Balancing on a skateboard can be difficult, but it’s not impossible.
Whether you’re just getting started or trying to improve your skills, learning some key tips will help you learn how to balance and maintain control of your board.
Here’s how you can learn to balance better when you stand on your skateboard.
Table of Contents
How to Balance on a Skateboard
In order to balance on a skateboard, you must have proper form established first, and then you will be able to practice in a standstill position. Once you have mastered this position, you can practice balancing pushing off in a straight direction, and then, finally, making turns.
Make Sure Your Stance Is Good
The first step to getting your balance on a skateboard is to make sure your stance is correct.
Your feet should be set at a 60-degree angle on the board, and they shouldn’t touch each other. Essentially, they should be tilted slightly forward on the board and about shoulder-width apart.
The front of your foot (the toes) should be in line with where the bolts go into the deck or just slightly behind them. I saw your toes because this will make sure you’re on the ball of your feet.
Getting on the ball of your feet helps with balance more than if you were to stand flat-footed.
Bend the knees slightly when you stand on the board to make space for any bumps you happen to hit.
Wear Protective Gear
Anytime you are skateboarding, you need to be wearing protective gear. It’s one of the best ways to stay safe when you’re riding your skateboard.
The protective gear includes:
- Helmets
- Elbow pads
- Knee pads
- Wrist guards
- Gloves
Even Tony Hawk falls on his board when attempting new tricks or when mistakes happen. The truth is, if you are just learning how to balance on a board, you are going to fall A LOT.
So, instead of risking an injury when you really want to be learning more, use some protective gear and you can keep on riding even if you do take a spill.
Balance at a Standstill
The best way to get your stance going is by putting your board on some grass or carpet.
You don’t have the chance of falling off nearly as much if the board isn’t moving.
Just because the board isn’t moving forward or backward, doesn’t mean it just stays still.
Your skateboard has a little flex in it to move side to side, which really helps when you’re turning. So, when you balance while it’s standing still, you can shift your feet forward and backward to try testing your balance.
It’s a great practice to do, but you don’t want to overdo it because the board could easily break. The tighter the trucks are on your board, the harder it will be to move them side to side.
Practice Balance on a Moving Skateboard
You’ve got your stance perfected and you’ve practiced tilting your board and balancing while standing still.
Now you’re ready to balance on the board while it’s moving.
When learning how to balance on your skateboard, start by pushing yourself slowly forward with the foot that is in the back position while your front foot stays where it is.
You might feel like you’re going to fall off at first, but you’ll find out that your feet and ankles will naturally move over the board as it leans away from them.
This is a way for your body to compensate for what’s happening with the skateboard due to physics.
You’ll become more stable the faster that you go. It’s a good idea to start off slowly and work your way up until you can easily balance on the board as it goes at full speed.
When you start, try going in a straight direction. You don’t want messing with taking turns too early.
Make sure there’s a long enough surface for you to push off and then move both feet back on the board.
Try Turning On The Board
Once you learn how to head straight without any problems you can start adding some turns into the mix.
Just lean in the direction you’re going after you have pushed off and have both feet back on the board.
Start by making some very gradual turns. Of course, you’ll need a large enough surface to be able to make some large turns.
Parking lots usually work best.
When you turn, you’ll notice the board and your feet shift one way while your body compensates and balances the other way.
It makes it pretty hard to turn really fast in any direction because that’s not how the board was made.
What you can do to get some faster turns is slightly push down on your back feet near the bend in the board. This will raise the front of the board and for a second you’ll be resting on two wheels instead of four.
At the moment the front end is in the air, you can shift it in any direction you want.
This is how you’ll get really good at balancing on your board while turning.
Frequently Asked Questions about How to Balance on a Skateboard
Does Skateboarding Need Balance?
Skateboarding requires a great deal of balance in order to ride without falling. Because the board does not have any breaks, you must always be balancing yourself while riding.
If You Start to Lose Balance, What’s The Best Thing To Do?
Start by lowering yourself closer to the ground. As you lower yourself, you are also lowering your center of gravity which could help you regain balance. If it does not help, you will at least be falling from a shorter distance than if you were standing upright.
Balancing on Your Skateboard
When you’re just learning how to balance on your board you need to take it slow and easy. Try just getting a good stance on solid ground first.
Then, work your way to moving in a straight direction, and finally, try your luck at turning. Just make sure you have protective gear on at all times.