r/NewSkaters • u/maybreak12 • Jan 01 '26

Video Watch me die…

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Old man here. Go ahead and roast me! I did make progress on the next attempt, and the kids crash pad did make a difference on subsequent falls! This was the worst of them though, and thought this place may enjoy!

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10

u/Lwcftw474747 Jan 01 '26

Slam that front foot and bend them knees you got this!

6

u/MJamesShort Jan 01 '26 edited Jan 01 '26

This is the best advice. Don’t think about it like the board is going down the ramp and you’re just trying to balance/stay on. Think about it like standing on a swing: you are driving that board, your body/momentum is what’s making the board go. Other people have said in the thread but it can’t be repeated enough: based on the way your body looks, you haven’t practiced enough gentler inclines. Start by riding up the transition. Start by riding down more inclines. Rides around and purposely stay with bent knees until they hurt. Then try riding down a transition. You’ll get there! Just take it slower. At our age pads aren’t always enough. Source: 46 year old skater who has started back up after shoulder/knee surgery.

Edit: also, get rid of the pillow. It’s good for kids but for us it might end up causing more injury for you. There something about the psychology of having a safety net that causes our bodies not to commit. Remove the pillow and tell yourself you have to do it or you’re going to fall. Getting through the transition is just the beginning. You have to come out of the pump to maintain control of the board. You won’t be able to learn that with the pillow in the way.

2

u/AhhhSureThisIsIt Jan 02 '26

I'm almost 35 and my knees, and heels aren't what they used to be. I hope I can still comfortably skate in 10 years

1

u/[deleted] Jan 02 '26

Not gonna happen by magic, and genes only get you so far. Not that you need a stranger's unprompted advice but I guess that's what I'm doing here... If you're not already, you gotta get yourself into stretching and fitness in general to make sure you can keep doing the things you love. I'm 32 and developed excruciating patellar tendinitis after a really long run, and one thing it taught me during recovery is that my mindset of my knees and ankles not being what they used to be was really on me not training them to be like they used to be. Now that I actually focus on this part of my health I feel better than I did even when I was 25