The Growing Popularity Of Longboarding
Longboarding is becoming more and more popular all around the world
. Although more and more people are being exposed to the sport it is the most popular on the West Coast in the United States.
There are many reasons as to why it is so popular on this coast. First, it is where it originated.
The surfer mentality that is so prevalent in Southern California enabled longboarding to be born. When surfers are in the water they obviously surf.
Then, when the surfers were on the land they had to walk, bike or skateboard. Nothing felt quite like surfing.
Longboarding has lovingly been called sidewalk surfing by many surfers. The differences between longboarding and traditional skateboarding are many.
It is important that you do not confuse the two types of sports. If you are interested in skateboarding you are interested in a very different sport than longboarding.
The cultures within the two sports are also very different. The skaters and surfers have traditionally been at odds.
When the longboards came about they were made larger and wider than traditional skateboards. This gave the surfboard feel rather than the skateboard feel as they traveled on land.
This was very important for the longboarders to have when they are on land. They were able to use the mechanics and the muscle memory that they formed in the ocean on land for the first time.
Originally longboarding was a leisurely sport. The longboarders were people that were travelling from place to place on the boardwalk.
There were a lot of surfers that would longboard from one surfing place to the next. On a longboard with their surfboard under their arm they were able to get to different parts of the beach much quicker than walking in the sand.
Very soon after the longboard was introduced a new sport was born. People started to ride the longboads down hill.
Because the boards are bigger and the wheels are bigger people often times feel much more comfortable going fast on a longboard than on a skateboard. Downhill longboarding was introduced and people began to make obstacle courses.
The obstacle courses consisted of different turns, bumps and inclines that would test the riders ability to longboard. There were some people that were daredevils that just wanted to go fast on their longboard.
Longboarding continued to evolve. There is now a very wide variety of longboards for skaters to choose between.
If you are considering longboarding you should make sure that you do your research before you go out and buy a board. First, watch some people longboard.
You can find forums and schedules of longboarding events online. If you are able to attend one of these events you will get a better feel for what longboarding is really about.
After attending an event you should approach some of the longboarders. More than likely they will be more than happy to answer the questions that you may have for them.
If you are able to become close to a longboarder you will have the optimal situation to start learning how to ride. They can coach you through your first falls and bruises.
When you first start to ride a longboard you have to decide what you will be doing when you ride. Do you want to compete in events or do you just want to use it for transportation?
If you are just looking for a form of transportation you can go with the longer and wider versions of the longboard. If you are going to be competing you are going to want to know what kinds of boards are permitted in the races that you will eventually be participating in.
Although you will not be ready to race the day that you buy your longboard you can start practicing every day until you feel comfortable enough to practice going downhill. The first time that you gain a lot of speed can be scary.
Take the time to invest in the proper equipment for longboarding. You do not want to hurt yourself without even giving yourself the opportunity to succeed.
There are a lot of longboarders out there that thoroughly enjoy the sport. Whether you are looking to ride in the hills of the east coast, the plains in the Mideast or the boardwalks of the Pacific you will be able to find a board that works well for you.
Do not procrastinate pursuing this dream. Start practicing your longboarding today and eventually you will have the skill level that you've always wanted.
by: Jack Landry
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