Tre Flips are one of the coolest looking technical tricks to learn. The 360 Flip (also known as a "tre-flip") looks similar to a kickflip, except that the board spins on two axis. If you are imagining a very sweet trick in your mind, then you're probably got it right!

I have two resources for you to help you learn how to Tre Flip:

• Read the 360 Flip Instructions - You can read these step-by-step instructions to help you learn.
• Watch the Tre Flip Instruction Video - The pros from Uptown Skate School explain how to Tre Flip.

360 flips are difficult intermediate skateboard tricks to learn, so you really need to be confident in a few areas before you learn to tre-flip. You should be a fairly good skater all around, and know how to kickflip and shuvit.

Add Tre Flips To Your Bag-o-Tricks originally appeared on About.com Skateboarding on Saturday, March 13th, 2010 at 01:41:23.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Posted on 12 March 2010 | 8:41 pm

In Skateboard 101 Part 2, we talked about skateboard style.  Now I want to hit something I get a LOT of email about, and that gets you actually onto your board - your skateboard stance.

I remember back when I first started skating, one of the biggest questions I wrestled with was, which skateboarding stance am I?!  Looking back it seems funny - I didn't worry so much about how to push, I was worried that somehow I had the "wrong" skateboard stance, and that this would mess up my skateboarding from here on out.

For all of you new skaters out there, don't worry about it!  Relax!  Picking your skateboarding stance is easy, and to be honest, you can't go "wrong".  But there's probably one way that will be more natural for you.  I'll start from there beginning (since this IS skate 101):

The two different ways to stand on your skateboard are - Goofy (skating with your right foot forward) and Regular (skating with your left foot forward).  Here's one tricky way to figure out which stance you are.  Go get a ball or something like that, and sit it on the ground in front of you. Now kick it. Whichever foot you kicked it with will likely be your back foot. You want the balancing foot in the front, and the kicking foot in the back.

Did that work for you?  If you want to read a couple more clever tricks to figure out your stance, read Skateboard Stance - How to Find Your Skateboard Stance. If you have some tricks for figuring out your stance that YOU want to share, post 'em below!

Skateboard 101: Part 3 - Skateboard Stance originally appeared on About.com Skateboarding on Thursday, March 11th, 2010 at 14:41:42.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Posted on 11 March 2010 | 9:41 am

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.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

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.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

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.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

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.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

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.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Posted on 25 February 2010 | 7:40 pm

Adam shared this story with me:

"In January 2009 Adam Colton set off with Paul Kent and Aaron Enevoldsen to conquer the Andes with only longboards and backpacks. Mike Hager supplied $4000 of video equipment to document themselves skating over 1500 miles through some of the toughest terrain on the planet. This is their first release showing amazing scenery, character, native Peruvians, and downhilling with 30lb backpacks! Watch the video on YouTube.

"The three encountered major food issues, 3rd world conditions forced them to make packaged cookies a staple of their diet! The high-altitude posed the threat of altitude sickness and exhaustion. Along the way Adam's board broke and was modified into a whole new creation. Money was such a tight issue for Paul and Aaron who started the trip with no plane tickets home and $1200 USD between them! The three uploaded their location via spot tracker every single night, and photos and blogs between major towns. This trip was the beginnings of a new and spectacular form of documentary travel: Long Distance Skate Touring."

LongTreks Trailer: Peru y Bolivia Trailer originally appeared on About.com Skateboarding on Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 at 21:42:35.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Posted on 24 February 2010 | 4:42 pm

I'm starting a new series here that I'm calling "Skateboard 101", to help brand new skaters get a handle on the massive and often confusing world of skateboarding.

Part One covers skateboard slang. This can be good for new skaters, or for the parents of skaters who just want to understand what their skater kid is talking about! Take a look and read Skateboard Slang. It covers slang words for skateboards, skaters, and slang words that skaters use. This article isn't meant for you to read to be able to ACT like a skater, it's meant for people to understand skaters more, and for new skaters to understand their friends. After you've read it, read Skateboard 101: Part Two - Skateboard Style

Got any words that you think should be added? Post them below! If you post an especially sick one, I'll add it to the list!

Skateboard 101: Part One - Skateboard Slang originally appeared on About.com Skateboarding on Monday, February 22nd, 2010 at 19:41:36.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Posted on 22 February 2010 | 2:41 pm

The Arbor Blunt is a big, fat cruising longboard perfect for surfing down long hills and comfortably rolling around town. Featuring huge Randal 180 trucks, custom Krypto wheels and a strong, thick, wide deck covered in a ply of rich Koa wood, the Arbor Blunt has all you need for sidewalk surfing. Read this review for more.

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 6:29 am

The Arbor Pin is a carver longboard with a huge wheel base, a wide middle and tapered points - the shape allows for holding long, deep turns. The Arbor Pin longboard's deck is made with true Hawaiian Koa wood to add strength and beauty, and to reach back to the longboard's hawaiian roots in surfing. This is the longest board Arbor makes, with the widest wheel base. it's perfect for carving up the streets. Read the review for more.

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 6:29 am

Learn how to 50-50 grind on your skateboard - getting setup to 50-50 grind. Learning skateboard tricks can be tough, so here's some step by step adive on learning how to 50-50 grind skateboarding. The 50-50 is the most basic type of grind, and the first grind trick that most skateboarders learn - read these trick tips to learn how to 50-50 grind ledges and rails.

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 6:29 am

Paul Rodriguez Pro Skateboarder Photo Gallery - see pictures and images of Paul Rodriguez the pro skater pulling off skateboarding tricks at competitions like the X Games. Paul Rodriguez headshots, tricks, everything - this photo gallery of Paul Rodriguez is full of pictures and graphics.

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 6:29 am

Vanguard Loaded Longboard Review - The first thing that will jump out at you is the hyper aggressive arch on the spine of this board, convex camber accents the gently concaved rails, giving the deck the appearance of a board ready to spring. The wheels, sit on trucks mounted at the very edged of the decks nose and tail, aggressive swept in rails meet the mounting points of the nose and tail, bringing to mind images of a drag pacer with its paws down to the ground gripping the pavement.

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 6:29 am

Worst 10 Online Skateboarding Games - While making the Top 10 Skateboarding Games list, I came across a lot of terrible free online skateboarding games. These are so bad, I just had to share them with you!

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 6:29 am

360 Flip Trick Tip - How to 360 Flip on a Skateboard - The 360 Flip (also known as a "tre-flip") is a skateboarding trick that looks similar to a kickflip, except that the board spins on two axis. That means that the 360 flip will flip like in a kickflip, but also spin 360 degrees like a 360 shuvit. If you are imagining a very sweet trick in your mind, then you're probably got it right! 360 flips are difficult intermediate skateboard tricks to learn - learn how to 360 flip!

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 6:29 am

Arbor Fleetwood Longboard Cruiser Review - Arbor Fleetwood is one of the newest Arbor longboards on the market. Arbor Fleetwoods are made with all the personal attention and high grade materials and parts that Arbor is well known for. The Fleetwood is a mid sized carver made with a little wider shape, giving it a more relaxed ride.

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 6:29 am

What is a backside turn in skateboarding? What does backside mean? A Backside turn is when the skater rotates with his or her back facing the outside of the turn. A backside turn is the opposite of a frontside turn. Backside turns are sometimes easier, but it all depends on the skateboarder. To find out more about backside turns (also called BS, or B/S) and what the word backside means, take a look at the skateboarding dictionary / glossary, and read the backside term entry.

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 6:29 am

I'm Scared of Getting Hurt While Skateboarding - What Should I Do? Skateboarding FAQ questions, and answers to skateboarding reader emails. Most people are scared of falling while skateboarding - that's why so few people actually do it! I remember the first time I went to a park and tried to drop in - it was a disaster. I kept pulling my back foot off and catching myself, and jumping off the board. I was terrified. I did the same thing the next two times I went to the skate park, too.

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 8:23 am

Skateboarding FAQ - Most skaters push their skateboards with their back foot, but sometimes skaters find it easier to push with their front foot instead. This is called pushing "mongo". Is pushing mongo OK? Read this skateboarding FAQ answer to find out more info about pushing mongo, and whether or not you should re-learn to push regularly.

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 8:23 am

Skateboarding Around World skateboarders talk about skateboarding worldwide. Skateboarding has taken off all over the world, and in each country it looks a little different (or sometimes a LOT different!). I've interviewed skaters from several different countries - click on the country you want to read about! I'd like to see this list grow - if you want to share your own experiences, I'm looking to interview pro skaters and regular skaters from all over the planet.

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 8:23 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 14 March 2010 | 8:23 am

An index of articles for the Skateboarding guide site.

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 8:23 am

The Loaded Dervish is a bamboo longboard designed to get you the most dynamic, all-around action possible. With the Dervish's flex and low center of gravity, combined with a clever truck design, you can really dig in and bend this board to whatever it is you want to do - bowls to hill bombing, and even tricks, the Loaded Dervish really does it all.

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 8:23 am

Top 10 picks for skate shoes! Read about the best shoes for skateboarding on the market, and check out some hot reviews as well. This list of the top 10 skateboarding shoes should help you with your skate shoe shopping, to make sure that you get high quality skateboarding shoes. Find out the best skateboarding shoes in this top 10 skateboarding shoes list.

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 8:23 am

Top 10 Skateboard Deck Brands - Skateboard decks come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and picking out the right one for you can be confusing. This list is to help you pick out a brand you can trust - there are a lot of cheap skateboards out there that are also cheaply made. This list is to help you pick out a high quality pro grade skateboard deck that's right for you. This list isn't in any particular order - all of these brands are good. Read this list for help in picking a skateboard.

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 8:23 am

Skateboard Logos - a gallery of logos of popular skateboard brands, good for reference, websites, MySpace backgrounds, collages, desktops, or whatever you'd like! You can see large skateboard brand logos from banners, stickers and decals.

Posted on 14 March 2010 | 8:23 am