Fear in skateboarding is very common among the skateboarders. Fear of falling hinders them to be a great skateboarders. Though it is true that fear protect us from accidentally killing ourselves. Several doctors and sports physiologist gave advices about how to overcome fear in skateboarding.
Conquering your fear is one of the main part of skateboarding. Managing a small plank of wood is not easy. Accidents can happen at any time. This fear indeed makes us fearful of skateboarding but does not help to overcome it.
The main thing is you must conquer your phobia of skateboarding at first.
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Why am I scared of skateboarding?
The fear of skateboarding sometimes comes from your inner pushing to learn skateboarding too fast. May be you bought a new skateboard and start to jumping and landing swiftly. It may cause accident and you are scared. Take your time and learn at first with your own speed.
Do not get upset if you fall several times. Actually, falling helps you to be confident in skateboarding. Every time you fall, you will find your mistakes and can do better.
Choose better skateboards with the specifications fit you. You can manage it properly. So, the chance of injury decreased and you can get rid of fear in skateboarding.
Some tips to overcome the fear in skateboarding
The only way to overcome your fear in skateboarding is by making sure that you are ready for skateboarding. Only you know how much you are prepared mentally and physically. Hence you can follow some tips to manage your fear.
1. Learn the Basics
At first, make sure that you know well the basics of skateboarding. Many skateboarders skip the basic learning and go straight to practice ollies and kickflips. This a very big mistake. You will never be acquainting with the natures of your board if you do not manage it properly. In the long run, you need a long time to control the board appropriately.
2. Take Time
Take enough time. Increase your speed slowly. If you are in a hurry then severe accident may happen.
3. Don’t ignore the Fear… Use it!
Fear in riding is normal. Do not ignore it. You will not be a good skateboarder being overconfident. Ask yourself whether you are ready. Never ignore your fear but use it as a tool to overcome your fear.
4. Believe in yourself!
Just believe in yourself. Keep in mind always that you can do it if you know well the basics and practice hard. Do not afraid much of being wounded. It does not hurt badly all the time. The more you ride carefully the less the injury.
5. Take it Slow
Learn the tricks of skateboarding slowly. There are many tricks required for the movements. Choose a tricks that seems easier to you. Try again and again to master it.
6. Be careful about the fall.
Follow the tips of how to fall carefully. Choose the ways you prefer to fall. It helps a lot to overcome your fear. In the very beginning of your skateboarding, you can land on the grass. If you are afraid of being injured on the hard surface then this trick will surely help you. You can overcome your fear gradually when you know well about landing. If you wear knee pads and wrist guard, you can slide on your hand and knees. If you do not wear these try to roll.
7. Try to control your legs one by one.
If you are afraid of placing both your feet on the deck, just place only one foot. Placing both feet on the deck is known as chicken foot. Try to place sometimes your right foot and sometimes left one. When you can control both feet separately then gradually you can place both feet while landing.
8. Take mental preparation first.
Another outstanding trick is visualizing the tricks in your head. It will help you to follow the steps properly. You can focus on your every steps clearly.
9. Be Positive
Excessive fear can make you frustrated. You may get mad for being scared. Try to be confident. Think always that you can do.
10. Use Protective Gears
Protective gears like knee pads, wrist guards etc. protects you of getting much injured. It gains your confidence too. But, being overconfidence leads a skateboarder to the emergency room sometimes.
11. Don’t Overthink it!
You should be careful of your frightened but do not overthink about it. Overthinking of fear obstacles you to step forward. When you overthink of fear your brain and muscles deny to jump. As a result, you will never be a skateboarder.
12. Be patient
All we know that none can land properly at the very beginning. You will fail over and over again until you get success.
13. Watch Videos
There are a lot of videos now-a-days. They show the techniques to land properly. They explain sometimes the science behind landing. Though watching video does not make you a skateboarder. You just watch them to keep in mind the tricks. While landing on the ground memorize the events they showed in the videos. These tricks will help you a lot.
14. Take help from others.
You need a lot of time if you only practice yourself. Try to practice with your dear one who can help you telling your good or bad performance. You can ask for advices to him without hesitation.
15. Don’t get frustrated!
Never look others’ performances when you have fear in mind. Their good performance will make you more frustrated. Just look at yourself. Keep in mind that no one can reach the top without trying more and more. Looking others’ performances is nothing but waste of time.
16. Don’t mind others!
Many new skateboarders afraid of skateboarding in public. They feel shy whether people comment negative. You have to think that everyone passed this situation. People who never skate they are different. They pass comment without knowing anything about skateboarding. Just ignore them and focus on your landing.
Conclusion…
In the final word we can say that fear in skateboarding is very common. You should never ignore it. Rather value it. Your fear leads you to the success. Your fear makes you conscious. Try your best again and again being aware of the issues you fear while riding.
Ignore the comment of others. You skate only for you, not for others. So if you are confident then others comments do no harm to you.
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