Your first time standing on a skateboard can be overwhelming. You might get nervous if you aren’t sure what to do or where to start.
Have no fear, though! Every skater had to start somewhere, and every skater has had to master the basics.
After learning to balance on the board and push it forward, you might realize that you can’t just skate in a straight line forever.
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Now is the time to learn to turn, and luckily for you, we put together this handy guide to learning how to practice and master the art of changing direction on the skateboard. There are two basic turns you can make: a leaning turn and a kick turn. Let’s chat about them.
Learning Skateboard Turns
A leaning turn is the first skill you need to master. This skill involves shifting your weight from your heels to your toes, and vice versa, to ease your board in the right direction.
To better understand how this turn works, it helps to know how your board works. Basically, when you press down on one side of the board, the trucks (the metal part connected to your wheels) tilt ever so slightly. This will direct your board to go to the side.
So, how exactly can you take that tidbit and translate it into a leaning turn?
The Leaning Turn Prep
Before you even attempt anything on the board, you might want to stretch out those calf muscles. Calf raises, which are just getting up on your tiptoes and back down again, should do the trick.
(And, spoiler alert, this is pretty much the same movement you’ll be using when you’re on the board.)
If you can find a curb or some stairs, try doing calf raises on the edge, bringing your heels below the edge of the step or curb to really stretch and strengthen that muscle. Your calves are the key to learning to turn, so the stronger they are, the less likely you are to be sore after a long day out riding.
The Basic Skateboarding Leaning Turn
Now that your leg muscles are stronger than steel, it’s time to master the leaning turn. Get on your board with your feet over the screws. Practice moving your weight from your toes to your heels and back again.
The movement is a lot like your calf raises. You push down on your toes and lift your heels to go one way, and push down on your heels and lift your toes to go the other.
Practice this when your board is not moving first so that you can get a feel for how your trucks expand and contract. You can also get used to the balance you will need when shifting your weight on the board.
Now that you know how leaning feels when the board is still, it’s time to get your skateboard moving and practice turning on the run. It’s best to go slow at first, and it is especially important to be wearing the right gear. A helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, and your favorite oversized skate clothes can all protect you in case of a fall (which is totally likely when you are learning a new skill like turning).
Practice turning back and forth in both directions and see how many turns you can make before you fall or lose speed. Have a little competition with yourself to make practicing new skills more enjoyable. Try beating your previous records of most turns before you fall.
Leaning Turn 2.0
Once you have mastered your basic leaning to turn, you can practice leaning while pushing. With your board still, take your pushing foot off the board. Center your other foot on the board. Practice shifting your weight from side to side, lifting your big toe while pushing your little toe down and the other way around.
Now, when you need to make a turn while also speeding up, you can push with one foot and lean with the other. This will help you turn your board while keeping up your speed.
Kick Turns
The kick turn is a more challenging (and fun!) but still very beginner-friendly skill that every skater needs in their back pocket. Kick turns involve lifting up one set of wheels, like a wheelie, and shifting your body to create momentum that turns the board. With a bit of practice, the kick turn becomes the basis of many beginner-friendly skateboarding skills.
With your board not moving, practice pushing down with one foot and lifting the other. Allow the nose or tail of your board, whichever is under the foot you are raising, to come up with your foot. Practice maintaining your balance as the board shifts under your feet.
When you are ready to get moving and have your trusty youth skateboard hoodie and other safety gear, practice this lift and push while your board moves. Basically, practice manualing on both the nose end and the tail end of your board. Manuals are like popping wheelies on your skateboard.
Once you have gotten the hang of these wheelies, it’s time to start using that skill to turn. When one end of your board is in the air, twist your upper body in the opposite direction of where you want to turn. It might sound totally crazy, but the board will go in the opposite direction of you, so think like it’s opposite day.
Practice moving over just a little at a time, then a bit more, then a bit more. Practice moving in both directions, with both the tail and nose end. Once you have this down, you can make sharper turns than if you just did lean turns everywhere, and practicing a full 360-degree turn is a super fun beginner skate trick.
The Speed Wobbles
As you get more comfortable with skating, you may attempt more daring runs on your everyday rides. With downhill runs, you may encounter the dreaded speed wobble. This is when your board begins to turn back and forth very quickly without you controlling it.
Speed wobbles can lead to some nasty crashes, which is why it is always important to wear your safety gear. It’s also part of the reason for the oversized skate apparel.
What do speed wobbles have to do with turning? It turns out proper turning techniques are one way to combat “the wobz.” When speeding downhill, leaning forward and gradually turning in a figure-eight pattern down the road can help maintain control of your board and prevent you from falling.
Support from Skaters
Starting a new hobby or sport like skateboarding can be a challenge when you aren’t sure of where to begin. Thankfully, the skater community is always happy to see people picking up the sport, and many skateboarders are more than glad to help you when you are starting your journey.
There are tons of visual resources on YouTube if you are more of a visual learner, but also, don’t be afraid to hit up your local skatepark or skate shop and ask for some one-on-one help in mastering this essential skater skill.