Back to the Basics: One-on-One tutorial with the Batangan Skatelords

     It was a sunny Sunday afternoon, and nothing extraordinary chanced. But purposeful in searching a beat not in doldrums, my feet sent me to Batangas Provincial Capitol grounds. The day seemed so cooperative as I spotted there my preys — the ‘skatelords’. And soon after the catch, food chain began. A sure hit to jackpot, they rendered me their meat— a one-on-one tutorial on skateboarding tricks. Big burps!

     Fired up about it? Unleash the excitement with the Batangas Brothahood Skatecrew as I bring out the skateboarder in you.

The Ollie

     Basically, Ollie is the art of popping the board into the air with your feet stuck on it. To begin with this trick, kick the tail of your board and when it pops up, use your front foot to control it back to the ground. However, do not use too much force in kicking the tail. Exert just enough to the point that you can still withstand the board. Or else, you may end up running for it.

      This trick will surely take a lot of practice to reach mastery. It may take you a week or two before you get used to doing so. But once learned, it opens the door for more complicated tricks.

Brothahood tip: If you are not in haste of learning such trick, you may first practice popping the board. And if you are already comfortable doing so, you may practice popping it higher.

50-50 grind

     Comfortable doing Ollies? Then it’s time to bring it to the next level. Check your sense of balance and try the 50-50 grind.

     The 50-50 grind is done by grinding the middle of the board’s two trucks on the edge of a rail or a ramp. In order to do the trick, you must first be parallel with the obstacle where you will grind. When you are ready, get rolling with an acclerating speed. To do the trick completely, perform the Ollie then land the middle of your board’s trucks on the edge of the rail. Once you have managed to do so, keep skating until the end.

     This trick will surely make you look cool but more time will be needed to execute it properly. You may find yourself mastering the trick for two or three weeks; that is, if you are really determined.

Brothahood tip: If you want to learn this trick, you can first practice grinding in the platform. Don't get too hasty on doing it on a rail for you might end up spraining your feet. 

Kickflip

     Now, if you are so sure that you can bring your skateboarding to an even greater height, then let’s do kickflip.

     Kickflip is the art of flicking the board with your foot to make it flip underneath you while you are suspended in air. Sounds cool, right? In learning this trick, you must be in the basic Ollie position. However, half of your front foot should be hanging while the toe-part is on the board. This position will help you flip the board easier. First, you must perform the Ollie. When you are already in the air, flip the board by kicking upward with your front foot. Then to have a perfect landing, you must return your back foot fast guided by your front foot.

     Many of you would probably think that you should kick the board downward to make it flip, but here’s the real deal: kicking your board downward would not result to a complete flip and might just end up spraining your feet.

     This may really seem hard to do, but after a month or two of practice, combined with the desire and eagerness to learn, performing this trick is far from impossible.

Brothahood tip: Master doing your Ollies first before trying this. If  you are already comfortable and confident in doing your Ollies. Then try this.

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