Skateboarding. Such a developing sport and lifestyle. Each year the populous of skateboarders grow. Could it be for the thrill, or perhaps the sheer technicality and accessibility of the sport? for any reason, Skateboarding is an exciting activity to be doing. For me, Skateboarding immersed me in a great active outlet in middle school. I also discovered music and art through various skate videos. The only problem for me, and many others who decide to take the challenge of skateboarding is its difficulty level. I remember when learning how to ride a board I would want to learn how to ollie, and follow crappy grainy pictures and short sentence instructions on how to do the trick on websites. I got slowly better but my friends were progressing a lot faster than me. I even got Tony Hawk Trick Tips (1,2 and 3) They helped a bit but I really did not see a vast improvement or feel in my skateboarding ability.
Here I am as a college freshman, I decided to go back where I left off in 9th grade on skating. I guess it helps that I am much older now, but I started picking up my old tricks better and I got more style and ease over the board. I definitely was keen to improve again. I was surfing through youtube when I found someone recommending this video as a good instructional video, so I watched the sample 360 flip clip and was impressed how I quickly understood how to actually attempt the trick. I decided to order this video based on various testimonials, thinking it couldn't hurt my skating.
Once I received the video, I was thoroughly impressed. I looked through the basic instructions on the ollie and just watching the video I understood how I could actually raise my ollie height to a few extra inches. Dan MacFarlane, the creator and instructor in this video really simplifies each specific trick and explains it in a very easy style any ages can follow. Each trick he teaches (from Ollie, Pop Shove Its (BS/FS), Kickflips, heelflips, 360 Flips, Board Slides) he stresses important key points each time. Watching him perform a trick in slow-mo, Its easy to copy and apply it to your skateboarding. I did not experience this ease of learning and applying watching other skateboarding instructional videos.
Watching the video already after owning it for a week and half, I already increased my ollie height, improved my pop shove its and got clean frontside 180 ollies down and great popping kickflips and varial flips down.. His tips on the mini ramp are great too.
Not only does Dan give you great trick tips (stressing the pre-requisites before each trick) He also teaches the fundamentals of skateboarding. How to push, how to figure out which stance a beginner is, how to turn properly. These tips will help any beginner to successfuly join the club. He teaches you how NOT to skate (mongo) which is essential because like many skateboarders, I look in disgust as many skaters around me push mongo. After these fundamental tips, he gives you 8 fundamentals that you can apply to experience level in skateboarding. I feel that these tips really help any skater and is something that makes Dan's video stand out even more.
I recommend this video to all beginners, intermediate and pro skaters, it will make you skate the best you ever skated. I can't wait till his next installments.