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I look at that headline, and I think, really? An entire month dedicated to brain injury awareness? Wow. But, it DOES give me the perfect opportunity to bring up helmets!

Most of the skaters I see at my skatepark wear helmets, and even skaters who are riding around town, but I live in Oregon, where skateboarding is mostly accepted, and you do it at your own risk (no suing the city because you're an idiot and bit a curb after skating through a construction zone - it happens). So if you don't wear a helmet, and you end up donating your brains to the pavement, well ... good for you? So most kids here wear helmets.

I would like to encourage you to do the same. This is a pulpit I'm happy to preach from. If you aren't wearing a helmet because you don't want to mess up your hair, or because they're uncomfortable, then grow up! Most likely your hair looks FAR nastier than you think it does, and no one will care how nice you hair looks if you end up a vegetable. And it's VERY easy to scramble your brain - shockingly easy, in fact. Our brains are soft and vulnerable, and rumor has it they're important! Read Do I Need to Wear a Helmet? for more.

You can also read other skater's stories and post your own in how Has a Helmet Saved Your Life? Once you're convinced, check out the Top 10 Skateboard Helmets list and pick one out.

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month! originally appeared on About.com Skateboarding on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 15:36:38.

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Posted on 9 March 2010 | 10:36 am

Jenni wrote in and asked, "I'm just learning how to longboard and I'm finding that when I remove my back foot to push I lose balance and sometimes will fall forward a bit or to either side..." Bummer! Having poor balance makes skateboarding very tough. I think I have pretty great balance, but when I got onto my friend's Nintendo Wii balance board, it made fun of me, asking me if I have a hard time walking. Jerk machine! So how to we get better balance?

Practice!

That's the key. Like everything else in skateboarding, you just need more time doing it. But, there ARE things you can do to improve your balance.

• Cruise around more - this is the easiest, most natural fix. Ride your skateboard or longboard around, and you WILL improve your balance.
• Home balance training - things like standing on one foot with your eyes closed, for as long as you can (it's actually pretty tough!). Things like this will help improve your sense of balance, and will strengthen the little muscles that help it all happen.
• Use a balance board - the best one of these I've ever used is the Indo Board, but there are several out there. Practice on one of these while watching TV, talking on the phone, anything at all! They work wonders.

I hope this helps! If you have any ideas of your own, share them below!

Skateboarding, Like Life, Requires Balance... originally appeared on About.com Skateboarding on Saturday, March 6th, 2010 at 19:37:25.

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Posted on 6 March 2010 | 2:37 pm

HBO made a short video in their "How to Make It in America" series about legendary NYC skateboarder Wilfredo Gomez. If you haven't heard of him, Wilfredo is a possibly insane, mysterious, bigfoot-esqu, overwhelmingly talented skateboarder who haunts New York City.

The video features guys like Eric Koston, Gino Iannucci, Guy Mariano, Mark Gonzales, Andrew Reynolds, Heath Kirchart and many more. Here's a quote from the video from Attiba Jefferson, professional skater photographer:

"We get to the spot and Wilfredo's there and you can tell he looked a little rough from the night before... he throws up and he goes to try the trick, and on that try he makes it, and on his way back he looks at me and says: It's that easy. And from then on I knew he was the man."

The video features mature content, so you will be asked to register before viewing it. And if you are a little kid, well, ask your parents. Then leave a comment below about what you think about Wilfredo! It's funny how these guys all talk about how incredible he is, but how seriously unlikable he is ... What do you think? Have you known anyone like Wilfredo? Do you think he's even real?

The Legend of Wildredo Gomez originally appeared on About.com Skateboarding on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 14:39:29.

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Posted on 3 March 2010 | 9:39 am

On Skateboard 101: Part One, we talked about Skateboard Slang. Now we're trying to tackle an even harder topic - Skateboard Style. Skateboard style is a strange thing to talk about. No matter how much I think that people should just wear what they want to, we all know that skateboarding has its own "style".

But not all skaters dress alike - not at all! I like my clothes baggy and sloppy, while some guys wear pants that are so tight, I don't think they'll be able to have children. But still, between these two extremes, you can still tell most skaters on sight, can't you?

Again, just like with Part One, I'm not trying to tell you how to pretend to be a skater. In fact, I'm not trying to tell you how to dress at all! But, I get a good amount of e-mail from new skaters who really want to blend in with the skater crowd, and who don't know what to do. For some of us, fasion just doesn't come naturaly! So, for skaters like this, I have As a Skater, How Should I Dress? Read it, and see what you think. And if you have anything to add to the conversation about skateboard style and fasion, write a comment below!

Skateboard 101: Part Two - Skateboard Style originally appeared on About.com Skateboarding on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 17:07:58.

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Posted on 1 March 2010 | 12:07 pm

Want to go to the Vans Warped Tour for FREE? Volunteer at the Concrete Wave booth at the Vans 2010 Warped Tour, and get in to the Tour for free! Michael from Concrete Wave gave this to me, to pass on to you!

"We need 2 volunteers per day x 40 days. That's 80 volunteers. You get a free pass to the show. You'll work at the booth helping give out passports, prizes and coordinate traffic. YES! You'll see bands and you'll meet some very cool people. But the best thing: you'll be helping out not-for-profit organizations.

"We'll even throw in some goodies.

"BUT...you need to tell me WHY you would make the best volunteer! Email me about 200 words by April 30th at mbrooke@interlog.com."

Visit warpedtour.com to find out when the tour is coming to your town, or look through the Skateboarding Events Calendar!

Get Into the Vans Warped Tour for Free! originally appeared on About.com Skateboarding on Friday, February 26th, 2010 at 00:40:40.

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Posted on 25 February 2010 | 7:40 pm

Skateboarding can be an intimidating place for girls. It can feel like a boy's club, and that women aren't allowed. If you are a female skater, you might feel uncomfortable skating in public, or out on the street with the guys. And a lot of women feel nervous about going to skateparks. What should you do?

Posted on 11 March 2010 | 5:12 am

The Arbor Fish Longboard is the shortest in Arbor's "carver" series. Tester Ray Thomason talks about the board, what it felt like to ride the Arbor Fish longboard, and how it pulled him back to his early days of skateboarding. Read all about the Arbor Fish longboard carver in this review, and see what you think.

Posted on 11 March 2010 | 5:12 am

Andrew Reynolds Photo Gallery - Pro Skater Andrew Reynolds skateboarding pictures and images, featuring Andrew Reynolds in various street skateboarding competitions.

Posted on 11 March 2010 | 5:12 am

The Fallen Revolver skateboarding shoe - It doesn't push the envelope in any area, or do anything really new, but it's a great skateboarding shoe. The style is simple and comfortable, but still strong, the shoe is tough in all the right places, and still comfortable and padded. Plus, the Fallen Revolver does have Billy Marks' name on it, which is pretty cool! Read this review for more details, and the actual specs of the Fallen Revolver skateboarding shoes.

Posted on 11 March 2010 | 5:12 am

The ABEC specification has been trashed by many overseas manufacturers. Don't trust it. Ron Foster is a bearing application engineer with 22 years of experience in bearings. "Out of dozens I've measured and tested, few met the advertised ABEC specification," said Foster. Read this article to find out more about the lies and fraud about ABEC ratings, uncovered by Foster.

Posted on 11 March 2010 | 5:12 am

Sliding can be one of the most enjoyable facets of downhill skateboarding. Few things simulate the feeling of slashing a wave or throwing an edge into deep powder like sliding can. Besides the fun, there’s utility: a well-placed slide in a moment of danger can save your life. One of the best things about sliding is that so much can be done with a simple deck, some hard wheels and bearings that can take a beating. Read how in these Setting Up a Slide Deck instructions!

Posted on 11 March 2010 | 6:03 am

Bones Super Swiss 6 are "fundamentally different" from regular Bones Swiss bearings. Bones Swiss have been the bearings to have for a good long while, but the one thing that skaters wanted improved on them the most was more strength, and of course more speed. And so Bones made the Super Swiss Six, which has 6 larger balls instead of the regular 7. This makes the bearings stronger against impact, and it raises the bearing's top speed by lessening the amount the balls must turn per rotation.

Posted on 11 March 2010 | 6:03 am

X Games 13 Photo Gallery - see images and pictures from X Games 13 skateboarding competitions, from vert ramps skateboarding to street course skateboarding to the big air competitions and best tricks, including mens and womens skateboarding competitions at X Games 13.

Posted on 11 March 2010 | 6:03 am

Skateboard Logos - a gallery of logos of popular skateboard brands, good for reference, websites, MySpace backgrounds, collages, desktops, or whatever you'd like!

Posted on 11 March 2010 | 6:03 am

Check out the top 5 free online skateboarding games on the internet! These are the best online flash video games featuring skateboarding that are out there. Try them out - they're free!

Posted on 11 March 2010 | 6:03 am