All About Skateboarding

Skateboarding is one heck of a craze, especially for the young ones. A recent
study estimated that over twelve million people all over the world is involved
in skateboarding, and more than one-third of all skateboarders are 18 years old
or younger.

Skateboarding is technically defined as an activity wherein one interacts with
a skateboard. A skateboard is a platform with wheels which was originally
conceptualized during the 1950s where skateboarding became a pastime for
surfers when the waves in the seas were too low.

During those days, surfers disassembled roller skates and took the wheels and
attached them into wooden planks. This idea evolved from the use of what they
called the crate scooters, which was basically a transportation and a pastime
equipment made from a wooden crate that is attached to some kind of handle bars.

In the 1960s, skateboarding started to become a craze. Manufacturers sold
millions of skateboards which literally resembled surfboards. They marketed
skateboards back then as an alternative to surfing. In the 1970s, skateboarding
took a more serious turn as the materials for the skateboards were upgraded from
wood to more durable and flexible materials. Today, the skateboard is far better
than ever before, as millions of dollars flow into researching the best
materials and designs to be used in producing them.

Skateboarding is such an enjoyable and a challenging activity at the same time.
Some people use skateboards as a means of transportation. It is a relatively
practical way of getting around town because skateboards are so cheap and small
as compared to bikes and scooters. One can buy a skateboard at a ridiculously
low price, even a kid can buy one from his allowance savings.

Some people see skateboarding as a serious sport which entails lots of skills
and talent. Several international competitions such as the X Games provide
venues wherein the best skateboarders in the world can show their stuff.
Skateboarding can be easy, but when it comes to executing tricks and stunts,
it's a whole different world all together. One needs the proper training and
experience to be able to pull some tricks off.

If we look deeper into the world of skateboarding, it is definitely more than
just a pastime or a sport, there is a culture that seemingly comes along
skateboarding. Back in the olden days, skateboarding was primarily associated
with the "rebel" culture. Skateboarders were often given the image of being
dregs and rebels. However, as time passes by, skateboarding has been considered
as a serious activity rather than a manifestation of rebellious angst.

Learning how to skateboard is usually done in the streets. Most of the
successful skateboarders that we have today began their careers spending
countless hours of practice on the streets. It's not that they want to get good
at skateboarding, it's just they enjoy being doing their thing.

If you, or someone whom you know is interested in skateboarding, there's really
nothing wrong with trying it out. However, there are some serous precautions
that need to be taken before engaging in the activity. Having the right
protection such as helmets, elbow and knee pads are a must when skateboarding.
They may look a little bit bulky, but they will prevent one from having serious
injuries in skateboarding. The dangers of the activity are real and should not
be taken for granted.

Knowing the Basics: Skateboarding

Skateboarding is an easy and fun way to get some exercise, meet a lot of
people, and in some sense, to look cool. Some may view it as a fairly risky
activity, but a lot of youngster would still prefer to get into it because of
its benefits. Majority of skateboarders in the world are 18 and under and this
translates to around 10 million young skaters worldwide.

If you are someone who is interested in skateboarding, then read along for some
basic guidance on how to start.

Protective Gears

The first things should always come first. Before you go ahead and try to do
some stuff using a skateboard, you need to have some protective gears with you.
A helmet, a couple of elbow pads and knee pads should do the job. You can borrow
some gear from your friends if you are not sure if you'll push through with
skateboarding on the long run, just make sure that they would fit properly on
you.

A lot of kids today disregard the fact that safety is a real issue in
skateboarding. They think that wearing protective pads and helmets don't look
cool and so they skate without them but suffering from grave injuries from
skateboarding is not so either, huh?

Meet your new friend: your skateboard

After putting on your protective gear, the next thing that you need to do is to
get acquainted with your skateboard. Skateboards come in different sizes and
designs. It is advisable that you borrow a skateboard first so that you can
assess what kind of skateboard you would like to have in the future.

Before you hit the streets with your skateboard, you must find some time to be
able to get properly acquainted with it. You should try standing, jumping and
moving your feet on the skateboard for some time before you actually make any
movements. This will prevent you from being too surprised with the "feel" of
the skateboard.

Stance

Another important thing that you need to do before you start skateboarding is
to determine your stance. If you like the feel of having your left foot
forward, then do so, otherwise, put your right foot in front. You can determine
which foot goes where by kicking a ball. If you kick a ball with your right,
then you should put your right foot at the back of the board and vice versa.

Movement

You already know your preferred stance on the skateboard, what do you do next?
You push your back foot to get some movement going on. Remember to relax your
body while you start off and bend your knees if you have to. The first
movements may feel a little bit weird but you'll definitely get the hang of it.

Please try to do your initial practice in a place where you have ample space
and little disturbance such as vehicles and people. A flat surface is also
preferable than sloped ones.

Halt!

Another basic thing that you need to know is how to stop. There are different
kinds of methods used for stopping a skateboard, however, we would recommend
the use of the back foot to stop to stop the movement for beginners. All you
have to do is to get your back foot on the ground and use the friction to stop
your skateboard.

These are some of the basic things that beginner skateboarders need to master
before they get to the tricks and the stunts. Always remember that safety comes
first, and that building sound fundamentals is one's best weapon to avoid
accidents while skateboarding. Enjoy!

4 Skateboarding Tricks -- and Tips -- to Add to Your Repertoire

If you're bored with the usual turns, jumps, and tricks that belong to the
beginner level, and you feel that you're ready to put your skills to the test,
here are 4 skateboarding tricks -- and tips on how to do them -- to add to your
repertoire:

Skateboarding Trick #1 -- Bomb Drop This is a popular skateboarding trick
that's commonly performed by skateboarders although they do find a way into
professional competitions as well. Basically, the bomb drop is an alternative
to an ollie when tackling a drop or a flight of stairs. With a bomb drop, what
you do instead is jumping with the board on your hands first then getting it to
your feet when you're in mid-air.

Obviously, this is not the safest skateboarding trick to practice so start with
a place that hasn't too much height. Secondly, wear the necessary protective
gear. Thirdly, practice your hand and feet coordination skills; you're usually
given a split second alone to get your board from your hands and to your feet.

Skateboarding Trick #2 -- Boneless One

This one has been around for a long time already and at present have numerous
variations already. With this skateboarding trick, you start by taking the
skateboard off your feet just as you get off it as well. Afterwards, you jump
with just one foot then ending by returning the skateboard to its original
position (under your feet) as you make a perfect landing.

Although it sounds complicated, this skateboarding trick is not that difficult
to accomplish as long as you're willing to practice it frequently. The ease of
doing this skateboarding trick may have, in fact, contributed to its fading
appeal to skateboarders, especially those belonging to the younger generations.
Nevertheless, having an old skateboarding trick such as this under your belt is
always handy to carry around because you'll never know when you might need to
include it in your exhibition!

Skateboarding Trick #3 -- Coffin Although the term used for this trick sounds a
bit terrifying, it is once again a simple trick to perform although it's
definitely a step or two higher than the basic turns and curves that you've
mastered while you were practicing at the beginner level.

To start with, increase your speed while skateboarding. Secondly, position your
body at the skateboard's front area. Thirdly, take a seat at the middle of your
skateboard by bending your knees and taking hold of your skateboard's sides.
Use both hands of course. Finally, lean back then lie prostrate on your
skateboard as if you were on a coffin. Voila! Skateboarding trick accomplished!

Skateboarding Trick #4 -- Firecracker Light the streets up with this
entertaining skateboarding trick! Just like setting up and getting ready for
fireworks, however, you need careful planning and precision when performing
this particular trick. This fire cracking skateboarding trick involves a flight
of stairs and you going downhill once more. As you go down, you can increase
your speed by deliberately letting the end of your skateboard slap against each
step. This slap is of course equivalent to the cracking sound of firecrackers.
It won't work effectively however if you can't ensure that the sounds resemble
the continuous burst of fire from firecrackers. Consistency and constancy,
therefore, are the key elements to getting this trick right.

There are of course more skateboarding tricks for you to learn from but for
now, start with these four. Master them before skateboarding to the next level!

Do You Know Your Skateboarding Tricks?

Skateboarding is one of the many sports that involve displays of skill and
expertise. It is essential to know a skateboarding trick or another to be
considered a real skateboarder. Many skateboarding tricks have been developed
through all the time people have been skateboarding. Here are just some of the
most popular tricks:

1. Aerials -- also known as airs, these general kinds of tricks are typically
done on quarter pipes, pools or half pipes where vertical walls with
transitions are available. Aerials are usually combined with other tricks such
as grabs and rotations. Among the most popular subtypes of aerials would be the
540, 720, 900, Benihana, Body Jar, Caballerial, Christ Air, Finger Flip air, Gay
Twist, Gnar Jar, Judo Air, Lien Air, Madonna, McTwist, Samba Flip, Sean Penn,
Sloth Air, Stalefish, Rocket Air, and Method Air.

2. Ollie -- this is known as the father of skateboarding tricks because most
tricks are derived from this. Invented by and named after Alan "Ollie" Gelfand,
this trick involves getting on air without grabbing the skateboard but instead
by stomping or popping the posterior end of the board. Variations of the Ollie
involve the Nollie, switch Ollie, Fakie Ollie, Power Ollie, Boned Ollie, Ollie
North, and Pressure.

3. The Flip -- as its name suggests, the flip is a skateboarding trick that
involves the flipping or spinning of the board in the air. This trick was
originally developed by Rodney Mullen, who then called it the Magic Flip. Among
the most popular variations of the flip are the heelflip, kickflip, Casper Flip,
Anti-Casper Flip, Backside Flip, Big Spin, Cab Flip, Disco Kickflip, Ghetto
Bird, Hardflip, Hospital Flip, Impossible, Late Flip, Mother Flip, Pop
Shove-it, Sal Flip, Salabanzi, Sex Change and the Scissor Flip.

4. The Grab -- as these tricks are named, grabs involve holding the skateboard,
usually during aerials. Grabs are quite useful in keeping the skateboarder on
the board during in mid-flight. Examples of grabs are the Airwalk grab,
Backside grab, cannonball grab, Crail grab, Christ Air, Early grab, Frontside
grab, Gorilla grab, Indy grab, Japan grab, Melon grab, Mosquito grab, Nose
grab, Roast Beef, Seatbelt grab, Tail grab and the Tucknee.

5. The Grind -- this is a kind of trick where a skateboarder would hide on
hangers of the skateboard truck. This trick can be done on any smooth object
where the truck can slide. Some of the variations of the grind are the Barley
grind, Crooked grind, Darkslide, Fandangle, Freeble grind, Gurl grind,
Hurricane, Losi grind, Nosegrind, Novacaine, Overcrook grind, Pole Jam, Salad
grind, Smith grind, Sugarcane, Suski grind, Willy Grind, and Csmit grind.

6. The Slide -- sliding is somewhat like the grind, but instead of gliding
through the trick, this involves gliding using the board itself. Some important
slides are the Bertlemann slide, Bluntslide, Boardslide, Booger slide, Crail
slide, Ces slide, Darkslide, Lipslide, Noselide, Powerslide, and the Tailslide.

7. Lip Tricks -- this skateboarding trick is done on mini ramps, quarterpipes,
and half pipes. They are called so because they need to balance on ramp lips.
Notable lip tricks are the Andrecht Invert, Axle stall, Blunt, Disaster, Egg
Plant, Fakie-Bonk-off, Frontside Invert, Good Buddy, Ho-Ho, New Deal, Nose
pick, Nose stall, Pivot, Pogo, Rock and Roll, Smithvert, Tail Stall, Staple
Gun, Stelmasky Plant, Sweeper, Tail Block, Tucknee Invert, and the Woolly
Mammoth.

There are many other skateboarding tricks out there, and many others are still
being developed. To now more about skateboarding tricks, you can read the
leading skateboarding magazines or ask a skateboarding expert.

Skateboarding Games

Skateboarding has become so popular to the young at heart since its birth in
the 1950s. It has conquered all of the country's streets and parks. Its
popularity doesn't stop there, it is currently making a buzz in the gaming
industry as several skateboarding games make their way to the hearts of
millions.

Skateboarding, as we all know, is not for everyone. It requires some level of
physical capability to be able to engage in the said activity. The good thing
about having all of these skateboarding games is that everyone can enjoy in the
wonderful world of skateboarding.

Skateboarding Card Games

When we talk about skateboarding games, these are not limited to virtual games
such as those which are offered by gaming consoles. A popular game today
amongst skateboarding enthusiasts is "Stoked" which is basically a game of
trading cards. Just like any other trading card game, it has a story behind it.
The story has a futuristic plot. The area that we know now as South California
is referred to in the story as "Sociala" which is a peaceful and quite place.
But as we all know, in all societies, there are taboos and deviants. The
skateboarders, as represented by the players themselves are these deviants. As
you play the game, you acquire new skills and learn new tricks.

It's really quite and addictive game. But perhaps the best aspect of this game
is the visual artwork that was done with the card. The awesome drawings and
portrayals make the purchase of several decks of this card game all worth it.

Skateboarding Video Games

Video games have gone to conquer the world. The United States markets are the
largest video game markets in the world. It is a multi-billion dollar industry
that is also being invaded by skateboarding.

One of the most popular skaters is Tony Hawk, and coincidentally, he has become
a household name for video games. Multiple skateboarding games has been released
under his name because of his popularity. A company named Activision released
the first Tony Hawk-based video game back in 1999. After its successful
release, around less than ten Hawk-based games were released.

Online Skateboarding Games

The Internet has become a main portal by which people can have access to
information and of course, fun. On-line skateboarding games have gained much
popularity because their simplicity makes them so addicting. These are usually
flash games which are intended for people who would like to take a break from
their tasks, but they end up playing these things the whole afternoon. G-Max's
skateboarding game is one of the most popular today. It features cute graphics
and simple game play, however, one can do dozens and dozens of cool tricks with
his skateboarder character.

Skateboarding need not be on the streets, it has found ways to be on different
platforms such as in card decks and video games. It has also stormed the
primary information that is the Internet.

Skateboarding is a widely accepted and appreciated form of sport, recreation
and transportation all over the world. It has captured the hearts of everyone,
even the non-skateboarders. No matter what form it takes, the game of
skateboarding is here to stay. As long as there are skateboarders on the
streets, there will be other forms of the game that will be developed.

Slick and Stylish Skateboarding

When most people think of skateboarding magazines, their thoughts immediately
turn to Thrasher magazine, with it's gritty edges and hardcore presentation.
They envision articles about grunge skateboarders with tattoos and body
piercing spinning their stunts on public streets.

However, the more professional and discriminating skateboarders actually turn
to another publication for their monthly fix on the latest buzz in the
skateboarding community. This magazine is Transworld.

Aside from skateboarding, Transworld's other publications run quite an
impressive gauntlet of offerings of other extreme sports, including
snowboarding, surfing, BMX, and even OffRoad vehicles. All of them follow the
same pattern of excellence that Transworld Skateboarding has set.

Transworld skateboarding offers a very professional approach to it's articles,
presenting facts in an easy manner and giving out tips which are quite simple
to understand and absorb. Other skateboarding publications seem to focus
primarily on mindless bling bling and the use of light shows and radical senses
of humor to get relatively minor points across. Transworld, on the other hand,
maintains a systematic and factual approach to it's articles that appeals to
more mature and professional skateboarders.

It features interviews with the pros, but splits it's focus equally between
questions about the backgrounds of the pros, their lifestyle, and tips or
advice they have to offer aspiring professional skateboarders. Instead of
turning these interviews into simple jamming sessions for the entertainment of
the interviewee's fanboys, the staff of Transworld actually tries to get as
much useful information as possible from the pros to help other skaters.

Transworld also covers every major skateboarding competition and event with an
article, not letting any of the big ones slip though their fingers. Their
writers give descriptive, blow by blow accounts of each of these events, and
give greater focus on highlights of the events, like crucial turning points in
competitions that gave the edge to the winners, or especially impressive stunts
pulled off by people during a demo.

They also do feature articles on the latest cutting edge of skateboarding tech,
with buyer's guides showing the hottest new equipment as well as special feature
articles that cover radical new tech entries into the field of skateboarding.
The information for most of these tech articles are usually taken straight from
the manufacturers themselves.

It isn't all seriousness and numbers, of course. Most of these articles, while
written with an emphasis on fact, still retain enough wisecracks and kidding
around to keep the readers entertained. Still, given that the staff of
transworld tends to cater to a more mature audience of skateboarders, the type
of humor generally displayed tends towards the dry and witty, as opposed to the
more common and brain dead slapstick approach.

Transworld Skateboarding's primary goal is to further the expansion and support
of the world skateboarding community by keeping the heart of the sport alive in
it's participants, as well as being enticing and understandable enough that it
can also attract those who don't know anything about it into the sport. All of
it's otherpublications follow the same theme.

By and large Transworld's magazines have been contributing admirably to the
growth and development of every sport that they feature, not only by giving the
readers better information, but by actually setting an example for a higher
standard of maturity and professionalism while maintaining a good degree of fun
factor.

Why Make Your Own Skateboarding Video?

Skateboard pro shops around the world are replete with skateboarding videos of
famous skateboard champions. These videos are the best means of passing the
knowledge about techniques and tricks in the sport. Oftentimes in the form of a
series and sometimes collaboration between two or more skateboarding masters, a
skateboarding video is a fountain of hope for new skateboard hobbyists to
become skillful thrashers themselves.

As a compilation or a team-up between respected skateboard artists, a
skateboarding video provides lessons and advice that can not be drawn from
reading ordinary how-to books. Skateboarding videos work far more effective
than books as instructional materials because the former can be easily
comprehended by showing the moves and tricks as they are being played over and
over again. Anyone who is interested in skateboarding can quickly learn tricks,
from basic to daredevil moves, by simply watching the videos.

Through the convenience of skateboarding videos, fundamental and advanced
tricks can be broken up and analyzed into easier sub-steps and sub-techniques.
Truly, a skateboarding video is indispensable for your dream of becoming an ace
skateboarder; without you going thru years of learning by trial and error!

But skateboarding videos are not just for masters and professionals. Anybody
who has a fresh and extraordinary skateboard move can share to the world such
ability by making a personal skateboarding video. If you have your very own
skateboarding video, the chances that skateboarding enthusiasts will recognize
you will be higher; and when this happens, it might not be long for
skateboarding companies to bankroll and promote your feats. A quality
skateboarding video will be your stepping stone as you go up the world of
skateboarding.

If you want other people and big companies sponsoring skateboarding as a sport
to notice your talents as a thrasher, you can try making skateboarding videos
for yourself. Making skateboarding videos can be easy, especially if you have
the determination and the right equipment. Always keep in mind that your video
must be satisfactorily or excellently made. Who knows, the video you make may
be your ticket to skateboarding stardom!

To create your very own skateboarding video, you have to ask help from a friend
to work the video camera and do the filming. It is plain impossible for you to
handle the video camera as you do your stuff. A fellow thrasher, if possible,
would be great as cameraman as he will know all the important moves and angles
that needed to be included in the video.

Now that you have your cameraman, you need to consider the location for your
skateboarding video. A good skateboarding video is shot in a variety of
locations. From sidewalks to skateboarding ramps, an assortment of settings for
different scenes in your skateboarding video will surely keep viewers hooked on
it.

Above all, do not forget to perform amazing tricks for your video. Potential
sponsors and ordinary viewers of skateboarding videos want attention --
grabbing and uniquely amusing stunts on the deck of your skateboard. Therefore,
your video should showcase your skateboarding skills.

Remember to keep your skateboarding video concise. Summarize it in such a way
that only the greatest parts are shown. Edit out the scenes where you fell to
the ground face first or the part where you broke your ankles; unless you are
trying to be the world's most daring skateboarding clown. Even so, make sure
that your video is still full of cool and dazzling skateboard moves to keep
your viewers interested.

Skateboarding and Surfing -- Two Cool Activities that are Worlds Apart

Skateboarding and surfing are two activities that can be equally fun and
exciting. The two sports are based on very similar tools -- boards. However the
similarity between the two pastimes ends there since skateboarding and surfing
are very much different from each other. If you are not convinced, then you
definitely have to read on.

Skateboarding and Surfing Defined

Skateboarding is basically the process of rolling or moving by riding on a
skateboard. With surfing, on the other hand, a person also moves while riding a
board, but the movement is induced by a breaking wave. So from the very
definition of the two hobbies, you can already see that they are quite
different from the other. First of all, one is performed on land, while the
other is performed on the surface of a body of water. Next, the mechanics of
movement in the two are very different as one uses wheels and the other uses
waves.

Skateboarding can also be considered a means of transportation, apart from
being a sport or a hobby. Many people, kids in particular, can travel using
skateboards, especially for short distances. Meanwhile, surfing is not usually
considered as a way for traveling as it is only thought of as a hobby and a
sport. Even people living along shores cannot travel considerable distances
using a surfboard.

History of Surfing and Skateboarding

Although the origin of surfing has not yet been established, the earliest
record of surfing traces back to the 1770s when Captain Cook witness people in
Hawaii riding boards on the waves. Skateboarding, on the other hand is a fairly
new sport and thus its origins are still very much remembered. Skateboarding was
invented around the 1950s, when surfing was also becoming popular in the western
world. Some say that skateboarding evolved from surfing, which is probably why
it was called sidewalk surfing during its infancy.

Surfing and Skateboarding in the form the people of today know, grew popular in
parallel times. Their development can thus be thought of as simultaneous.
However, the tradition of surfing is more deeply rooted due to the fact that it
has been existing for centuries. Nevertheless both sports are continuing to grow
in the coming years.

Equipment for Surfing and Skateboarding

As mentioned, the boards used for surfing and skateboarding are very different.
Surfing uses surfboards, wave skis, surf mats, kneeboards, and body boards.
Boards used for surfing originally used wood, and were thus quite heavy.
Eventually, surfers looked for lightweight materials so that they can easily
bring around their boards, which is more difficult considering that they do not
have wheels. Most surfboards nowadays are made of polyurethane foam, which is
quite sturdy but very light.

In skateboarding, skateboards are obviously used. The original skateboards were
reminiscent to surfboards in the sense that they were not concave, albeit having
wheels. Like surfboards, the old skateboards were made of wood, and eventually
of plastic. Nowadays, most skateboards are made of composite fiber and their
wheels are made of clay composite or polyurethane.

Surfing and skateboarding are obviously two different sports. However the most
important commonality between the two apart from their histories is the fun and
excitement the both can potentially bring and the likelihood for both of them to
stay popular in the years to come.

Choosing the Right Skateboarding Shoes for a Great and Safe Skateboard
Experience

Skateboarding is one of the most popular pastimes in America. Several decades
have already passed and it seems that this activity, which was just once a fad,
will never lose its popularity. While skateboarding is indeed fun and exciting,
it is not devoid of hazards as any pursuit that involves wheels. Special
precautions must be made when riding the skateboard and one of the most
important things to do is to wear an appropriate pair of skateboarding shoes.

Skateboarding seems to be a very uncomplicated pastime because practically one
just needs a skateboard and a paved surface to go about it. For safety,
skateboarders are required to wear helmets, knee pads, and elbow pads. But that
is not actually enough because one also has to protect a very important part of
the body used in skateboarding -- the feet. This is where skateboarding shoes
come into the picture.

Usually, people would think that any sport shoes would do for skateboarding.
However, this is not true. While regular sneakers may seem to work, they might
not be able to provide the right protection and maneuverability that
skateboarding shoes can offer. And it is not enough to just get the next pair
of skateboarding shoes you see off the rack. You have to be careful about
buying new skateboarding shoes.

When buying skateboarding shoes you have to look at four important things: the
ability of the shoes to give protection, the shoelaces, comfort, and grip.

Protection Features -- The most essential role of skateboarding shoes is
protecting the skateboarder. Being protective, the shoes simply have to be
durable and flexible enough to withstand the rigors of skateboarding. Good
skateboarding shoes should have Ollie protection to allow the rider to do those
backbreaking tricks. Moreover an excellent pair of skateboarding shoes should
have great coverage of Ollie protection, preferably the a large bulk of the toe
area, if not the whole area entirely and nothing less.

Shoelaces -- skateboarding shoes need special laces that do not easily fall
apart especially when subjected to pressure. Normal shoelaces would easily rip
off after just a few hours of skateboarding, especially for advanced
skateboarders. Thus skateboarding shoes should have laces made of more durable
materials than other kinds of shoes. Also, it is also better if the
skateboarding shoes have laces that are arranged inside to avoid any accidental
tripping due to lose laces.

Comfort -- just like any kind of shoes, skateboarding shoes should be
comfortable for the wearer, otherwise, it will be difficult to be wearing them
for long periods. Uncomfortable shoes may cause sores or blisters when worn
during skateboarding for over two hours. Uncomfortable shoes may also make it
difficult, if not impossible to do certain tricks during skateboarding.

Grip -- last, but not the last, skateboarding shoes should be able to have
strong grip on the surface of the skateboard. Shoes that do not have enough
gripping power might cause the rider to slip off the board accidentally. The
soles should be made of materials with good gripping capacity. Experts
recommend skateboarding shoes with soles that are made of gum.

Skateboarding shoes are indispensable in skateboarding. They provide
protection, security, comfort and grip during the most difficult rides. It is
important to pay much attention when buying skateboarding shoes in order to get
the right one.

A Look into Professional Skateboarding

Skateboarding has become one of the most popular activities of the youth
nowadays. It has evolved from being just a rebellious activity back in its
older days to a fully-blown extreme sport that it is today.

According to recent statistics, there are over twelve million skateboarders
worldwide and more than 80 percent of these skateboarders are under 18 years
old. It has touched the younger markets quite well and has a firm grip on them.
Some of these skateboarders skate as a hobby or as a means of transportation,
but very few of these skaters go on into the big leagues to become a
professional skateboarder.

The industry of skateboarding is a big one. Armed with a huge market,
skateboarding has become a multi-billion dollar industry. The mere fact that it
is very popular with the young generations and getting into skateboarding is
quite easy, there is a lot of money to be made from selling products,
advertising and events organizing.

What does being a professional skateboarder exactly mean? Well, as in any other
sport, going professional means using the sport as a means to earn money. If you
get paid for your skateboarding abilities and skills, then you are a pro
skateboarder.

Many of the great skateboarders such as Reese Forbes, Kareem Campbell and Ron
Bertino began their careers from humble beginnings. The dynamics of
commercialism really gives the much needed financial value to the sport that is
skateboarding. But, how does one earn from skateboarding?

One popular way of earning from skateboarding, as many people would see it, is
to join and win skateboarding tournaments. Yes, indeed, there is some money to
be made from regularly joining these tournaments and these tournaments provide
avenues for skateboarders to be recognized, but in reality, the real money in
professional skateboarding does not lie in winning tournaments. The bulk of the
money comes from deals arising from the endorsements of skateboarding products.

The journey of a professional skateboarder would start in the streets, where he
would take endless attempts to do new tricks and perform new stunts. These
tricks and stunts are to be displayed in tournaments which the different
sponsors are carefully keeping an eye on. If a certain company sees a
skateboarder with much talent and has a promising career, they would give him
free stuff for him to use. This move is also advantageous for the company since
the skateboarder will sort of "endorse" their products. When a skateboarder has
become a crowd favorite and catches the attention of everyone, then talks are
usually made for endorsement deals, and the money will come in.

Skateboarding shoes and other apparels are the real cash cows in the
skateboarding industry and not the skateboards themselves. Actually, other shoe
lines have suffered losses because of the rise in popularity of "urban" shoes
which cater to the lifestyle of skateboarders.

If you really love the sport that is skateboarding, you'd probably dreaming of
being a professional skateboarder someday. There's no harm in dreaming such
things since being a professional skateboarder can really bring in lots of
benefits. Going pro can bring things like money and fame into the table, but at
the end of the day, what really matters is that you enjoy what you are doing.

Myspace Layout Ideas for Skateboarders

Myspace.com has made some serious waves on the internet, offering thousands of
people their own free sites where they can keep in touch with old buddies, find
new friends, tell other people about themselves, and pretty much write the
stories of their own lives.

Myspace has got areas for people in general just looking to meet new faces and
exchange thoughts with others, but it also has its own little communities where
people who have similar hobbies and interests can sit together and jam on
forums. Some of the niche groups in myspace, for example, deal with
skateboarding, and a lot of passionate skateboarders worldwide have joined
myspace to meet with others of like hearts and minds.

If you're a dedicated skateboarder and want to get in touch with your kindred
spirits then try your hand at making your own entry at Myspace.com. Designing
your own space is easy -- there are dozens of reliable sources online where you
can download codes, layouts, graphics, and music to spice up your personal page.
Some of these are even dedicated to providing skateboarders with some good
layouts for their myspace page.

However as any artist knows, just having the stuff to work with isn't enough.
You have to get creative and put your soul into something if you want people to
stand up and take notice. Here are a few tips I mugged from friends who not only
skateboard but do other stuff like music and graphics design. Maybe these
examples will help you out, and spark your creative juices too.

Graphic Ideas -- a webpage without graphics is a cake without icing, cherries,
and chocolate flakes. Just plain boring. Whether it's a picture of you and your
girl set as the background, a splash of your favorite movie or anime character,
or a photo of your beloved skateboard, your opening page has got to tell people
who you are at a glance. As an example of creativity, one of my friends in the
karate club used a picture for his background where he was the victim of a kick
that literally sent him off the ground. Painful, but amusing to see. Another of
my buddies did a self portrait charcoal sketch and scanned it for his space. If
you can draw, paint, or do computer graphics you can do a lot in this department.

Music, Baby! -- there's a saying that Life Has a Soundtrack. Aside from the
tunes you stick in your car when driving or in your CD player when you're
ripping on your skateboard, there are those tunes that just seem to play in the
background from somewhere when Wierd Things happen in your life... If you know
what I'm talking about, then this is one area where you can spice up the layout
of your myspace page.

Photo and Video Galleries -- this is where you can start getting funky. Setting
up several photo galleries give people an insight into who you are and what you
do. Some of the stuff I've seen my friends do include the following: Winning
shots of all his skateboarding stunts and competitions, a Bloopers gallery
showing every crash and burn on a board, a Skateboard collection (all of them
personally tricked up and spraypainted with awesome designs), even a Tattoo Art
gallery for one of our gang who skateboards, surfs, and owns a tattoo parlor
down in the beach.

Blog your Stuff -- lastly, this is the modern version of those cheesy
leatherbound diaries we see distinguished gentlemen and genteel ladies use in
those old movies. In the modern age, we blog stuff. Jot your experiences and
ideas here from day to day, and your brain's caffeine level is probably the
only real limit to what you put here. You can rant, you can rave, you can brag
about your latest accomplishments or post questions that your viewers may have
an answer to (or a wisecrack, but them's the breaks!). Some layouts for myspace
also allow you to set up surveys for your friends to answer when they visit your
page, allowing you to twist people's heads up with strange questions that are
best pondered when intoxicated...

Kicking Some Boardbutt on Video

411 is a DVD video magazine publication dedicated to boarding -- whether it be
skateboarding, snowboarding, or surfing. With three distinct magazines
dedicated to each area, it's biggest fan following comes from subscribers to
it's skateboarding section.

411's monthly features pack the most exciting articles, like interviews with
both pro and up-and-coming skateboarders and video coverage of most major
skateboarding events. The directorial style of each video article makes good
use of camera angles to give skateboarders the best experience possible
watching them.

For most major competitions, they also make a point of higlighting the turning
points within each event that led to the winner's victory -- as well as showing
those occasional splashes made by fan favorites to show how flukes and errors
cost them the matches.

One of the more attractive monthly features done by 411 involves chaos
exhibition skateboarding, where several famous pro skateboarders are invited to
just rip and show their best stunts off. These are pure adrenaline-fests with
loads of eye candy that generally leave the audience wondering how the skaters
pulled those stunts off, as well as giving inspiration to aspiring
skateboarders.

Their interviews with pro skateboarders tends as much to the informative as to
the personal. They focus not only on the backgrounds and lifestyles of the
people they interview, but also ask for tips and demonstrations from these
professionals to help their viewers improve their own skating styles. Not
always, though. Sometimes these interviews are purely demonstrative, where the
pro is asked to do just one thing -- strut his stuff and show off how he kicks
butt on a board. Like the chaos exhibition matches, these video clips are
focused purely on viewer entertainment.

Perhaps one of the most in-demand interview articles from 411 involve a feature
on 14 year old Bam Margera, a young icon in skateboarding. This video is a good
example of the quality of 411's articles, showing Bam at home, on tour, being 
drowned in a bathtub, and strutting his stuff on a skateboard at his favorite 
practice arenas. Some of his skating teammates also make cameo appearances in 
segments of the article.

Occasionally, 411 also features documentary-style video articles whenever there
are new advances in skateboarding technology that they feel will make a huge
impact on the skateboarding world. For these feature articles, they go straight
to the developers of the new technology to make sure that their viewers get the
most accurate information.

Aside from the quality of the information they provide, however, the other half
of the formula for 411's key to success is the wackiness of their video
articles. They're definitely entertaining to watch -- a bit abnormal sometimes,
but hey, normal's boring right? The video clips are all done with a sense of
humor bordering on the warped that keeps viewers laughing half the time, when
they aren't busy oooh-ing and aaah-ing over the stunts of their favorite
skateboarders.

Currently, 411's fans have even taken to posting some of their favorite video
articles on free video streaming sites like ifilm and youtube. These videos,
submitted and sponsored by fans of 411, show just how much people have been
enjoying their offerings. The overall mix of exciting video presentation,
combined with an emphasis on facts and information tempered with a wacky sense
of humor, all conspire to make 411 one of the best choices to get in
skateboarding video magazines.

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