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You are What you Roll With

8/20/2019

Photo by Karol Kaczorek on Unsplash

At the time of this post, I have not checked out the latest episode of The Nine Club, but it definitely sparked something in my crazy little brain.

The latest rider to grace their presence with Chris Roberts and crew is Chad Muska. The Muska as most people call him. I don't know him personally so I'll just stick with calling him The Chad.

Chad Muska has been a name in the game for decades. He has always stood out from the crowd with is wicked style and huge portfolio of tricks. In fact, one that comes to mind and inspired this post is the grind he did with a boom box in his hands. I think it was a crooked grind? I'll have to double check, but nevertheless, the dude busted out a trick with a boombox. A freaking boombox.

Now, I don't know about you, but when I skate I need to focus all my attention and ability on the trick. I don't even like riding with headphones. Yet alone, holding onto a speaker or a baby or some shit. There's just so much that can go wrong in any given day on a skateboard. It's enough having to worry about pebbles, cracks, etc. You get my point.

But I think Chad takes the cake in regards to riding with accessories. Only a couple other riders come to mind. Actually, I think even clothing accessories can hinder a rider's performance too so I've made a list of some of the one's I've seen over the years.

Here are my top 5.:

Steve Caballero rocking white suspenders in Ban This. Not only did he don them, he didn't even wrap those bad boys over his shoulder. Talk about being gangsta! I'd be worried about them getting caught in my arm or something, but he handled it well while flying around the ramp at the old San Jose Warehouse park. I'm surprised this look never took off. Maybe with small wheels making a return it just might. Count me out though.

Christian Hosoi is so stylish he never really needed to wear a shirt during contests. I'll never forget when I first saw him on an old OP Pro Contest on TV (circa '86) flying around this shirt tucked into his shorts. It was so damn mesmerizing to see. Especially, during McTwists and huge airs. His poor shirts were always flopping around in the air back in the day. Not too many riders could pull that style off like Christian. And it only works if you are flying high like he did/does.

Chad Muska, AKA The Chad, actually did a crooked grind with a boombox AND with a backpack on. I just found and watched the clip again. I totally forgot about the backpack as well! For me, this one takes first place in regards to skating with accessories. A boombox and a backpack? On a rail? So much could go wrong. Well done, Chad. Well done.

Drake Jones also comes to mind whenever I think of tricks and backpacks. Dude threw down one of the best backside flips while rocking a backpack. If you don't know who this SF OG legend is look him up on the interwebs. Just search Dugout Skateboards and bam! #stylematters. Drake even has a solid golf swing too. Go look the guy up ASAP.

Neil Blender makes it to my Top 5 list and comes from the same movie Cab was in, Ban This. Neil is right up there in regards to being one of the most stylish and hilarious riders ever. There are only a handful of skaters that have made me literally LOL. He is one of them. I'm just bummed that his soundproofing foam getup he briefly wore in Ban This didn't take off. He did a very safe and proper sweeper to make this list.

So that's my list of skaters who either wore or had some "interesting" accessories during their parts. What about you? Who would you add to the list?

Photo by Eric Nopanen on Unsplash

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Better Call Sal

7/4/2019

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Well, it's been about a month since I last posted on this page so I figured now was a good time.

Over the past few weeks many skateboarding videos have been released. Some were excellent. Others were pretty good. However, regardless of the awesome skating that has gone down there seems to a growing trend in the industry. One that really annoys the shit out of me.

Now, just so you know, I have become way more forgiving over the years. In the past I used to nitpick on things that in hindsight were just lame to waste even a second of energy on. Life's just too short to worry about the small stuff. Sure, there will continue to be skate videos with horrible choices in music or have riders doing "illegal tricks" or multiple skaters per video video part, etc. You get the idea.

What annoys me the most in skate videos (not all, some) today is the fact that the creators seem to think that it's okay have literally ZERO insight into who we are seeing on the screen. Many skate videos today almost seem to have minimal personal connection like some of the classics. Even a new skater today can instantly get a feel for what Brandon Biebel is on and off the board when they pop in or YouTube his part in Yeah Right or Fully Flared.

I don't know about you, but if I were pro today and I just spent the past days/weeks/months/year busting my ass for a video part that is going to be distributed for free across the interwebs, I'd be pretty damn pissed if I didn't get any intro or have my name listed right at the beginning of my part. I'd be miffed that I could be potentially missing out on a board sale because by the viewers are too lazy to watch the credits, rewind, confirm, take a screen shot of the name, etc. for future reference.

How are companies okay with this?

Skaters names = advertising.

Let's face it. Skateboarding is a business. A business that wants to move product. All kinds of products. So why not include the names of the riders we see in these videos? Sure, there will always be that one skate nerd that knows each and every rider on the planet and can spot them a mile away or simply by seeing their shadow, but most of us don't have the time or ability to have such insight.

This is why putting titles with the skaters names worked in the past and should continue to be utilized today and moving forward. It's simple and doesn't really cost that much. I talked a little about this in Episode 17 if you feel like circling back and checking it out. I mean, at worst put in some audio in post. You don't even have to have the same person. Just hire Sal Barbier to do all your intros like he did in the H-Street video. Talk about a win, win.

But anyway, it was the latest Nike SB video "Trust Fall" that really triggered this post for me. I absolutely loved the video. In fact, I might even talk about it on the next episode of the No Mongo Podcast. The skating was so damn good and the whole time I was watching it I was taking it as a huge statement to all of Nike's doubters that they are a legit brand and have an equally legit and talented team. Oh, that and the fact that they appear to be on a mission to take over the world.

You know, to basically kick ass and take names.

Speaking of names, while I thoroughly enjoyed the video I had no idea who the hell I was watching half the time. Yeah, I follow a couple of these riders on social media, but that doesn't matter. Skate videos should have skater intros or titles. Period. They have in the past and should continue to until infinity.

I mean, unless you can convince me otherwise in the comments below. Please. Enlighten me because I just don't get it. Simple questions continue to pop into my head like:

Why would you not want to give the audience the most info possible in these videos?

Don't you want to sell some boards? Shoes?

Why not simply put their social media handles on the screen?

Why am I even talking about this?

Another recent video guilty of doing this was Welcome Skateboard's "Seance". Same thing. Great video, but I had no freaking idea who I was watching half the time. This time I kept asking myself these questions over and over and over.:

Was that Ryan Lay?

No, it's a girl so it HAS to be Nora.

Wait, that dude looks like the guy a few seconds ago.

Is that the other Ryan?

Who the hell is this guy? Was that switch?

Is that Ryan Lay? Do I follow this guy on Instagram?

Wait. Is that Ryan Lay?

What's really sad is that these questions take away from the experience of the video. Sucks the enjoyment right out of it. Well, at least for me. Only because I am waisting precious energy on things that aren't necessary. Put. Names. Or. Titles. Or. Some kind of info on skate videos please.

Or, as I mentioned above, convince me otherwise.

You could be like, "Dude, Rick. You have it all wrong. It's the titles that are a distraction, man. You should know the names and faces of every single rider on the planet." or "You know, Rick, putting the names of the skaters for their parts is against law. You just can't do that. Give it a rest." I'd love to hear your thoughts either way.

Even Nike SB's "Gizmo", which was their first ever all-women's skate video, had zero intros for their riders. Huh? Luckily, I already knew many of them, but it was still annoying as shit.

Maybe it's just my Reticular Activator causing me to focus and notice this stuff? I just think it's a horrible trend in videos right now and I am just really confused as to why? I know there have been a few videos over the last few decades to not put titles for their riders, but it's being talked about more and more as of late.

I suggest you give Sal a call and offer him some Michael Buffer money to intro your videos. That'll help solve the problem.

Drop a line below or hit me up on Twitter @rickbata. Let's get to the bottom of this growing trend in skateboarding. One I consider it to be way worse than "big pants, small wheels".

And yes, I just went there.

Cheers.

Rick

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The Coveted 10 Club

5/26/2019

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Photo by Jonathan Hoxmark on Unsplash

So, it's only been about 12 hours since the Men's Street League Finals results and I just had a thought.

Will we ever see a perfect score of 10?

There were plenty of 9's being tossed around today and mostly on the men's side unfortunately, but still...plenty to go around for many. Basically, if you tried hard enough you could have scored a 9 in this contest. Now, that's not saying that the score wasn't worthy or that there is some questionable scoring going on, but there were a decent amount again today.

I decided to go to the Street League website and do some more research. As of today, the highest score ever is a 9.9. A 9.9! And you can probably guess who was able to get that score. It's actually two riders and you guessed them right; Nyjah Huston and Shane O'Neill. A nine point freaking nine.

Here are the trick breakdowns for the 9.9's:

Shane O'Neill - Switch Double 360 Kickflip
Nyjah Huston - Backside 270 Noseblunt

And we can even break it down even more on the 9.8 scores. And yes, you guessed the right riders again; Shane O'Neill and Nyjah Huson. You're getting good at this!

Here are the trick breakdowns for the 9.8's:

Shane O'Neill - Switch Double 360 Kickflip
Nyjah Huston - Gap to Backside Noseblunt
Nyjah Huston - Full-cab Kickflip to Backside Lipside

So I'll ask again. Do you think we'll ever see a perfect score of 10?

If so, what trick do you think it might be? Or what trick will have to be?

Which rider do you think will pull it off? Nyjah? Shane? Yuto? Leticia? None of the above?

These are actually really good questions (humble brag not intended) as I honestly don't know if we'll see it anytime soon. Only because we have gotten so used to seeing 9 Club tricks that we've almost become desensitized to them. Or maybe I just have. Fans have grown to expect seeing 9's.

I always try and judge along with contests and see if I would score the same or similar scores. Sometimes I have been close. Others I was off by a point or two. However, when I did see the 9 Club tricks today it just didn't give me that same feeling as before.

So as I wrap up this post I truly do not know if we'll ever see the coveted 10 Club score anytime soon. But then again, we might. Either way it'll have to be a trick that is so damn good that I stand up from my seat and scream, "That's f*cking 10!" and yes that will have to be verbatim.

In the meantime, I'm going to continue to score along with the judges who obviously get paid to score, as I am just some random blogger and podcast host chiming in.

Will a Kickflip backside 270 to Bluntside seal the deal? It just might.

I do think that it'll have to be perfectly executed trick and all bolts. It can't have a whiff of sketchiness to it at all. It literally has to be absolute perfection and I just don't think that will happen anytime soon.

Let's talk. Post your comments below.:

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We Need to Have a Board Meeting

5/15/2019

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Photo by Benjamin Child on Unsplash

Today was the day we finally got to hear about Shane O'Neill's board company, April Skateboards. He had originally announced his departure from Primitive Skateboarding way back in June, 2018 and has been riding blank decks in the meantime. So after almost a year the time has come.

I had been waiting anxiously and even mentioned it on the podcast. We were all waiting to find out what was next from the tech wizard, but he seemed to have his eyes set on May, 2019 for his launch.

I was so excited to finally see some footage of the new crew. Congrats to Yuto as well -- it's about time damn it. However, my excitement was short-lived. Something dawned on me.

Do we have too many board companies now?

Photo by Mike Petrucci on Unsplash

Are there too many options these days?

Or does it just seem that way?

How can the little guys survive?

In the past few years we've had Roller Horror, Dugout, All I Need, Street Plant, New Deal (back from the dead), Visit, Brainchild and now April launch board companies. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm having more and more trouble deciding who to go with these days?

I have been riding Element boards for the longest time and recently switched to Street Plant. I wanted to break away from the standard popsicle shape for a change. It's been a fun ride so far. Nevertheless, I was almost overwhelmed with the decision. And I'm not on any flow or anything so I pay full price and my decision has to be a wise one.

Oh, and notice how I am only talking about skateboards. There are so many damn gear and clothing options out there that's a whole other blog post in itself. It's almost getting out of hand.

Maybe it just feels like there are too many board companies these days as social media seems to be more in-your-face than having to wait weeks or months to READ about a launch in Thrasher or Transworld (RIP print edition). Or maybe the industry is right where it needs to be?

These riders work hard to make a name for themselves and have the right to spinoff and launch their own brand. This, in turn, helps keep the big brands in check too with the threat of one of their well-known riders leaving for the latest and greatest brand. In a way there does seem to be enough talent to go around. And not just locally. I'm talking global talent is in full force. So there is that.

I guess what I am trying to say is at what point will it be oversaturated? Are we already there? Or will it never happen?

Curious to hear your thoughts.

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The Skateboarding Draft

4/29/2019

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Photo by Nicholas Green on Unsplash

Every once in a while (a lot), I'll get some crazy idea that pops into my head and I feel compelled to share it with the world.

This post will be about just that.

Now, I want you to read this with a totally open mind, knowing that there is such a small, minute chance of this happening at all, but you definitely can't just rule it out.

A SKATEBOARDING DRAFT

Yeah, I said it. Can you imagine?

This idea came to me out of nowhere last week when I was flipping on the TV and stumbled upon the NFL draft.

I thought, "What if skateboarding had a draft one day?".

I immediately brushed it off as being lame and that I should carry on with my day. But the thought stuck with me. It kept coming back for more. I couldn't break it.

So, I figured I'd share it with you and get your thoughts.

Can you ever see this happening?

As I've mentioned before on the podcast, skateboarding is already pretty significant in the world of sports. Probably the most significant it's been in a long, long time. Basically, it's BIG. But it's going to grow even more with events like the Olympics, Street League, and just the fresh batch of insanely talented riders that are out there these days.

It's a good time to be following the sport. Trust me.

Photo by HENCE THE BOOM on Unsplash

Can you imagine if it really does happen down the road?

Who would be the Roger Goodell of skateboarding?

"And in the 2028 Skateboarding Draft, Santa Cruz Skateboards, selects (insert the name of some pro's kid here) from San Diego, CA".

CUT TO:

A skater in his home, surrounded by family and friends, crying and talking to the team manager on the phone.

He hugs his family, and slaps on a Santa Cruz hat, knowing that his life has changed for the better. He is now a millionaire.

**RECORD SCRATCH**

Okay, well maybe not a millionaire, but you get my point. It something that future generations just might see or experience.

What are your thoughts? Can you see something like this happening down the road? Or do I need to get more sleep?

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Skateboarding Without a Shirt

4/23/2019

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Photo by Sean Stratton on Unsplash

Okay, I have something that I need to get off my (bare) chest.

You ready?

I still don't get the whole "skate without a shirt" vibe.

Never have. Never will.

Now, let me explain some of my reasoning as I know many of you out there still ride half-naked on your four wheels. I probably only tried it a couple of times back in the day when I was younger, and much skinnier. I wouldn't dare try this today while rocking my #dadbod. I'd probably get arrested.

Sure, there are plenty of places all over the world that are so hot during the summer that it makes sense, but I will always be sweaty t-shirt guy for life.

Skateboarding without a shirt also made me feel so vulnerable and exposed. I just couldn't get used to the feeling. Nah, I'm good. Thanks.

Plus, falling sucked and you end up with dirt all over your back, chest, arm pits, butt crack, etc. I like knowing that if my body is headed towards hot pavement that I'm going to crash to the ground with a t-shirt layer to protect me.

I feel that it also serves as a potential distraction as it adds another element to think or worry about. Skaters already get in the zone and focus on landing tricks, but why add something to mix that could cause more harm.

It's estimated that there are roughly 65,000 skateboarding injuries per year. That's about 176 per day.

Skateboarding has been around for decades, as well as shirts, but the two often times don't go together.

How do you stand on the whole skateboarding without a shirt deal?

Photo by Jan Kopřiva on Unsplash

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The Case for Helmets (Or Not)

4/12/2019

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Unless you are Mike Vallely you are probably not rolling around the streets rocking a helmet and that's okay.

I get it.

Helmets often are looked down upon as being lame and can also have an impact on your performance. They can also save you from the grim reaper.

The amount of damage that can be done to one's brain is increasing drastically every day/month/year. Tricks are also getting bigger and bigger and are being attempted or done in the Golden Age of Social Media. Today there is way more pressure to pull off insane or NDB tricks to show the world.

I'll admit, I never wore a helmet unless I was at a park or somewhere that required me to do so. During those times I would be thankful that I had my helmet on. It gave me a sense of security. A feeling that I knew I could go all out and push my limits to the max.

More often than not, I never even thought about wearing a helmet in the street back in the day. Even after launching off my friends 4' launch ramp. Yeah, you read that right 4 feet high. I'll never forget the feeling of approaching it. The ramp almost seemed to go on forever then SILENCE. I was floating above the concrete with air flowing through my hair...without a helmet.

I've been very fortunate enough to not have too many Marty McFly moments of bouncing my head on the pavement.

Now I do remember hitting my head on the ground really badly one night back in the day. A close friend and I were skating to the local convenience store as we often did for some late-night snacks.

We were cruising along as we always, but for some reason (maybe because it was at night time) I had forgotten that there was a huge uneven part of the sidewalk with about a 1" crack.

I remember I was going pretty fast and then all of a sudden hitting the crack, which threw me to the ground as I bounced the back of my head on the sidewalk.

It went dark for a second and I recall seeing what I though were stars as most people describe. It was super scary and I don't even think I ever told my parents about it.

Maybe I did, but I can't remember. No pun intended.

I also don't think there was any long-term damage done as I've since had a CAT scan on my brain due to frequent migraines (not related to skating). Everything checked out at the time. I got lucky.

If I were to guess how many street skaters actually wear helmets today I would say maybe 5-7%. That's just a gut check guess. I'll be sure to do a follow up number down the road as I do more research on this topic. It's not a lot and I bet my number is pretty damn close or even a bit high.

Nevertheless, It's a topic that is definitely not going away soon. It's a sports-wide issue that has only just barely seen the light.

With that, what is it going to take in order to cause a huge shift in the other direction? The death of a prominent rider? I sure hope not.

Photo by Ken Treloar on Unsplash

Just in the past year alone we've already seen some pretty gnarly slams around the world. Jamie Foy and Ivan Montero instantly come to mind.

And more recently, Dustin Dollin who took a really bad slam filming the latest Independent Trucks' Video "Scabs for Slabs". Some scary stuff indeed. Check out the video on Thrasher's website.

Bouncing your head on the ground is slowly losing it's cool factor.

Sure, it all really comes down to each individual knowing their limitations and choosing to put on a helmet for times when things could really ugly or deadly. But is it really worth the risk? Some would say, yes.

It's helmet pioneers like Mike V. who is leading by example. I believe that others will soon follow, but it's going to be a slow and gradual process.

How do you stand on the whole helmet for street skating issue?

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Benefits of Skateboarding - It's Not Just Physical

4/1/2019

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As I've mentioned before, there are so many good things to note about skateboarding.

And the positives definitely outweigh the negatives.

I'm also not only talking about the potential physical health benefits you get from rolling around on a board with four wheels. You will also gain a ton of mental confidence which could help you be able to tackle most of your crazy everyday life as well.

With that, let's start with the obvious.

EXCERCISE

Skateboarding is great exercise.

Plain and simple.

Even if you are just rolling around the neighborhood you are already reaping the benefits of the sport. Heck, even if you are falling down you are still BURNING calories. Talk about a win, win. And did I just bust out a "Heck"?

Per the Harvard Medical School you can burn up to an average of 222 calories per each 30 minute session. That's at least the equivalent of one of your favorite fast food items or a solid IPA. Nice!

As I've gotten older I find that I can usually hang pretty good for about an hour. That is if I did some proper stretching, etc. (which I often times forget to do). Anything more than an hour and I'm asking for some pains in random places the next couple days. All of course, worth it.

So if you hate running on a treadmill or flexing at your local gym, I suggest you check out skateboarding as an option. My guess is that you will get hooked and never look back. You can thank me later.

Photo by chuttersnap on Unsplash

CONFIDENCE

Now, we all know skateboarding is very difficult master at a high level. It's very similar to golf, just less lame rules. You are, however, going to take some slams along the way. It's all part of the package.

But it's whether or not how and when you decide to get up and if you choose to try again is what counts. Doing so gives you so much confidence. I like to say that skateboarding didn't save my life, it MADE my life.

Take a look at all of the high level pros that are out there and look at their body language and demeanor. Their confidence level is usually so high that it shoots through the roof and is blasted into outer space (not literally). That is all due to skateboarding.

And, in the end, when you do finally land that trick you have been putting so much BLOOD, SWEAT, and TEARS into it feels like the best rush ever. It's almost hard to describe. You are on top of the world for a short moment.

Then you move on to the next trick conquer as you rinse and repeat.

MANAGE STRESS (WHILE TRYING TO MANAGE ANGER)

The world can be a pretty crazy place most of the time, but for skaters who are in the zone it can almost go unnoticed.

You'll see some riders so locked in to accomplishing their tricks that they almost get hit by cars, pedestrians and/or busses. They only have their eye on the prize - landing that one specific trick.

Nevertheless, I can guarantee that when you are in the zone you will not have one thought about all the things that are stressful in your life. Those thoughts just fade away. It's just you, your board, and your mind. Pure bliss.

You will have to manage your anger though. Especially if you are prone to being an a-hole or a loose cannon. We all know them and have them in our circle of friends or family. I say that because skateboarding, much like golf, is very hard to master.

It takes months and years to become really good. And what happens is when you start climbing the ladder of tricks you start to build enough confidence in yourself that you truly expect to land everything, every time.

That unfortunately doesn't happen. Boards then get tossed, snapped in half or thirds, thrown into water, and many other fun ways you will discover to release your frustration. I think back on the time when I used to spit on my board. Yeah, I often times lost my mind too. It happens.

Doesn't this sound fun?

Good answer!

Photo by Zach Lezniewicz on Unsplash

IT'S ACCEPTED NOW

Back when I first started skating it was constantly coming back from the dead. There were decades of regrouping, regrowth, and redefining what it was to be a skateboarder. It has and will always be an individual sport.

One that challenges riders to push themselves to places they have never gone before.

It has also gained a ton of respect and admiration over the years as well. Although there will always be cranky humans that hate everything about skaters and take every moment possible to degrade the sport. They will never take us down. Ever.

Then we have the complete opposite group of teens, moms, dads, grandparents, who are falling in love with the sport even if they've never stepped foot on a board. It's a very interesting time to be a skater and/or follow the sport.

Times sure have changed.

I remember being called "Skater F@g!" "Poser!" and many other names growing up. Some of those people didn't even know anything about me. They had no idea how their words didn't bother me at all. I'm sure many of those people by now have at least played a game of THPS in their time.

Some may have since converted to the dark side an bought a longboard. Hah!

What I'm trying to say is that skateboarding is accepted more now. And by "now" I mean within the last few years and even decade there has been a very monumental shift. One that is still just getting started.

As I mentioned in episode 01 of the podcast just wait until the 2020 Olympics when the sport gets catapulted to another level. Grab your popcorn.

IT CAN HELP CURE RACISM (AND HOMOPHOBIA)

That's right.

Skateboarding is awesome because our community welcomes all members regardless of their sex, race, age, ability (or disability), etc. How cool is that?

It's very rare to show up to a new or local spot with a bunch of other riders and not instantly feel part of the family. Sure there might be a few bad apples here and there, but overall once you are in the know you are part of something very special.

We belong to a very unique global community that most people will never experience or see. And because many skaters are able to travel the world and see and meet new people of all kind of backgrounds and cultures the momentum of the sport just continues to grow and prosper.

These are just some examples of the many benefits of skateboarding. The confidence, skills, and overall health you get from riding not only works in your current situation, but carries over into your real-world environments as well.

Thanks for reading.

Drop a comment on how you discovered this site and where you are from.

One love, my friends. One love.

Rick

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Simple Advice for Beginner Skateboarders

3/25/2019

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If you or your kids are ready to hop the fence and jump into the wonderful world of skateboarding you are in luck. It's not as scary as you think. It's actually the TRICKS that you should be more worried about. But more on that later.

Skateboarding has always been one of the more easier sports to take up. All you really need is a board and some dedication.

However, unless your last name is Hosoi, Caballero, or Hawk it's most likely something that you will not be able to pick up very quickly. Your future weekends will consist of hours upon hours of attempts and failures. And then even more attempts and failures mixed in with some doctor's visits. Nevertheless, nothing is more rewarding than finally landing a trick that you have been busting your butt (literally) for hours/days/weeks/years.

BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS

I've been pretty much riding the standard "double tail" or "popsicle" style boards for the last few decades. Some people also call them "double kick" boards. They've always been really good for regular and switch stance tricks. However, there has been an uptick in old-school re-issues of the classic boards many of us grew up with.

I have my eye on you, classic Caballero deck! I can't even recall how many of these I blew through back in the day. If you don't know who Steve Caballero is check out his website at www.stevecaballero.com You can even score one of his classic boards I mentioned above. These are always great gifts as well. (hint, hint).

EVERCHANGING FASHION TRENDS

Now that you are all pumped up, have your deck all set up and ready to roll, you are just about ready to hit the streets. Before you do just be sure to dress accordingly.

Skateboarding has always been about individuality and personal expression so when it comes to the kind of clothes you need to don you are also in luck. Are you sitting down? There is literally NO DRESS CODE. Talk about having options.

When I got started back in the late 80's I had no idea I would be rocking baggy pants in the next decade. Pants so big that I had to trim the bottoms. It all just kind of happened. Thankfully, social media wasn't around then so I am pretty sure there aren't too many photos of me in the wild.

The 90's will always be a stand out decade for skateboarding on many levels. Some may say even a black eye in regards to fashion, but it was a fun time indeed. I mean, I am a 36 waist and was rocking at least 42 waists back then. What were we thinking?

Anyway. As I mentioned, you can wear whatever the hell it is you want in this sport. Most riders today wear t-shirts, polos, button downs, flannels, tank tops, Jerry Rice jerseys, etc. for tops. And for bottoms you can wear shorts, jeans, cargo pants (Camo, but only if you are Josh Kalis or Rob Dyrdek), leggings, Nyjah shorts, sweat pants, track pants or whatever you have in your closet.

The main thing is to wear whatever you feel comfortable in. That's about it.

Just don't over think it. Get up. Get dressed. Go push.

SHOES

Which reminds me. Proper shoes are really important once you start adding more tricks to your portfolio.

Since you are just starting out I would recommend getting a shoe that has a ton of support for your feet and ankles. Anything high top like Vans or Nike (with tons of air) will be just fine. You can go to any discount shoe store and find pretty much anything on the rack in your size that looks remotely like an athletic show. That is all you'll need at first.

Once you become sponsored you will then be able to get shoes sent to you for FREE. And, when you become good enough as Jamie Thomas you will be able to eliminate shoes all together and simply ride barefoot! Talk about setting some good career goals and saving some money in the process. Win, win.

Okay. Now that you have a board in hand and are dressed from head-to-toe in some comfortable gear, you are now ready to hit the streets. Or the front lawn as I once did.

MUST HAVE BALANCE

There are two main things you will need to learn right away when you are just starting out -- balance and how to push.

You can learn how to balance on a board by just setting it on the grass and pretending to ride and do tricks. This is a perfect place to start and you can take a few falls on softer environment before heading to the concrete jungle. Practice your ollies. Your manuals. Your Comb Your Hair airs. Get creative.

Sidewalk cracks are also great places to learn how to balance and ollie. Just place the wheels right on top/inside them and practice away. Practice balancing here as well. The sky's the limit from here. Just be careful as often times when you ollie your board will not necessarily land back in the crack. This will be your true test of balance, grasshopper.

PUSH WISELY

Now lastly, and most importantly you must decide how you are going to push.

There is either "regular" foot where your left foot is in front and you push with your right foot.

Or "goofy" where your right foot is up front and you push with your left.

Notice how I said that regardless of the stance your front foot must be up towards the front of the board, right around the bolts.

I mention this because unless you are under the age of 3 or are skating switch stance I would definitely advise from pushing with your foot placed on the back of the board. Fact. This type of pushing style helped inspire the name of this website.

It's called pushing MONGO and you don't want to get caught up in the bad habit of pushing that way. Trust me.

NOW GO RIDE

Okay. Now that you're all set with a board, shoes, clothes (and maybe some protective gear), and tons of determination you are ready to hit the streets (or ramps). Get out there and practice balancing and pushing. Roll on every surface as possible - my favorite places are smooth hallways at schools and covered parking garages.

The most important thing is to just have fun and not worry about what all the other riders are doing or landing. Your time will come and before you know it I will be rolling around on one of YOUR boards.

Until next time.

Oh, and thank you skateboarding.

Rick

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A Quick Introduction

3/21/2019

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MY HI

Hey, what’s up. Thanks for stopping by.

I wanted to do a quick post to introduce myself and give you a little background into my experience with this great sport we call skateboarding.

It all started about 30 years ago.

For some reason (maybe because it’s been over three decades?) I can’t remember how I got my first board. It was most likely a hand-me-down from friend-of-a-friend.

It was green banana board - Variflex, I believe. It had zero concave. Zero grip tape. And big ass wheels that were super fast. Rollin'!!

****I tried to find a picture online, but no luck. I'll update you once I do. ****

Like many, I started off by rolling around on my knees at the park. However, everything changed once I finally learned how to stand up and cruise down the sidewalk.

Needless to say, I was hooked from the start. No more baseball or soccer for me from that point on. Nope! I was done and on a new mission.

Check out this backside wall ride from many moons ago. Clearly, this was not shot on an iPhone.:

MY WHY

What's great about skateboarding is that it is way more than just a sport. It’s a lifestyle.

A lifestyle that sticks with you forever.

You never look at concrete, buildings, benches, and rails the same way again.

You notice potential skate spots in random places.

You get to make lifelong friendships. You also get to interact with police officers and security guards daily -- more on this at another time.

It’s also a sport that welcomes ALL races, genders, shapes, sizes, ages, species, etc. It’s a wonderful community that I am glad to be a part of.

With that being said, I have 3 main goals for this site.:
1. Continue to help spread knowledge of the sport
2. Meet and interact with awesome people much like yourself
3. Learn something new each day

I’d love to hear about your experience or greatest moment to date. Or, if you are a new rider I’d love to hear how your journey is going so far. Comment below.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Rick

Below is one of the first rails I did a caveman on. Short and sweet. Santa Clara, CA Circa '92.

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