Fear

I have seen quite some threads about dealing with fear. Many deal with not landing a trick and/or overcoming an obstacle. I am aware that this thread may be closed, but it is worth a try anyways.
Myself only skating for about 3 months, I have dealt with fear a lot. Right now, I am afraid of landing my kickflips. I will go back when I was first learning how to ollie.
Okay, another friend of mine taught me how to ollie. Guess what, I landed one my first try {rf). Then when I actually got into skateboarding, I tried to re-learn the ollie. This is where my tips come in.

Tip1:
When attempting a new trick/obstacle don't go big. That saying "go big or go home" should be stated "go big and you WILL go home". Start small. It's pretty simple. I'll use an ollie as an example. First try the ollie stationary and actually get your board off the ground. You can do this while holding onto a rail, ledge, person, wall, door handle, etc. . Once you are confident with your ollie, try to ollie over a line in cement(the bumps in cement that make your board stop, when your going too slow). Then, once consistent, try to ollie over a stick, hockey stick, golf club, cardboard tube, etc. . As you progress with your trick/obstacle, you will build confidence and skill.


Tip2:
Wear protective gear. In California it is state law to wear a helmet and/or protective padding when riding a bicycle, skateboard, scooter, etc. . Of course you can be a BAMF:icon_2gun and not do that(I've been warned by 3 different cops). Anyways, yes protective gear also helps to build confidence. Not only does it protect you, but you know consciously that you won't get hurt. Okay, you might look like a dork as I have been told *cough* rheng *cough*, but hey better than breaking something and not skating for a month or so.

Tip3:
Music. Yes, music does help. Blast it, in your backyard. Use your mp3 player and make yourself deaf. It gets you pumped, helps with your adrenaline. Listen to music you like, you don't have to listen to the typical hardcore skater music. Music also makes you feel good, causing you to have fun while skating and more likely to help you stay positive when you fall.

Tip4:
Setting. Where you practice makes a big difference in your skating. Skating in a skate park might make you nervous, if your practicing a trick you still can't land. Also, it is quite loud with all the other skaters. Inside your house is a good place, if you have carpet installed in your home. The only thing is I have to warn you about breaking things inside the house. Grass is also another setting like carpet. The thing is about grass is that the whole feel of the trick is totally different from cement. The best place would probably be your garage. It's the smoothest place with cement. It's secluded. It's inside a place where you feel comfortable. This is all preference, but setting can help deal with fear.

Tip5:
Anger. I actually find this to help a lot. Although this is a bad trait to show, it can help. As kickflips are known to get many skaters frustrated, I will use it as an example. Today, I was working on my kickflips. I became very frustrated. I was so focused on my frustration I forgot about my fear and almost landed a kickflipped. I just slipped and fell. Anger may help at times, but not always a thing you should rely on to help land your trick/obstacles.

Tip6:
Have fun. This is the best advice anyone can give a person. Whether it be life or skateboarding. Go skate with your friends. Do it for yourself. As long as you have fun, I'm sure the fear of falling or hurting yourself will go away and you can do anything(I know it sounds generic).

Hopefully this helps some people. Many people deal with fear. Overcome it, fear can hold you back.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

All of that is true. But I'm against learning tricks on Carpet and grass. I learn all my tricks moving, I like the momentum...

As it stands now, I am going to sticky this. A well made thread in my opinion, good for you. :)

haha i called you a dork because you weren't even riding ,just walking ....

The best advice I have received was, listen to sexual music it helps. Like This song sexual healing. Raps sexuality doesnt help.

Yeah I fear of overcoming, girls don't like that.


Joking, its a good made thread except for the anger part.

All of that is true. But I'm against learning tricks on Carpet and grass. I learn all my tricks moving, I like the momentum...

i second that to the max, practicing tricks on carpet or grass doesnt give the same feel as mommentum on concrete.:icon_mad:

Joking, its a good made thread except for the anger part.

my thoughts exactly, anger makes me skate worse...

Learning on carpet doesnt give you the same feel as skating on concrete beacuse you wont learn how to roll away.

Im going to try alot of that :)

i'd also suggest soft trucks.

i know it's different from doing tricks on an actual board, but it's a great way to learn how to spin new tricks, and once you get that down you should be good to try it on an actual board.

same with ollie'ing i suppose.

I made a thread like this before but this one is way better.

i'd also suggest soft trucks.

i know it's different from doing tricks on an actual board, but it's a great way to learn how to spin new tricks, and once you get that down you should be good to try it on an actual board.

same with ollie'ing i suppose.Yeah I know they help out a lot. I learned how to switch flip and heel on soft trucks.

The soft trucks help learn the trick, this is getting over fear. Soft trucks, I've never heard of them, but I don't think it helps deal with fear.

The soft trucks help learn the trick, this is getting over fear. Soft trucks, I've never heard of them, but I don't think it helps deal with fear.
they could. i mean for people JUST learning who may not be comfortable with ollie'ing on an actual board yet, soft trucks help.

they basically take the place of trucks and wheels on the board, located on the same place. they're really light weight, about the same height of the ground as normal trucks/wheels would put you. the whole point of them is to practice when you have no place to skate or for situations like this when you're not confident enough to try something, you try it with them.

Anger just makes me think, and when i do that, i tend to over think, aka i think of ALL the possibilities of me NOT landing a trick.

The first time I started I was scared ****less, then I started getting the hang of it and I was really excited- I never fell once! Then I got a skateboard for myself so I wouldnt have to borrow my friend's, that day I was skating home with it and I hit a pebble and I wiped out really bad, my arm was all scratched and people around me were like, "ooooooo ****" so now Im scared of falling xD hahahaha Im scared of going over cracks, manholes and road bumps. I'm gunna keep skating though, maybe if I fall down some steps of stairs Ill be immune to pain!

Getting angry doesnt help btw >.< not for me anyways, I just get frustrated and I skate horribley and wobble from the fury inside! Waugh!

also when trying stairs start at 1 and build your way up ,, its alot easier than trying a 4 then a 7,,,when you get to 4 try 5 and go up,,

Thanks for this rad advice, it helped me a lot!

also when trying stairs start at 1 and build your way up ,, its alot easier than trying a 4 then a 7,,,when you get to 4 try 5 and go up,,

i said tht...

once i got so angry i could land a kick fllip that i jsut realized u should jsut relax, its not gonna some to me in 1 night, and so i just sat there and visualized how to kickflip, when i got on my board i did it(on the grass) then i progressed and did it on concrete while moving and even off things

the fear aye.. just clear your head dont think about the trick,the ****ty run up,your wobbly trucks,cracks in the ground,lil kids running around,the girl who youve never been able to talk to whos watching you skate with her boyfriend who you absolutely hate.. never mind all that **** just think **** it. pain is only temporary sure it hurts when you injure yourself but how long for?dont be scared of pain embrace it let it push you further well thats what i do anyway the feeling of finally landing something totally takes over any cuts or bruises.and chicks dig it if you wreck yourself and get back up and eventually stomp it

ok the anger part..it helps me VERY much..example:

Ok my family pisses me off all the time and i go out to skate to get rid of the anger...i actually did a underflip to railstand while i had anger left over...

DO WORK!

kickflips were the only tricks i learned in the grass and the rest ive learned rolling.

thanks man

Well actaully there is one solution to over come fear anytime at any place, it called Red Bull or any other type of energy drink that will get you pumped.

For example (true story), well one day my freinds were doing this medium grass gap that would have a drop to it. So my freinds was like do it man its not that hard, it like a two stair. So i tryed but i did'nt have the guts to do.
Then later that day i bought a "Red Bull" and i drank it and by the time i would'nt be scared to do the gap.

So you guys should try it!

kickflips were the only tricks i learned in the grass and the rest ive learned rolling.
same here.

I feel big and obnoxious when i wear protective gear. It actually makes me feel like I can't do stuff =]... I agree with skating to music though because I love music. The only pain about listening to music when you skate is if your earbuds/headphones wire is to long. When I do a trick my arm always hits it and since i have earbuds they always rip out of my ears, so alternately I plug my ipod up to some SUPERAWSOMESPEAKERS and blast it as loud as it will go, which isn't very loud. haha...

I agree with everything but the protective gear and the anger.

Protective gear: Best left to use when it's actually needed, imo. Bombing a hill: wear the gear.. trying a manual.. uhh.. probably don't need the gear, although freak stuff can still happen, but it seems to kill my confidence when doing flat ground stuff. This is just for me though, everyone is different.

Anger: When it comes to me, when I get angry I do get in a "**** it!" mood.. but it just makes me stop for the day rather than push myself harder. I do best when I am just goofing off and not taking things seriously. If I am in a good mood, I skate tons better. If I am grouchy sometimes I don't feel comfortable with anything at all and just want to go somewhere else.

learning stuff in grass or carpet is gay. it doesnt help at all. i can kickflip perfectly going fast but i can kickflip onm carpet or grass. and it just makes the cement seem scarier if u practice in a "padded" place

some good ideas in there.

i m trying shove its for a long time now and i can't land wiht both feed on the board but i know that i can do it but im afraid of doing it any tips??

one of the best posts i've seen
well done :)

Music really does help. I am garbage currently and I always want to give up, but I just keep listening to music and trying again.