Do you love the feeling of speeding down a hill on your longboard but wish you could slide a little bit too? Or do you want to enjoy sliding down on a longboard with the thrill of flying down the streets. Then do not worry, my friend; today, I will explain you all the killer steps on How to slide on a longboard.
Longboard sports are all about learning how to slide perfectly. If you want to spice up your longboard commute or ride around town in style, this is a wonderful way to do it! As a skateboarder or longboarder, there’s no better feeling than easily sliding down a hill while doing the perfect slide.
What is a Longboard Sliding?
Sliding on a longboard is about losing traction and letting the board slide out from underneath you. Longboard sliding is a technique longboarders use to change directions or slow down.
To perform a longboard slide, the rider shifts their weight to the back foot and uses the front foot to slow down or stop. The rider then drifts sideways and uses the friction between the longboard and the ground to control their speed. If you’re looking to add some excitement to your longboarding, learning to longboard slide is a great way to start.
How to Slide Your Longboard in 4 Easy Steps
If you want to slide effectively, put most of your weight on your forward-facing foot. This will help keep your front foot at the center of rotation and make it easier to slide. A good starting point is to have 70% of your weight on your front foot and 30% on your back foot.
I strongly suggest wearing a helmet, gloves, and knee pads before doing any of these slides, which will hI strongly suggest wearing a helmet, gloves, and knee pads before doing any of these slides, which will help prevent injury and boost your confidence while attempting new tricks on your board.
Following Are The Steps On How To Slide on a Longboard.
1. Proper Stance
A proper stance is key for successful longboard sliding. It may seem like there are many stance options for beginners, and it can be unclear to figure out which one is best. However, there is only one main stance that you need to worry about: standing perfectly on the board.
Standing on the board is the most basic stance and is great for getting started with slides. To do this, stand on the longboard the same way you would for carving. Place your rear foot on or in front of the rear truck bolts, and your front foot should mirror that setup. This position is a solid one that will allow you to easily transition into almost any possible slide variations.
2. Setup Carve
A setup carve is an exaggerated carving move used to initiate a slide. This initial carve is done in the opposite direction of the desired slide, which allows the board to swing out and makes it easier to break traction and slide. Once mastered, this move can make sliding a lot easier for anyone.
A setup carve is also an essential factor because it lets you maintain ideal board control throughout a slide. The appropriate way to carve a board is to load it up with your weight and then lean off the board with your body. This gives you enough leverage to maintain control and push against the board, making it simpler to obtain traction on the board.
3. Initiate a slide
To initiate the slide, start carving in your last setup and turn in the opposite direction with your knees bent. Hold the pressure on the turn until your board is almost sideways, then start pushing down on your board and out as you stand up.
Once you’ve initiated the slide, you’ll want to keep your weight over the part of the board that’s sliding. It would help if you now started by shifting your weight over the front of the board and then kicking out your back foot to initiate the slide.
It’s important to keep leaning on your front foot throughout the entire process, as this will help you maintain balance and control. If you’re having trouble initiating the slide, a tip that helped me was trying to do a u-turn. Another tip that’s super important to learning any slide is to lean on your front foot, except going switch. When learning these slides, leaning on your front foot will be your best friend.
4. Roll Away
So after you initiate a slide, you have to roll away or keep going. To quickly recap:
- Start with a set of carves, bend your knees and lean on your front foot.
- Make a hard turn and push out your slide.
- Look where you’re going, and bring your weight back to your front foot to roll away.
When rolling away, it’s important to keep your weight balanced. If you shift your weight too far forward or backward, you won’t have the speed or grip to get out of the slide. Try to keep your weight evenly distributed on both feet. My last tip for rolling away is to practice regularly. The more you do it, the easier it will become. So go out and give it a try!
Some Popular Longboard Slides
There are many different longboard slides, each with a unique experience and thrill. Here, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular types of slides to decide which one is right for you.
1. Coleman Slide
Coleman slide is a great way to enjoy skateboarding and have fun. However, you need to be careful while performing this move. Make sure to select the right terrain and start sliding at a moderate speed. Once you reach a certain speed, place your feet on the skateboard and maintain your balance. Bend your knees and relax your body as much as possible.
Crouch down and place your front hand on the ground when you are about to land. Stretch your body in the direction of the movement of the board and arm into the air. Your gloves will help you stop shortly after a few seconds. Your board will float at a 90-degree angle when your wheels float freely on the road surface, and you will stop.
2. Standup slide
A stand-up slide is like a pre-drift slide, except you don’t put your hands on the ground. You break the wheels’ traction by slicing aggressively and pushing your board outside. After that, you only need to keep your balance while you ride your board over the pavement. Your weight shifts, which allows the board to grab onto you again, allowing you to move away from it.
Some Easy Steps on How to Stand up Slide on a longboard:
- Build up speed by pushing with your back foot and coasting down a small hill.
- When you’re ready, shift your weight to your front foot and begin to apply pressure to the nose of your longboard with your toes.
- As you continue to apply pressure, your longboard will begin to slide out from under you.
- Continue to apply pressure and lean back until you’re in a standing position.
- Remember to keep your weight balanced and always stay in control of your longboard.
3. Heelside slides
You kick the board out in a hillside stand-up slide, but you keep the board from sliding over 90 degrees.One of the key components to do in heelside stand up slides as your stance is to start with your front foot at about a 45 degree angle across the deck, with your toes on one edge and your heels on the other edge. Your back foot should be parallel to your back truck, allowing both feet and yourself to stay locked into your board.
Heelside slides are a great way to get around on the slopes; you just need to set up carve, bend your knees, look where you want to go, distribute your weight correctly, grab out of the corner, and have some fun. With practice, you’ll be able to master heelside slides and enjoy carving up the slopes like a pro!
4. Toeside Standup slide
For stand-up sliding on the toeside, it is important to keep your front foot positioned at a 45-degree angle to the front bolts of your longboard. This will help you maintain speed and keep your balance. Make sure that the whole sole of your foot is attached to the board before beginning the slide. Your rear foot should be positioned about halfway between the center and back bolts of the board.
To begin the slide, follow three steps:
- Place your front foot away from the bolts in a comfortable posture. Your back leg should be parallel to the board and leaning on the board’s edge.
- Accelerate, bend down slightly, and drive the board forward with your rear foot’s toe, retaining most of your weight on your front leg.
- Using inertia, bend your front leg and land on the sole foot.
Sliding Gears
Before you start sliding, there are a few things you need to have:
1. Slide gloves – Sliding Gloves will help you grip your board and keep your hands from getting shredded while sliding.
2. Slide wheels – Hard wheels roll swiftly but slide unpredictably. Soft wheels are sticky, absorb vibrations, and glide slowly yet controllably. You can check our guide on the best sliding wheels to get the finest wheels for sliding.
3. Helmet – Be careful and wear that helmet. Having a helmet helps protect your head in the event of an accident.
4. Pants – It’s best to wear pants that you don’t mind ripping up when sliding since it might be rough on your clothing.
5. Knee and Elbow Protectors – again, safety comes first! If you fall, they’ll be a nice cushion under your feet.
6. A Sliding longboard – A longboard sitting closer to the ground is good for sliding, but a drop-through board is ideal for sliding. Check out our guide to the best longboards for sliding to get a more in-depth look at the options.
Conclusion:
So there you have it – a complete guide on how to slide on a longboard. Learning every slide variation is key to longboarding success. It may take some practice, but with these tips, you should be able to start sliding like a pro in no time. Just always wear safety gear and stay aware of your surroundings when riding!
