Beginners - Keep Skating Tricks to Yourself
Friday August 29, 2008
You went to a lot of trouble to learn new entry level aggressive skating tricks, and now you should 
keep them to yourself. This doesn't mean you shouldn't share or show off your newly found knowledge and skills. Your archive of tricks and stunts required solid skating basics, a lot of practice, skills and the use of protective gear. But, even more important is the need for safe places to practice that allow you to skate your best without disrupting pedestrian or vehicle traffic.
Practice and perform stunts in specially designated public or private parks for your safety and the safety of others. Most communities have indoor and outdoor skateparks complete with ramps, rails, pipes, boxes, stairs, pyramids and more trick oriented structures. New street skaters can look for cityscapes that are not in use by the public and areas where skating activities are not prohibited. The good news is that you won't really need to keep your tricks to yourself, because skateparks and suitable low traffic skating architecture attract advanced stunt and extreme skaters who will appreciate your talents and help you develop new skills.
Find Skateparks Around the World: Photo © Chris Johnson, iStockphoto.com
Practice and perform stunts in specially designated public or private parks for your safety and the safety of others. Most communities have indoor and outdoor skateparks complete with ramps, rails, pipes, boxes, stairs, pyramids and more trick oriented structures. New street skaters can look for cityscapes that are not in use by the public and areas where skating activities are not prohibited. The good news is that you won't really need to keep your tricks to yourself, because skateparks and suitable low traffic skating architecture attract advanced stunt and extreme skaters who will appreciate your talents and help you develop new skills.
Find Skateparks Around the World: Photo © Chris Johnson, iStockphoto.com
Comments
People come to about.com to learn things and get information and most people already know that there are places specifically designated for skating and its not your place to tell people where they can and can’t skate. Go force your opinion on people somewhere else
preferrably where they can’t hear you.
Many people who visit the site are not advanced skaters who have already made choices about where to practice or enjoy their sport. Some things presented are here to help newbies stay safe while skating and enjoy the sport without disturbing others.
On the other hand, if you are a pro or advanced skater… or even have a good working game plan for your skating, many of the concepts or opinions presented may not be right for you. Please feel free to ignor any posts that are not in line with your skating style or beliefs.
I agree with long john…..even if your a complete beginner you know where to go to skae…..its common sense! Skate in the streets or skate at a park…..i personaly think skating in the streets is the best…..skate parks charge to much
Wow. What a ridiculous article. You know, I look at the photo of the writer and I immediately give the article no credibility. It’s an older woman that clearly has NO athletic skill. How is anyone supposed to think that this woman has been out there and is speaking from experience.
It’s an outrage that tripe like this is allowed to be published.
It’s like asking Dr. Phil to comment on how to ski the K2. It’s like asking a vet to discuss the national budget or having the Beatles write a disco song. It’s asinine.
About.com… get a clue. Get people to write articles that have relevance.
Yeah, I agree with Guy Man Dude. It’s something that everyone probably thinks but doesn’t have the balls to say it. She does not look athletic at all let alone an aggressive or even fitness inline expert… It would be nice if she tells us how she keeps that figure from inline skating.
I want to apologize to the advanced and pro skaters above who seem to be continuously offended by this article. It was written in response to emails and class inquiries received from lower level skaters looking for simple answers to beginner level questions. Once I get a few, I write about the subject.
I am certainly much older than many readers and no longer an active competitive skater. But I am still an active coach, judge and referee for USARS. I still wear skates 5-7 days per week while teaching classes and private lessons for skaters aged 3 to 70 – but there is nothing more than low, single rotation jumps once in a while for this old bird. Some of my figure skaters have doubles and triples, though. Most of my skaters who have been with me for more than three seasons are much better skaters than I am today. They come to me for information and direction, not to see me skate an exhibition, thank goodness.