hesitate to let go, thats why only skaters know what it really feels like to learn by lowering all your natural body defenses that limit your potential movements and embrace some pain to eventually make progress. The landing of a trick is a both a mental and physical barrier that you must go through. Non skaters will never understand. And when you succeed you know yourself better and your body too. Skateboarding is the best therapy ❤
you are absolutely right I noticed this too as an older beginner skater (I started 2 years ago almost following you that long). I noticed in some situations it is a fear problem and mind game. for me it was ollie up a curb. but yes mostly it is a skill problem and maybe the body notices it subconsciously and makes you not commit fully😅 maybe it's also the way of learning. the "only commit" phrase can be suitable for kids who learn to skate more playful by testing and just doing it without thinking too much, while the older folks need to approach a trick step by step, learn every tiny muscle movement (which we know is harder as an adult). so breaking the trick down into steps or going an mini obstacles is so essential (*cough* for ex. mini ramps who are mini and not sky high) I stopped pressuring me since I noticed the teens in my skategroup were learning twice as fast 🙄yes skating more times a week is so essential (sometimes problematic when the old body is injured constantly 😅)
I didn't know I needed guitar playing Sarah, but I'm so pleased we have her :DDD Also I loovveee this diagram. Building confidence by building on base level or "like" skills. But seeing it all in a near triangle 🧑🍳💋 My mate has 100% confidence, and I swear he's swapping out skill for beginners luck. I h8 him. Reset his stat tree plz >:(((
haha guitar playing Sarah can now retire her guitar for the next year until early 2024 😂 since it was used once already. BUT YAY! Stoked you liked the diagram. I always feel silly making them, but it's me 😂 happy you liked it. Also...let's try to get some stats your way 🙌 let's grow that stat tree!
Thank you so much for this video! You bring everything back into the right perspective. I have been really annoyed by my lack of commitment regarding landing the shuv it on concrete as well as the fakie shuv, but your video gave me more understanding of the steps I need to take first in order to be more comfortable commiting to the tricks. And I understand that I have to be much more patient with myself. Your videos are sooo helpful! Thank you so much! ❤
ah I'm so happy to hear that! Honestly, I think that patience can often be the actual hardest part about skateboarding. Especially in the first few years. Skills and confidence just take a lot of time to build. Good luck working towards those shove its!! 💪
It’s been a struggle to find “dry land” training for movements to dial in off of the board, or how to break down foundational movements into bite sized portions. Example, I was working on 180 pivots. I found it easier when I pressured the toe side on my back foot. But it came down to timing. When I accidentally had more even pressure on both wheels I could rotate slower and further by pivoting around the center of the axel vs around the wheel. Coming from skiing and snowboarding, initiating rotations with my upper body feels weird. For my learning style, “wax on, wax off” tutorials so solidify the motions so I don’t have to think about them are what work best. I coached mountain biking and that was a key structure. Small skills until they are second nature, then implement them.
haha the glasses and hair definitely fit 😂 also probably the last guitar I got...probably exactly 10 years ago right when life kinda interrupted the hobby. It's a nice guitar though. Definitely need to play it again
Yes haha those are skid plates. I mostly skate freestyle, so they're one of the most important parts of my board. All the sliding would razor tail my board in one session without them. They do reduce your pop a little bit (mostly due to the angle like you said), but freestyle boards already have pretty mellow pop angles since they aren't designed to maximize pop like a street board might be 😃 it doesn't affect my skate style
What a breath of fresh air. People who have been skating their whole lives really simplify the sheer amount of mental, physical, and emotional effort that goes into skateboarding. As someone who was never athletic and started skateboarding at age 24 their tips really don't end up helping me, even when they are genuinely trying to help. "Just commit" is useful when I'm trying to ollie a 2 stair where I know I already have the height and speed for my ollie, I just need to prevent my shoulders from turning and not let myself bail. It's not so helpful in learning something like a kickflip where the technique is so precise that its difficult to understand what exactly you are doing wrong without deeper analysis. I'm glad these guys were able to just blunt force their way into landing their tricks as children, but it doesn't just "work" for me.
Wow, I had the shove it experience you use as an example just last week. I didn't want to commit to shove its so I stopped and thought about what was scary. It was landing on the board! So I've been practicing just hippie jumping nothing, and I'm surprised by how hard it is for me. No wonder shove its were scary! But the jumping is getting easier, so I'm making progress. Similar for doing cavemans, I have been doing them with a piece of cardboard and then a chunk of wood to work up to it. Your videos are interesting and encouraging, thank you for continuing to make them.
right? I always use that example because they pair so well together and I see it all the time! Probably my favorite example 😃 Stoked you're working on it though! And glad you're finding the videos encouraging 🙌
I think you've hit the nail on the head! Without a strong foundation, confidence and skill will be hard to achieve. I've tried many instruments and never progressed beyond being a rank beginner, even with years of daily practice. I'm hoping that isn't the case with skateboarding. I practiced daily for the first 10 days I had my board, then suffered an odd ankle/heel annoyance to both feet, which put me mostly off the board for the past month and a half. Now that I'm back to normal, I hope to use your balance practice techniques to build a strong base for future learning. My goal, for now, is to carve with confidence by summer.
Ah, that's awesome! Take it a session at a time. It's impossible to skate consistently and not get better. So, sending lots of fun skate vibes your way 🙌 let's get those carves!
Currently in the middle of working on my kickflip and this video really made me feel so much better, i was telling myself i wasn’t committing when really i need to just practice as much as i can until i’m comfortable ❤
I learned that overcoming fear is a thing you can practice by itself. Each session of every boardsport I do something that forces me to overcome my fear. It's the same as practicing movements, but here you are practicing emotional control and focus. Probably in skateboarding it takes more time to get to a level where bailing out of a trick becomes dangerous, but still its a nice skill to hone.
Totally! I can see that angle. When I was learning kickflips, I tried to end the session with one failed attempt that I kept both my feet over. So even if the board flew away or was grip down, as long as I was mentally committed to keeping my feet over it, I considered it a win. 😃 I think it ties in well with confidence building. An interesting angle to look at it for sure!
Well this was one of the best TED talk I've ever heard 🔥 I just love your methodological approach. That seems rare in this niché. I began to skate at 36 as an early midlife crisis. Couldn't afford a Porsche. Your vids have turned a new leaf to my skating and now that I have a ”curriculum” - a process to follow, I'm not that shy anymore of practising in public. Thanks, much love! ❤
ah! Thank you Petteri! 🙏 Really happy to hear that. And I'm glad you got a skateboard instead of a Porsche. I'm definitely biased, but I think the skateboard is cooler 😂 I'm a break it down and rebuild it kind of thinker, so I'm always glad to find others who relate well to the approaches! Sending happy skate vibes!
Fantastic video! I love how you broke Commitment down into components that you can actually work on. I also love how you connected skateboarding to your guitar playing. I used to be a music teacher and there are so many parallels between becoming proficient at an instrument and a skateboard. They both take lots of time and practice just to get to the point where certain skills become automatic. Once you get to the point where some basic skills become automatic and you can do something without thinking about it, you are then ready to move up to new skills that weren’t really accessible before.
yes! So, I'm glad you liked it and connected to it! That's exactly the reaction I was hoping for. Breaking commitment down into something you can actually work on--something tangible in a way. So, stoked to hear that and that you saw the parallels with music too! Totally agree with you 😃
i remembered when I tried caveman for the first time. there's the fear that blocks me from doing it. i practiced jumping on my board often and somewhat mastered it. but throwing my board under my feet is difficult. one time i just closed my eyes and threw my board under and jumped, surprisingly I landed good. i gained the confidence that you are talking about. then i tried it again and somewhat failed, but my confidence is still there. done it for the third time and landed good again. the fear is still there sometimes but by just remembering that I did it once, the fear goes away.
Great video! Those automatic connections are definitely hard to unlearn if you learned the wrong way. Many years ago, I learned to kickflip by doing it with a body varial. This meant that I learned to flick down instead of up and out. I've had to relearn how to kickflip. It's taken years to get it right.
Thank you! I have long suspected that some skaters were rushing their development; that there is actually a benefit to taking a more measured approach. Also, great job with, "Classical Gas" from one self-taught guitar kid to another!
oh yeah, and it's so hard not to rush your development. I mean, I wanted to progress so badly at first I definitely sacrificed some better decisions for it. Part of why I try to emphasize the importance. I know first hand how it can hold you back 😂 and ay! You knew the song. Wasn't sure if anyone would. Not exactly a popular pop cover haha But stoked to see another self taught guitar kid! 🙋♀️
this was such a great video! genuinely this principle is so applicable to so many areas of life, I taught myself guitar too (it was my bounce-back hobby when I gave up on skating as a kid haha) and just building comfort and familiarity is so key to growth. I absolutely refused to let my dad teach me for years because I wanted to be build confidence in my own ability first, I wouldn’t even watch tutorials, but once I had enough familiarity to feel comfortable on guitar, I finally let him teach me, and I was able to learn so much faster than I ever expected, because I already had the guitar equivalent of board control loll
haha right? I was stubborn as a kid too. Instead of practicing scales or drills like my friend--who was getting lessons did--I just pushed forward with the songs I liked. Ones that were wayyyy harder than I should have tried. But, I struggled to get it and then was able to play other stuff way easier. Probably would've gone smoother if I did some scales for a bit or in tandem though 😂 but 13 year old Sarah would not have it haha
props to you friend!!! aside from your skate talent and skill set, you have a very calm and cool way of sharing the knowledge and concepts you have gained through the time you put in. Thank you and keep it up for sure!!!
i’m not an amazing skater by any means, however there is a huge aspect of skating where it is just about commitment. But it’s mainly when you progress to a point where you can do a trick, but throwing it down a staircase or ledge is scary for you. some skaters who are really good give the advise “just commit” because that is something they tell themselves because they can already do it. Keep it up, amazing video!!
Sometimes for me it is just a "turning your brain off" thing. When I'm not thinking about what I'm doing and just do it, it mostly works so much better. But turning my brain off is simply said. I just overthink so much :D
The importance of foundations can’t be overstated. I have huge gaps that I’ve been neglecting, but I’m shifting some focus and getting some good results ✌️😊
Yes! I feel like when I talk to other skaters about the mental gymnastics i go through to get to the point of commitment, they don't usually seem to understand what I'm talking about. glad to hear I'm not the only one :D lol.
And they look at you like a weirdo for needing so much prep haha. For a while I was recounting the Litany Against Fear from Dune before skate sessions, I don't know if it helped much but my friends really goofed on me for it haha
Great video! It's a nice way to look at it. I'm working on ollie up a curb and it's taken me like a year, but i did it this winter! And can now do it like once every 50 tries... But that's better than one in a hundred, and it'll get better. Patience and relaxing about it is probably the best, like you say. I find that if i almost distract myself by for example saying "one" and bending down, and then "two" and ollie, then that makes me forget I'm riding towards a curb and I can easily get up! Sometimes 😅 you gotta lose respect for the curb and just not even think about it... It's funny!
ah that's a good point! I like to use little mantras. I typically say the thing like "pop, don't pinch,....jump straight up" and then do it. It get's me into the trick, but out of my mind in a way 😂 The "one, two" is a great idea!
Dear Sarah, apart from all your other great tutorials, this might just be the best/most useful one for me personally. Thank you for reminding me/us about the basics and steps to really progress. Thank you and all the best!
@@SarahParkMatott it sure is. Thanks so much for your style of approaching skating and the tutorials and also your way of breaking things down sometimes in a different but very relatable and practicable way. Thanks for keeping posting and putting in all the work. Have a great skate summer:)
was really nice to hear your thoughts about this topic, cause I've used to put myself down, thinking I can't commit, but the issue was in my board control and, when I've learned easier tricks and some days just rode on the board, to be more comfortable on my deck, this really started to pay off and I'm noticing, that I can do practiced movements a lot easier this way, so, once again, thank you for that talk, it's really important
I love this video. I think it is so much more important for a beginner skater to think about their process of learning tricks before watching a trick tip video on where to put your feet for an ollie. you gotta a new subscriber
Kinda scary that you even had to make this video. If someone does not respect their own boundaries while skateboarding and start committing to tricks that they don't feel good about committing to it's probably going to scare them away from skateboarding especially if they hurt themselves. Instead of telling others to commit the better tip would be to just have fun and enjoy the exercise. Much better to have fun, build confidence and slowly, but steady get into the feeling that everything is possible. And if that means practicing a trick 5000 times before trying to land it then so be it. But we all learn differently and some people just like to take a lot of slams when learning a new trick. But i have a feeling that those are also the types of people that uses terms like "quitting skateboarding", which makes no sense cause no one forces them to skate, when they don't feel like it. I imagine alot of pro skaters have had this exact mindset that this video conveys, which is why they are actually physically able to continue skateboarding, cause they didn't completely break their body or traumatize themselves too much xD Just think that skateboarding was at a certain stage in the 90's and 00's, where pro skaters were constantly trying to push the limits of what was possible in street skating, but it might also have had the side effect, of giving skateboarding a reputation for being a reckless activity to engage in. But for people just trying to get into it as a hobby, have fun, exercise and compete with their own limitations, that mindset would make no sense to have. So i agree with the video, but crazy that it's not just pure logic :)
This has been such a wonderful video to watch. I'm almost 39 and trying to get back into learning to skateboard after about a year or so off because of mental health issues. I struggle with commitment and putting a decent amount of time to practice. But I've always loved flatland skateboarding ever since watching Gleaming the Cube when I was little. Hopefully I'll be able to build up the confidence to practice more. I loved your breakdown of practicing a trick into small steps. 👍
i learned to drop in recently. i took my a very long time to overcome my fear of leaninng forward and commit to it. i have done about 80 drop ins now.... and i am still afraid of it! i am actually shacking when i am on the half pipe. i am streetskater. half pipe is new to me. i have more than enough skill and confidence for stuff like kick flip to FS tailslide. tre flip down a 5 stair... but a drop in or getting my wheels over the coping in a mini ramp is just something i am deeply afraid of and i dont know why.
You are absolutly right. But I would add one thing I noticed for myself over a long period of riding different types of boards: At some point turn off your brain and just do it. And if it does not work then just go skating and have fun. 😀 I think that's something people forget often, that you can ride a skateboard not only at a skatepark and doing tricks there. You can do them everywhere. I also recommend to listen to music. Hip hop for example has a very good rythm to reflect skateboarding.
And as you grow up (or start old like me having the great idea of starting at 30) the fear factor become one of the most painful experiences as you know how to do the trick, you have the perfect rotation, you understand it, yet....the body wants to protect you from getting hurt -__- and then you hear homies "Whyyyy didn't you put the other foot dude you had it!" "I don't understand why you didn't land this trick yet everything is perfect, you are a mystery of skateboarding" "I wish I could be in your feet to let you feel the trick" Uuuurrrgh
how tf do you make a 14 minute video on how to commit like its not that hard just trust yourself and focus on landing on the board by any means nessescary
This is the best video about commitment to skateboarding. In depth and informative. I feel I know what I need to do for a lot of tricks, but I’ve been trying to tell myself that I’ll just land it eventually, and letting myself not commit. I had a bad fall recently and it’s only made me want to skate more. My brain made a “land everything to tail pathway though lol”
Oh, you'll definitely land it eventually! 🙌 I'm often in that boat too...I think I know what I need to do...just have to get the body to a place where it can do it. And that's not always easy 😂 but we both got it! 💪
this actually applies to so much in life. like so many skills. your tutorials are the best on youtube imo, not just for skateboarding but learning new things in general. thanks for the uploads, keep it up.
Very much this, I very much agree that foundational skills are going to be paramount in anything moving forward. I spend quite a bit of time just doing balance stuff (especially when it's raining here in the Pacific Northwest), they may not translate 100% over to my skateboard directly, but I have 3 different "balance boards" that are essentially 32" boards but move around a bit differently. They just help with my general balance and on days I can skate I do spend a good amount of time just skating around (along with practicing ollies and starting to get muscle memory for shuvs and kickflips, using what you mention, practicing individual steps in the process). Anyways, great vid, lots of skaters could really use this info~
Ah, stoked you enjoyed the video! I love discussing this topic. And I bet that balance practice comes in way more handy than a lot of people realize. I know for me even just some balance work on the ground has helped me improve a ton! It strengthened up a ton of muscles I really needed 💪 Keep having fun skating!
I don’t care how badass anyone thinks they are. They’re not as badass as Sarah. The way you break these things down is truly revolutionary. I don’t know how much you’ve studied psychology, but you have a graduate degree level understanding of it. In addition, I think your progression is unbelievable considering that it does not appear that any of this came naturally to you. I hope someday you have the most subscribers out of anyone teaching skateboarding on TH-cam becauwe you deserve it and everyone would benefit from it. Learning from pros is kind of dumb when you think about it. Someone capable of that level has to he a natural to some degree and they’re not going to he able to relate to what your average skateboarder is going through when learning tricks. Use pros for inspiration and to motivate yourself or to grow your love of skateboarding, not to learn tricks or get tips. I promise you’ll learn much faster from someone like Sarah.
I'm 35 now and have spent the last 15 years pushing mongo. I never bothered trying to learn to push regular as I knew it would be an extremely time consuming commitment, and I just wanted to skate. After breaking my ankle, I decided to teach myself how to push regular. I practiced for an hour every day, just pushing and jumping on the board and pushing again. It was awkward at first, which I expected but I was surprised that it only took me a few weeks to get pretty decent at pushing regular. I kept practicing, and within 3 months I was 100% confident cruising the streets pushing regular. At that point, I told myself that from now on, if I push mongo by accident I have to nullify it by putting my foot on the front truck and jumping on switch. Well it happened a few times, and again it was super awkward but this really piqued my interest and so a couple of months later, not only have I completely eliminated my 15 year habit of pushing mongo, but I can now pretty confidently cruise the streets switch!
Really great video🙏 in regards to getting over the fear of falling, i think i tend to stiffen my legs and not bend my knees enough when landing, which if my balance is off, can cause the board to shoot out quick underneath me, and i slam hard..(just sprained my wrist pretty bad falling on a stationary flatground trick because of this). So im thinking i should really try to keep my legs much looser on landing, and letting my knees bend much more, kinda like really loose shock absorbers, so hopefully my falls arent so bad, and i can build up confidence quicker. Any thoughts on this?
Totally! I think being able to absorb a lot of the energy and slow down your fall is so beneficial. I naturally did this kind of "accordion" fall myself. Trying to collapse down instead of straight leg and slip out. But, I will say the next level after that seems to be strength. I've worked on strengthening up my legs all year this year into my deepest squat and it's made a huge difference in being able to do that--slow my fall as I bend my knees and absorb the impact like shock absorbers. (This obviously was specific to me who had/has very weak legs haha)
I did finally got rock to fakie about a year ago. I always have trouble the first like 20 times. After I get it I start landing them again pretty good. I have done them a lot they are still scary. I think it's just a confidence thing at this point. I usually start on a bank to warm up again. It could be a little skill too. I started bending my knees more and I felt more confident on the coping. Just have to keep pushing it. I remember the first time I dropped in axle of a 4 ft quarter. It was the scariest thing I have done. You look down and it makes no sense the angle your seeing. Anyway skating is hard. Thanks for the good video have fun skating 👍🤙
Ayy that's awesome though! Solid progress. I can't remember the last time I dropped in. Need to find something nearby I can skate with a quarter haha Hope you keep having fun skating too 💪
I think the actual form of just commit is pretty useless for most situations, but it does apply to some. As you said, saying "Just commit" is like the worst piece of advice for most situations, especially skaters just starting to get a mechanic. I think the advice works when you have a certain mechanic, and you start applying it to something bigger. For example, I know how to kickflip well, but I always go through this phase trying to kickflip off anything where I'm choosing not to land the trick I know I can land. At that point, it's not a learning process, it's me having to drill into my head "committing is always easier". Saying this to someone learning a new mechanic though can actually deter them from learning. I have a good friend, and no offense to him if he somehow sees this and knows it's him, but I would always get angry in my head and it would keep me from learning a new trick even more when he would tell me "It's because you're not committing" when in fact, I actually am and my body is just going through the process of learning. I'm glad this video seems to be getting a lot of traction and I hope you hit the algorithm. I loved everything you said.
ahh thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video. And kick flipping off of something is a great example too. I think it fits in perfectly with the second half of the video. There are so many ways to start experimenting with confidence building in that situation--makes me want to work on it and experiment haha. And your point of "my body is just going through the process of learning" is so true. Absolutely love that idea! 🙌 Keep learning and shredding!
Im glad you posted this, I can kickflip and do all the other basic tricks, yet I can't do a heelflip because I can't commit. I keep telling myself if I can commit to a kickflip I can commit to a heelflip but It doesn't help 😂, I'm gonna get back out there now and try harder.
Wise words! But sometimes it is a very nonlinear path of muscle memory. That is, working on a skill 500 hours wont make you better! Sometimes just waiting doing something else for some time is what you need
I’ve been skating for like 2 and a half years and I still have trouble committing even to the simplest of things and I feel that I need to get over just the feeling I get when I want to try something new which would be fear I guess, but the trouble committing really slows my progress down so I’m just lookin for tips and or advice to help me get over that hurdle. I Appreciate the Support you give to all the other people here including me
What a nice compilation of your progress over the last 2 1/2 years. And again there is so much you can take away from the video that you have to watch it several times straight away. Do you actually have harder bushings in your freestyle set up than in your street skateboard set up? I'm building my first freestyle board and I've often heard that you should upgrade to 100a hard bushings. Thank you for all your work and the wonderful videos.
thank you Daniel! And yes. I do. The bushings in my freestyle trucks are either 98 or 100a doh dohs. Though, there are different brands out there you can use, having harder bushings can help so you don't have to crank your bushings down to the point of squashing and ruining them! 😃
As someone that took a 30 year break from skating, I can totally relate. I also played guitar and took some time off from that, only to get into both again with a little more " commitment ". I feel like the things I had " locked down" as a kid, I still can lock down, Stuff I was close too or was hit or miss, I still am close, and hit or miss. If I didn't have those things I was good at, I don't think I would continue to try and progress, now into my midlife. I appreciate all of your videos as inspiration, you do some tricks I really aspire to(your caspers and finger flips) You can definitely teach this old dog new tricks, but foundations make the hard learning all that more enjoyable. Thanks again for your commitment.
ah thank you Scott! I'm glad you made it back to skating though. Muscle memory is truly amazing. Glad you had some advantages there--or at least enough to keep you pushing forward. And also, caspers and fingerflips are the best! Once you get them proper, they're just so satisfying. You got it 💪
Hi Sarah, I’m a beginner skateboarder and I am currently working on these skills but I’ve been experiencing a lot of fear: -Kickturning (ramps/banks) -Riding off curbs (and higher objects) -Dropping in (small banks) Based on this video, here’s my question! How would you break down each of the things I’ve listed into the smallest of steps if you were, for example, learning them for the first time? I'm having a hard time figuring it out. Thank you:)
Welcome to skateboarding! I actually have tutorials on all of these that show my first steps. For the kickturn. After getting comfortable on flat fround, I would take huge, wide angles with the bottom of the bank! So, your pivot only has to be 15 degrees, not 180 degrees. And I would work up from there. However shallow you can make it. For curbs, I would start with tail block drops. Placing your tail on the curb and dropping down. Very short manuals. Getting comfortable riding at slightly faster speeds. Faster than you need to clear the curb. You can roll and stop on the edge on your tail. (Visuals in the tutorial I mentioned). You can also practice dropping in on flatground. I did that first. Getting really good at shifting from the tail to all for wheels. Getting a quick and confident snap down. Again, getting comfortable with the speed associated with rolling down the bank. So, getting on your board at the height you want and riding it down by just stepping up into it. Those would be my first approaches I think 😃 off the top of my head
You articulated something so well that I started thinking when I was learning heelflips but couldn’t really explain. I had to build up “commitment” in a number of ways. One was doing ghost flips to familiarise myself with the feeling of landing on the board after a flip (kinda like the confidence element you described) The next was exactly as you said: skill. I had to train myself to pull my legs up after the flip mentally. In a sort of “flip the board then get your feet over the deck. But don’t even worry about landing, just get the legs up”. I ended up committing to my heelflip after this but it made much more than just making a mental decision, my brain had to become familiar with all the elements of the trick. (Ironic part though is I lose and regain my heelflips seasonly over the last few months 😅 so time I imagine is also a factor)
Ah, I'm glad you were able to watch the video and make that connection with your recent go at heelflips! I also have seasonal tricks that I get and lose as I practice and stop practicing them haha Luckily, they're usually easier to get back each time 😂 Hope that's the same for you too!
great video! I’m all about baby steps whenever I’m taking on any challenges - haven’t been skating for months and will get back into it soon, thanks for the solid advice
I think for me, a big part was also wearing a helmet and pads, getting the feeling and experiences of falling without getting hurt. Still, every now and than I need to remind myself that I won't die everytime I Slip out for example. So wearing protective gear is like another part of confidence for me
You might really enjoy the book Peak, by Anders Ericsson! It focuses on how we learn, and how the brain literally changes to gain new skills (very literally, different areas of the brain will grow larger if we are using them more). The fancy term for this, which you might already be well aware of, is neuroplasticity. I have really felt this in learning to ollie, then shuv, and kickflip… things just happen way too fast for my brain to perceive at first… but over many many hours of practice, and many not-landed attempts, my brain has slowly adapted to being able to tell my body how to move to actually commit to landing these tricks. I guess this is what you call “skill” here, but to me it makes more sense to think of it as something different. It is a very deep understanding, much deeper than an academic understanding, that allows for the brain and body to perform a complex motion and react to many the many variables almost instantaneously. Also… awesome job on the varial flip! I would love to hear more about what you found helpful for figuring out that trick.
yes! neuroplasticity! 😃 I did some light dives into the neuroscience of learning a few years ago. I had a long commute and needed plenty of audiobooks for it haha And the concepts probably helped me be a bit more patient with my own learning. But, I'll definitely add that book to my queue. I love this stuff. Glad you made those connections as well. And while I'd love to say I learned it, I simply landed it a couple times. Exactly what I did in the video got me there. I mostly played with flick direction and timing. That and the shove it were the most important for me. But right now, I'm actually really drilling the basic shove it again, so hopefully when I come back better with that, it'll be easier to actually learn!
great video and totally relate to what you’re saying. The more grown up we are the more we all develop a sense of danger and defensive automatic mechanism that makes us hesitate to let go, thats why only skaters know what it really feels like to learn by lowering all your natural body defenses that limit your potential movements and embrace some pain to eventually make progress. The landing of a trick is a both a mental and physical barrier that you must go through. Non skaters will never understand. And when you succeed you know yourself better and your body too. Skateboarding is the best therapy ❤
💯🙌
I've been skating since 1995, and this video is still useful as a calibration of my headspace when skating. Good stuff 👍
ah thanks Alex! Happy to hear that 😃
you are absolutely right I noticed this too as an older beginner skater (I started 2 years ago almost following you that long). I noticed in some situations it is a fear problem and mind game. for me it was ollie up a curb. but yes mostly it is a skill problem and maybe the body notices it subconsciously and makes you not commit fully😅 maybe it's also the way of learning. the "only commit" phrase can be suitable for kids who learn to skate more playful by testing and just doing it without thinking too much, while the older folks need to approach a trick step by step, learn every tiny muscle movement (which we know is harder as an adult). so breaking the trick down into steps or going an mini obstacles is so essential (*cough* for ex. mini ramps who are mini and not sky high) I stopped pressuring me since I noticed the teens in my skategroup were learning twice as fast 🙄yes skating more times a week is so essential (sometimes problematic when the old body is injured constantly 😅)
I didn't know I needed guitar playing Sarah, but I'm so pleased we have her :DDD
Also I loovveee this diagram. Building confidence by building on base level or "like" skills. But seeing it all in a near triangle 🧑🍳💋
My mate has 100% confidence, and I swear he's swapping out skill for beginners luck. I h8 him. Reset his stat tree plz >:(((
haha guitar playing Sarah can now retire her guitar for the next year until early 2024 😂 since it was used once already.
BUT YAY! Stoked you liked the diagram. I always feel silly making them, but it's me 😂 happy you liked it. Also...let's try to get some stats your way 🙌 let's grow that stat tree!
Thank you so much for this video! You bring everything back into the right perspective. I have been really annoyed by my lack of commitment regarding landing the shuv it on concrete as well as the fakie shuv, but your video gave me more understanding of the steps I need to take first in order to be more comfortable commiting to the tricks. And I understand that I have to be much more patient with myself.
Your videos are sooo helpful! Thank you so much! ❤
ah I'm so happy to hear that! Honestly, I think that patience can often be the actual hardest part about skateboarding. Especially in the first few years. Skills and confidence just take a lot of time to build. Good luck working towards those shove its!! 💪
It’s been a struggle to find “dry land” training for movements to dial in off of the board, or how to break down foundational movements into bite sized portions. Example, I was working on 180 pivots. I found it easier when I pressured the toe side on my back foot. But it came down to timing. When I accidentally had more even pressure on both wheels I could rotate slower and further by pivoting around the center of the axel vs around the wheel. Coming from skiing and snowboarding, initiating rotations with my upper body feels weird.
For my learning style, “wax on, wax off” tutorials so solidify the motions so I don’t have to think about them are what work best. I coached mountain biking and that was a key structure. Small skills until they are second nature, then implement them.
Thanks for your vids and especially this too, because of skill and confidence, I learned how to drop in🎉❤
This is good advice. Also, you could be John Lennon's child and then you brought out the guitar. And a Martin no less!
haha the glasses and hair definitely fit 😂 also probably the last guitar I got...probably exactly 10 years ago right when life kinda interrupted the hobby. It's a nice guitar though. Definitely need to play it again
"Just commit" is how I broke my radius lol
😰hope you healed up OK!
I assume those plastic things under your board are to protect the board, but won't they make the board pop considerably less due to less travel?
Yes haha those are skid plates. I mostly skate freestyle, so they're one of the most important parts of my board. All the sliding would razor tail my board in one session without them. They do reduce your pop a little bit (mostly due to the angle like you said), but freestyle boards already have pretty mellow pop angles since they aren't designed to maximize pop like a street board might be 😃 it doesn't affect my skate style
mechanically overthinking physical activity gotta be my favorite activity honestly
same 😂
What a breath of fresh air. People who have been skating their whole lives really simplify the sheer amount of mental, physical, and emotional effort that goes into skateboarding. As someone who was never athletic and started skateboarding at age 24 their tips really don't end up helping me, even when they are genuinely trying to help.
"Just commit" is useful when I'm trying to ollie a 2 stair where I know I already have the height and speed for my ollie, I just need to prevent my shoulders from turning and not let myself bail.
It's not so helpful in learning something like a kickflip where the technique is so precise that its difficult to understand what exactly you are doing wrong without deeper analysis. I'm glad these guys were able to just blunt force their way into landing their tricks as children, but it doesn't just "work" for me.
Wow, I had the shove it experience you use as an example just last week. I didn't want to commit to shove its so I stopped and thought about what was scary. It was landing on the board! So I've been practicing just hippie jumping nothing, and I'm surprised by how hard it is for me. No wonder shove its were scary! But the jumping is getting easier, so I'm making progress.
Similar for doing cavemans, I have been doing them with a piece of cardboard and then a chunk of wood to work up to it.
Your videos are interesting and encouraging, thank you for continuing to make them.
right? I always use that example because they pair so well together and I see it all the time! Probably my favorite example 😃 Stoked you're working on it though!
And glad you're finding the videos encouraging 🙌
I think you've hit the nail on the head! Without a strong foundation, confidence and skill will be hard to achieve. I've tried many instruments and never progressed beyond being a rank beginner, even with years of daily practice. I'm hoping that isn't the case with skateboarding. I practiced daily for the first 10 days I had my board, then suffered an odd ankle/heel annoyance to both feet, which put me mostly off the board for the past month and a half. Now that I'm back to normal, I hope to use your balance practice techniques to build a strong base for future learning. My goal, for now, is to carve with confidence by summer.
Ah, that's awesome! Take it a session at a time. It's impossible to skate consistently and not get better. So, sending lots of fun skate vibes your way 🙌 let's get those carves!
Currently in the middle of working on my kickflip and this video really made me feel so much better, i was telling myself i wasn’t committing when really i need to just practice as much as i can until i’m comfortable ❤
ah! Really happy to hear that 😃 Keep working on that kickflip. You'll get there 💪
i'm in the same boat my g
@@SarahParkMatott landed my first kickflip today!!
@@SeanDalyDJ ayyy get it! That’s awesome 🙌
I learned that overcoming fear is a thing you can practice by itself. Each session of every boardsport I do something that forces me to overcome my fear. It's the same as practicing movements, but here you are practicing emotional control and focus. Probably in skateboarding it takes more time to get to a level where bailing out of a trick becomes dangerous, but still its a nice skill to hone.
Totally! I can see that angle. When I was learning kickflips, I tried to end the session with one failed attempt that I kept both my feet over. So even if the board flew away or was grip down, as long as I was mentally committed to keeping my feet over it, I considered it a win. 😃 I think it ties in well with confidence building. An interesting angle to look at it for sure!
Well this was one of the best TED talk I've ever heard 🔥 I just love your methodological approach. That seems rare in this niché. I began to skate at 36 as an early midlife crisis. Couldn't afford a Porsche. Your vids have turned a new leaf to my skating and now that I have a ”curriculum” - a process to follow, I'm not that shy anymore of practising in public. Thanks, much love! ❤
ah! Thank you Petteri! 🙏 Really happy to hear that. And I'm glad you got a skateboard instead of a Porsche. I'm definitely biased, but I think the skateboard is cooler 😂 I'm a break it down and rebuild it kind of thinker, so I'm always glad to find others who relate well to the approaches! Sending happy skate vibes!
Fantastic video! I love how you broke Commitment down into components that you can actually work on. I also love how you connected skateboarding to your guitar playing. I used to be a music teacher and there are so many parallels between becoming proficient at an instrument and a skateboard. They both take lots of time and practice just to get to the point where certain skills become automatic. Once you get to the point where some basic skills become automatic and you can do something without thinking about it, you are then ready to move up to new skills that weren’t really accessible before.
yes! So, I'm glad you liked it and connected to it! That's exactly the reaction I was hoping for. Breaking commitment down into something you can actually work on--something tangible in a way. So, stoked to hear that and that you saw the parallels with music too! Totally agree with you 😃
i remembered when I tried caveman for the first time. there's the fear that blocks me from doing it. i practiced jumping on my board often and somewhat mastered it. but throwing my board under my feet is difficult.
one time i just closed my eyes and threw my board under and jumped, surprisingly I landed good. i gained the confidence that you are talking about. then i tried it again and somewhat failed, but my confidence is still there. done it for the third time and landed good again. the fear is still there sometimes but by just remembering that I did it once, the fear goes away.
Great video! Those automatic connections are definitely hard to unlearn if you learned the wrong way. Many years ago, I learned to kickflip by doing it with a body varial. This meant that I learned to flick down instead of up and out. I've had to relearn how to kickflip. It's taken years to get it right.
Thank you! I have long suspected that some skaters were rushing their development; that there is actually a benefit to taking a more measured approach. Also, great job with, "Classical Gas" from one self-taught guitar kid to another!
oh yeah, and it's so hard not to rush your development. I mean, I wanted to progress so badly at first I definitely sacrificed some better decisions for it. Part of why I try to emphasize the importance. I know first hand how it can hold you back 😂 and ay! You knew the song. Wasn't sure if anyone would. Not exactly a popular pop cover haha But stoked to see another self taught guitar kid! 🙋♀️
this was such a great video! genuinely this principle is so applicable to so many areas of life, I taught myself guitar too (it was my bounce-back hobby when I gave up on skating as a kid haha) and just building comfort and familiarity is so key to growth. I absolutely refused to let my dad teach me for years because I wanted to be build confidence in my own ability first, I wouldn’t even watch tutorials, but once I had enough familiarity to feel comfortable on guitar, I finally let him teach me, and I was able to learn so much faster than I ever expected, because I already had the guitar equivalent of board control loll
haha right? I was stubborn as a kid too. Instead of practicing scales or drills like my friend--who was getting lessons did--I just pushed forward with the songs I liked. Ones that were wayyyy harder than I should have tried. But, I struggled to get it and then was able to play other stuff way easier. Probably would've gone smoother if I did some scales for a bit or in tandem though 😂 but 13 year old Sarah would not have it haha
props to you friend!!! aside from your skate talent and skill set, you have a very calm and cool way of sharing the knowledge and concepts you have gained through the time you put in. Thank you and keep it up for sure!!!
I appreciate that! Thanks :D
i’m not an amazing skater by any means, however there is a huge aspect of skating where it is just about commitment. But it’s mainly when you progress to a point where you can do a trick, but throwing it down a staircase or ledge is scary for you. some skaters who are really good give the advise “just commit” because that is something they tell themselves because they can already do it. Keep it up, amazing video!!
Sometimes for me it is just a "turning your brain off" thing. When I'm not thinking about what I'm doing and just do it, it mostly works so much better. But turning my brain off is simply said.
I just overthink so much :D
haha exactly. That's the theory though. Skill + confidence = the ability to turn that brain off 😂 that's just my view though 😃
The importance of foundations can’t be overstated. I have huge gaps that I’ve been neglecting, but I’m shifting some focus and getting some good results ✌️😊
Same! Trying to fill in the gaps myself too 😃
Yes! I feel like when I talk to other skaters about the mental gymnastics i go through to get to the point of commitment, they don't usually seem to understand what I'm talking about. glad to hear I'm not the only one :D lol.
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one! 😃
And they look at you like a weirdo for needing so much prep haha.
For a while I was recounting the Litany Against Fear from Dune before skate sessions, I don't know if it helped much but my friends really goofed on me for it haha
Great video! It's a nice way to look at it. I'm working on ollie up a curb and it's taken me like a year, but i did it this winter! And can now do it like once every 50 tries... But that's better than one in a hundred, and it'll get better. Patience and relaxing about it is probably the best, like you say.
I find that if i almost distract myself by for example saying "one" and bending down, and then "two" and ollie, then that makes me forget I'm riding towards a curb and I can easily get up! Sometimes 😅 you gotta lose respect for the curb and just not even think about it... It's funny!
ah that's a good point! I like to use little mantras. I typically say the thing like "pop, don't pinch,....jump straight up" and then do it. It get's me into the trick, but out of my mind in a way 😂 The "one, two" is a great idea!
Dear Sarah, apart from all your other great tutorials, this might just be the best/most useful one for me personally. Thank you for reminding me/us about the basics and steps to really progress. Thank you and all the best!
ah I'm glad to hear that! I really like talking about this topic in particular too. So, happy to hear this might be the most useful!
@@SarahParkMatott it sure is. Thanks so much for your style of approaching skating and the tutorials and also your way of breaking things down sometimes in a different but very relatable and practicable way. Thanks for keeping posting and putting in all the work. Have a great skate summer:)
i just landed my first running Ollie because of your video! thank you Miss! the fear of been thrown out has been the barrier along ththe way
was really nice to hear your thoughts about this topic, cause I've used to put myself down, thinking I can't commit, but the issue was in my board control and, when I've learned easier tricks and some days just rode on the board, to be more comfortable on my deck, this really started to pay off and I'm noticing, that I can do practiced movements a lot easier this way, so, once again, thank you for that talk, it's really important
I completely agree with everything you said. I've had the exact same realizations through parkour. Keep up the great content!
Great video
I can Ollie and fs180 thanks to you and your advice ty bro I love your content keep it up❤
ay thanks! You keep pushing too 🙌
I love this video. I think it is so much more important for a beginner skater to think about their process of learning tricks before watching a trick tip video on where to put your feet for an ollie. you gotta a new subscriber
Kinda scary that you even had to make this video. If someone does not respect their own boundaries while skateboarding and start committing to tricks that they don't feel good about committing to it's probably going to scare them away from skateboarding especially if they hurt themselves. Instead of telling others to commit the better tip would be to just have fun and enjoy the exercise. Much better to have fun, build confidence and slowly, but steady get into the feeling that everything is possible. And if that means practicing a trick 5000 times before trying to land it then so be it. But we all learn differently and some people just like to take a lot of slams when learning a new trick. But i have a feeling that those are also the types of people that uses terms like "quitting skateboarding", which makes no sense cause no one forces them to skate, when they don't feel like it. I imagine alot of pro skaters have had this exact mindset that this video conveys, which is why they are actually physically able to continue skateboarding, cause they didn't completely break their body or traumatize themselves too much xD Just think that skateboarding was at a certain stage in the 90's and 00's, where pro skaters were constantly trying to push the limits of what was possible in street skating, but it might also have had the side effect, of giving skateboarding a reputation for being a reckless activity to engage in. But for people just trying to get into it as a hobby, have fun, exercise and compete with their own limitations, that mindset would make no sense to have. So i agree with the video, but crazy that it's not just pure logic :)
This has been such a wonderful video to watch. I'm almost 39 and trying to get back into learning to skateboard after about a year or so off because of mental health issues. I struggle with commitment and putting a decent amount of time to practice. But I've always loved flatland skateboarding ever since watching Gleaming the Cube when I was little. Hopefully I'll be able to build up the confidence to practice more. I loved your breakdown of practicing a trick into small steps. 👍
i learned to drop in recently. i took my a very long time to overcome my fear of leaninng forward and commit to it.
i have done about 80 drop ins now.... and i am still afraid of it! i am actually shacking when i am on the half pipe.
i am streetskater. half pipe is new to me. i have more than enough skill and confidence for stuff like kick flip to FS tailslide. tre flip down a 5 stair...
but a drop in or getting my wheels over the coping in a mini ramp is just something i am deeply afraid of and i dont know why.
You are absolutly right. But I would add one thing I noticed for myself over a long period of riding different types of boards: At some point turn off your brain and just do it. And if it does not work then just go skating and have fun. 😀 I think that's something people forget often, that you can ride a skateboard not only at a skatepark and doing tricks there. You can do them everywhere. I also recommend to listen to music. Hip hop for example has a very good rythm to reflect skateboarding.
And as you grow up (or start old like me having the great idea of starting at 30) the fear factor become one of the most painful experiences as you know how to do the trick, you have the perfect rotation, you understand it, yet....the body wants to protect you from getting hurt -__- and then you hear homies
"Whyyyy didn't you put the other foot dude you had it!"
"I don't understand why you didn't land this trick yet everything is perfect, you are a mystery of skateboarding"
"I wish I could be in your feet to let you feel the trick"
Uuuurrrgh
Thanks for the great analytics and the well explanation. Big up from Germany 👍🔥🙂🇩🇪
how tf do you make a 14 minute video on how to commit like its not that hard just trust yourself and focus on landing on the board by any means nessescary
This is the best video about commitment to skateboarding. In depth and informative. I feel I know what I need to do for a lot of tricks, but I’ve been trying to tell myself that I’ll just land it eventually, and letting myself not commit. I had a bad fall recently and it’s only made me want to skate more. My brain made a “land everything to tail pathway though lol”
Oh, you'll definitely land it eventually! 🙌 I'm often in that boat too...I think I know what I need to do...just have to get the body to a place where it can do it. And that's not always easy 😂 but we both got it! 💪
this actually applies to so much in life. like so many skills. your tutorials are the best on youtube imo, not just for skateboarding but learning new things in general. thanks for the uploads, keep it up.
Ah thanks!! Stoked you think so 😃
You have a great perspective l, Sarah! Thanks for sharing!
I'm trying to learn how to Ollie over an obstacle this is very helpful
I don’t agree with the kickflip part u can definitely sit for hrs on one trick and gain skill
I cant even ollie skating makes me very fucking mad and makes me feel left out.
awesome vid!!!! i always beat myself tellin why dont i just commit!!!
Very much this, I very much agree that foundational skills are going to be paramount in anything moving forward. I spend quite a bit of time just doing balance stuff (especially when it's raining here in the Pacific Northwest), they may not translate 100% over to my skateboard directly, but I have 3 different "balance boards" that are essentially 32" boards but move around a bit differently. They just help with my general balance and on days I can skate I do spend a good amount of time just skating around (along with practicing ollies and starting to get muscle memory for shuvs and kickflips, using what you mention, practicing individual steps in the process). Anyways, great vid, lots of skaters could really use this info~
Ah, stoked you enjoyed the video! I love discussing this topic. And I bet that balance practice comes in way more handy than a lot of people realize. I know for me even just some balance work on the ground has helped me improve a ton! It strengthened up a ton of muscles I really needed 💪 Keep having fun skating!
More like "just keep your legs in the air longer" easier said than done 😂
I don’t care how badass anyone thinks they are. They’re not as badass as Sarah. The way you break these things down is truly revolutionary. I don’t know how much you’ve studied psychology, but you have a graduate degree level understanding of it.
In addition, I think your progression is unbelievable considering that it does not appear that any of this came naturally to you. I hope someday you have the most subscribers out of anyone teaching skateboarding on TH-cam becauwe you deserve it and everyone would benefit from it.
Learning from pros is kind of dumb when you think about it. Someone capable of that level has to he a natural to some degree and they’re not going to he able to relate to what your average skateboarder is going through when learning tricks.
Use pros for inspiration and to motivate yourself or to grow your love of skateboarding, not to learn tricks or get tips. I promise you’ll learn much faster from someone like Sarah.
wow, that is quite the compliment! 🫣 I'm so glad you've seemed to get a lot out of the videos I make. Will keep doing my best to make more 🫡
I'm 35 now and have spent the last 15 years pushing mongo. I never bothered trying to learn to push regular as I knew it would be an extremely time consuming commitment, and I just wanted to skate. After breaking my ankle, I decided to teach myself how to push regular. I practiced for an hour every day, just pushing and jumping on the board and pushing again. It was awkward at first, which I expected but I was surprised that it only took me a few weeks to get pretty decent at pushing regular. I kept practicing, and within 3 months I was 100% confident cruising the streets pushing regular.
At that point, I told myself that from now on, if I push mongo by accident I have to nullify it by putting my foot on the front truck and jumping on switch. Well it happened a few times, and again it was super awkward but this really piqued my interest and so a couple of months later, not only have I completely eliminated my 15 year habit of pushing mongo, but I can now pretty confidently cruise the streets switch!
That's awesome! It can be hard to commit to learning a new pushing pattern at all--even switch🙌
Really great video🙏 in regards to getting over the fear of falling, i think i tend to stiffen my legs and not bend my knees enough when landing, which if my balance is off, can cause the board to shoot out quick underneath me, and i slam hard..(just sprained my wrist pretty bad falling on a stationary flatground trick because of this).
So im thinking i should really try to keep my legs much looser on landing, and letting my knees bend much more, kinda like really loose shock absorbers, so hopefully my falls arent so bad, and i can build up confidence quicker.
Any thoughts on this?
Totally! I think being able to absorb a lot of the energy and slow down your fall is so beneficial. I naturally did this kind of "accordion" fall myself. Trying to collapse down instead of straight leg and slip out. But, I will say the next level after that seems to be strength. I've worked on strengthening up my legs all year this year into my deepest squat and it's made a huge difference in being able to do that--slow my fall as I bend my knees and absorb the impact like shock absorbers. (This obviously was specific to me who had/has very weak legs haha)
I did finally got rock to fakie about a year ago. I always have trouble the first like 20 times. After I get it I start landing them again pretty good. I have done them a lot they are still scary. I think it's just a confidence thing at this point. I usually start on a bank to warm up again. It could be a little skill too. I started bending my knees more and I felt more confident on the coping. Just have to keep pushing it. I remember the first time I dropped in axle of a 4 ft quarter. It was the scariest thing I have done. You look down and it makes no sense the angle your seeing. Anyway skating is hard. Thanks for the good video have fun skating 👍🤙
Ayy that's awesome though! Solid progress. I can't remember the last time I dropped in. Need to find something nearby I can skate with a quarter haha Hope you keep having fun skating too 💪
34 and this is a video I've needed to watch since I was 13-
I think the actual form of just commit is pretty useless for most situations, but it does apply to some. As you said, saying "Just commit" is like the worst piece of advice for most situations, especially skaters just starting to get a mechanic. I think the advice works when you have a certain mechanic, and you start applying it to something bigger. For example, I know how to kickflip well, but I always go through this phase trying to kickflip off anything where I'm choosing not to land the trick I know I can land. At that point, it's not a learning process, it's me having to drill into my head "committing is always easier". Saying this to someone learning a new mechanic though can actually deter them from learning. I have a good friend, and no offense to him if he somehow sees this and knows it's him, but I would always get angry in my head and it would keep me from learning a new trick even more when he would tell me "It's because you're not committing" when in fact, I actually am and my body is just going through the process of learning. I'm glad this video seems to be getting a lot of traction and I hope you hit the algorithm. I loved everything you said.
ahh thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video. And kick flipping off of something is a great example too. I think it fits in perfectly with the second half of the video. There are so many ways to start experimenting with confidence building in that situation--makes me want to work on it and experiment haha. And your point of "my body is just going through the process of learning" is so true. Absolutely love that idea! 🙌 Keep learning and shredding!
Ummmm… yeah committing is literally half the battle 🤦🏿♂️🤦🏿♂️
Im glad you posted this, I can kickflip and do all the other basic tricks, yet I can't do a heelflip because I can't commit. I keep telling myself if I can commit to a kickflip I can commit to a heelflip but It doesn't help 😂, I'm gonna get back out there now and try harder.
Also a quote from another TH-camr, "Landing this trick is more important than falling."
Wise words! But sometimes it is a very nonlinear path of muscle memory. That is, working on a skill 500 hours wont make you better! Sometimes just waiting doing something else for some time is what you need
Definitely a long, winding road--typically not exactly how you imagined it haha
You have beautiful hair oh an d ofc ty for advice
Me being scared to jump on the shuvit
“ *so if you’re scared to jump on the shuvit* “
HOW DID YOU KNOW.
Excellent!!
Apllies to everything in life..
I’ve been skating for like 2 and a half years and I still have trouble committing even to the simplest of things and I feel that I need to get over just the feeling I get when I want to try something new which would be fear I guess, but the trouble committing really slows my progress down so I’m just lookin for tips and or advice to help me get over that hurdle. I Appreciate the Support you give to all the other people here including me
love the channel keep up the awesome work
What a nice compilation of your progress over the last 2 1/2 years. And again there is so much you can take away from the video that you have to watch it several times straight away.
Do you actually have harder bushings in your freestyle set up than in your street skateboard set up? I'm building my first freestyle board and I've often heard that you should upgrade to 100a hard bushings.
Thank you for all your work and the wonderful videos.
thank you Daniel! And yes. I do. The bushings in my freestyle trucks are either 98 or 100a doh dohs. Though, there are different brands out there you can use, having harder bushings can help so you don't have to crank your bushings down to the point of squashing and ruining them! 😃
i really hope i can commit to my tircks this year
As someone that took a 30 year break from skating, I can totally relate. I also played guitar and took some time off from that, only to get into both again with a little more " commitment ". I feel like the things I had " locked down" as a kid, I still can lock down, Stuff I was close too or was hit or miss, I still am close, and hit or miss. If I didn't have those things I was good at, I don't think I would continue to try and progress, now into my midlife. I appreciate all of your videos as inspiration, you do some tricks I really aspire to(your caspers and finger flips) You can definitely teach this old dog new tricks, but foundations make the hard learning all that more enjoyable. Thanks again for your commitment.
ah thank you Scott! I'm glad you made it back to skating though. Muscle memory is truly amazing. Glad you had some advantages there--or at least enough to keep you pushing forward. And also, caspers and fingerflips are the best! Once you get them proper, they're just so satisfying. You got it 💪
This is such a good explanation of what actually goes on when you try learning a new trick, top stuff
ah, thank you! 🙏
Hi Sarah, I’m a beginner skateboarder and I am currently working on these skills but I’ve been experiencing a lot of fear:
-Kickturning (ramps/banks)
-Riding off curbs (and higher objects)
-Dropping in (small banks)
Based on this video, here’s my question! How would you break down each of the things I’ve listed into the smallest of steps if you were, for example, learning them for the first time? I'm having a hard time figuring it out. Thank you:)
Welcome to skateboarding! I actually have tutorials on all of these that show my first steps.
For the kickturn. After getting comfortable on flat fround, I would take huge, wide angles with the bottom of the bank! So, your pivot only has to be 15 degrees, not 180 degrees. And I would work up from there. However shallow you can make it.
For curbs, I would start with tail block drops. Placing your tail on the curb and dropping down. Very short manuals. Getting comfortable riding at slightly faster speeds. Faster than you need to clear the curb. You can roll and stop on the edge on your tail. (Visuals in the tutorial I mentioned).
You can also practice dropping in on flatground. I did that first. Getting really good at shifting from the tail to all for wheels. Getting a quick and confident snap down. Again, getting comfortable with the speed associated with rolling down the bank. So, getting on your board at the height you want and riding it down by just stepping up into it.
Those would be my first approaches I think 😃 off the top of my head
THANK YOU!@@SarahParkMatott
Are you rockin the new balance 440 highs?
I was 😃 I still have them. Was skating DKL rubber grip at the time, so they still have a little life left haha
Seriously you learned classical gas to the point of muscle memory that's dope
13 year old Sarah did 😂 she was obsessed haha
Thanks i needed this😣
This is so incredibly helpful.
You articulated something so well that I started thinking when I was learning heelflips but couldn’t really explain.
I had to build up “commitment” in a number of ways. One was doing ghost flips to familiarise myself with the feeling of landing on the board after a flip (kinda like the confidence element you described)
The next was exactly as you said: skill.
I had to train myself to pull my legs up after the flip mentally. In a sort of “flip the board then get your feet over the deck. But don’t even worry about landing, just get the legs up”. I ended up committing to my heelflip after this but it made much more than just making a mental decision, my brain had to become familiar with all the elements of the trick.
(Ironic part though is I lose and regain my heelflips seasonly over the last few months 😅 so time I imagine is also a factor)
Ah, I'm glad you were able to watch the video and make that connection with your recent go at heelflips! I also have seasonal tricks that I get and lose as I practice and stop practicing them haha Luckily, they're usually easier to get back each time 😂 Hope that's the same for you too!
GREAT POINTS!!!!
True, right, and correct! many thanks for the details.
Love your vids sarah...what did you do to your hair? Jeez!!!
Glad you're enjoying the videos 🙌
Brilliant!!!!! totally awesome video. Thank you!!!
happy you liked it Laura! 🙌
you are an educator!
ah, thank you Eric! 🙏
great video! I’m all about baby steps whenever I’m taking on any challenges - haven’t been skating for months and will get back into it soon, thanks for the solid advice
ay, thanks Ashley! Same. Baby steps all day 💯 haha
Beautifully said!🌸❤️
Puedo escucharte por horas.
Thank you so much for all your videos that are nice to watch.
I learn a lot thanks to you.
Have a great day,
Cheers from France ✌
thank you! Cheers from the USA 🙋♀️
I think for me, a big part was also wearing a helmet and pads, getting the feeling and experiences of falling without getting hurt.
Still, every now and than I need to remind myself that I won't die everytime I Slip out for example. So wearing protective gear is like another part of confidence for me
protective gear can definitely help with the confidence side! Certainly helped me too! 😃
I’ve been watching your videos while re-learning skateboarding after 20 years off. Keep up the good work. 🤘
Wow… this was such a good explanation. 😊
ah, happy you thought so 😃
I want to give this a dozen thumbs up!
thank you Michael! 🙏
Wow! That was very helpful. Thanks for sharing your insight. I can’t wait to put this into practice
10:14 that varial flip was way too cool!!!
Ahh thank you 🙈 hopefully I can land some more this summer
Awesome video!!!
Great video!
this is such a great vid!!!!!!!! thank you!!
thanks Will! 🙏
I think the advice to "commit" is valid for tricks you're trying to relearn. Great video.
Yeah Science!
She’s easy to listen to and learn from, smart as they come🤙🏼😎💯
As a guitar playing who is trying to improve my skating, you nailed it 💯
Genius!
Awesome!
You might really enjoy the book Peak, by Anders Ericsson! It focuses on how we learn, and how the brain literally changes to gain new skills (very literally, different areas of the brain will grow larger if we are using them more). The fancy term for this, which you might already be well aware of, is neuroplasticity. I have really felt this in learning to ollie, then shuv, and kickflip… things just happen way too fast for my brain to perceive at first… but over many many hours of practice, and many not-landed attempts, my brain has slowly adapted to being able to tell my body how to move to actually commit to landing these tricks. I guess this is what you call “skill” here, but to me it makes more sense to think of it as something different. It is a very deep understanding, much deeper than an academic understanding, that allows for the brain and body to perform a complex motion and react to many the many variables almost instantaneously.
Also… awesome job on the varial flip! I would love to hear more about what you found helpful for figuring out that trick.
yes! neuroplasticity! 😃 I did some light dives into the neuroscience of learning a few years ago. I had a long commute and needed plenty of audiobooks for it haha And the concepts probably helped me be a bit more patient with my own learning. But, I'll definitely add that book to my queue. I love this stuff. Glad you made those connections as well.
And while I'd love to say I learned it, I simply landed it a couple times. Exactly what I did in the video got me there. I mostly played with flick direction and timing. That and the shove it were the most important for me. But right now, I'm actually really drilling the basic shove it again, so hopefully when I come back better with that, it'll be easier to actually learn!
This video made me realize a lot about my own skating thank you 🙏