Sports & Gaming
Skills & Techniques
Lesson time 7:20 min
If you’ve never stepped on a skateboard before, then here’s where you start. Tony walks you through the fundamentals, including pushing, stopping, and turning.
Students give MasterClass an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars
Topics include: Gear • Pushing Your Board • Stopping • Turning • Tic-Tac
Preview
- My favorite thing about skateboarding is that it's constantly evolving. It's all inclusive. And it is a community of individuals that all have their own pursuits but come together in a sense of camaraderie that I've never found anywhere else. When you go to a skate park and you see a kid trying to drop in for the first time or trying a trick, people rally around that. And that doesn't happen anywhere else. It just doesn't. And the kid is doing it for himself. But at the same time, everyone wants them to do it so badly, because they know that feeling. They know that feeling of what it's like to accomplish something that you were scared of. And nowadays, it covers all walks of life, all genders. And I love that that's where we've come. And some kid can be become a superstar because they have the sickest hard flip. Because it can truly teach kids a sense of self-confidence that they never found anywhere else. That's what it did for me. And you are only judged on how you skate. And it's not a matter of you have to be super good. You just have to be willing to try. I skate with my right foot forward. That means I'm goofy footed. And if you skate with your left foot forward, that means you're regular footed. The best way to know if you're goofy footed or regular footed is if someone were to push you from behind, which foot would you brace yourself with? If it's your right foot, then I would say you're goofy footed. If it's your left foot, you're regular footed. And don't worry about the name goofy. It doesn't mean you're goofy. It's just something that surfers said a long time ago and it stuck. I'm goofy. Be proud. I recommend pads to anyone that's starting to skate. Helmet first and foremost, because that's going to be the most traumatic injury you get if you hit your head. But I recommend at least knee pads and if not elbow pads when you're starting out, because you just don't know what's going to happen. One minute you're on your board, next minute you're literally flying backwards or hitting your side or hitting your knees and your knees and elbows get it first. So that's my recommendation starting out. The more confident you get, maybe you lose some of the pads. But if you're going to be skating the big ramps, the only way you're going to survive a fall is with pads on. So the first way to get moving on your skateboard is to push. And generally, you want to push with your back foot. The reason you push with your back foot is because you can have your front foot in the position that it will remain once your back foot goes on the board. So you would start with your front foot at a slight angle just over the truck bolts. That means that your foot is at an angle enough that it can turn the board if necessary, but also it's pointing enough forward that it will keep your momentum going. And you would take your other foot, push alongside the board on the tow side, give it one good stride. If you want to go faster another str...
About the Instructor
A pro at 14 and the first to land a 900 at the X Games, Tony Hawk is one of the most influential skateboarders of all time. Now he’s helping you take your skateboarding to the next level. Joined by pros Lizzie Armanto and Riley Hawk, Tony teaches you beginner, intermediate, and advanced tricks in street, park, and vert. Learn how to push yourself, get up when you fall, and find your own style. Start reaching new heights.
Featured MasterClass Instructor
Tony Hawk
Legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk teaches you how to take your skateboarding to the next level, whether you’re a beginner or a pro.
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