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News
How Much do Skateboard Lessons Cost?
This page is to summarize the average costs for skateboarding lessons.
Skateboard Classes
$200-695. – Small group classes at the local YMCA and public recreation departments are usually the least expensive options. They are generally in the price range of $95-195. The typical class has about five sessions. Private camps through skateparks and skateboard schools will be pricier- $395-1395.
Private Skateboard Lessons
$365-499 (Four) Lessons – One hour-long session with an instructor
$455-699 (Four) Lessons – Two hour-long sessions
$565-799 (Six) Lessons – One hour-long sessions
$859-999 (Six) Lessons – Two hour-long sessions
Geographical Differences
New York, California, Illinois, and Hawaii typically have the highest prices for lessons. Skate lessons are 32% higher in these areas. Prices also tend to be higher in cities and higher-income areas. Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee have shown to have the cheapest prices for skateboarding lessons.
Skateboard Camp Prices
From Camp Woodward ($1300-1500) to PointX ($795) to GoSkate ($900), there are several differences in pricing. Some camps include cooking, lodging, and equipment. Camps usually run for five to seven days. Longer camps may cost $1500-2000 for 14 days.
How Much Does a Single Skateboard Lesson Cost?
Most schools do not offer a single lesson. You will likely find pricing as part of a class or a group of lessons. Skateboarding can’t be learned in a single session. However, you may be able to find a single session for around $79-159.
How Much Do Skateboard Lessons in Europe Cost?
The running price in Europe tends to be the same as in the United States. London has the highest prices in Europe. Average prices in London can run 20% higher than in the United States. Eastern Europe has the lowest prices on lessons. There, a single lesson can be purchased for $35 or less.
News
7 Interesting Facts you Probably Didn’t know about the History of Skateboarding
Skateboarding traces its roots back to 1950s in California when surfers attached roller skate wheels to boards in order to surf the streets on wave-free days. But a lot has happened with the sport since that time. Here’s a list of some of the most interesting facts you probably didn’t know about the history of skateboarding.
1. Clay and Metal Wheels
In the 1950s and 1960s, before urethane was invented, skateboard wheels were primarily made out of clay or metal. Prone to cracks and corrosion these wheels were very unsafe and led to many injuries. And the dangers were exacerbated further by the fact that skateboarding was primarily a barefoot sport in these first decades. The skaters in the 50s and 60s were tough all right.
Patti McGee graced the cover of the Skateboarder Magazine in October 1965.
2. The First Female Pro
The first female professional skateboarder was Patti McGee, who turned pro in 1964. She is perhaps most well known for setting the world record for the fastest girl on a skateboard when she was only 19. Understandably, Patti was also the first female ever to be included in the Skateboarding Hall of Fame.
3. The Ollie
The invention of the ollie, a skateboarding maneuver where the rider slams his foot on the tail of the skateboard and simultaneously jumps into the air, revolutionized the sport completely. The trick is credited to and named after Alan “Ollie”� Gelfand, and was invented in 1978.
4. A banned sport for 11 years
The use, ownership, sale, and advertising of skateboards were forbidden in Norway between 1978 and 1989 because of the perceived dangers of the sport. During the 11-year long ban, skateboarders had to smuggle boards from Germany and built ramps in the woods in order to avoid confrontation with the police.
5. Have you seen him? The Search for Animal Chin
The 1987 skateboard film “Search for Animal Chin”� is perhaps the most celebrated film in skateboarding culture. It was also one of the first skateboarding films to have a solid plot, rather than solely a collection of tricks, stunts, and music. Produced by the Bones Brigade, the film features legendary skaters such as Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero and Lance and Mountain on their quest to find a wise old man called Won Ton “Animal”� Chin. Other widely celebrated skateboarding films include Thrasin’ (1986) and Lords of Dogtown (2005).
A corporal carrying a board as part of the Urban Warrior ’99 program.
6. The 1980s’ dip
The popularity of skateboarding plummeted in the late 1980s to early 1990s, and with the decline most skateparks closed down. Most historians agree that it was precisely this lack of parks that eventually lead to development of modern street skateboarding, where curbs, stairs, handrails and the likes assumed a central focus in the sport.
7. Skateboarding in the military?
In the late 1990s, the United States Marine Corps tested the usefulness of skateboards for urban warfare as part of the Urban Warrior ’99 programme. According to the program, the skateboard’s special purpose was “for maneuvering inside buildings in order to detect tripwires and sniper fire”�.
So there you have it, our picks for the top 7 of the most interesting facts from skateboarding’s long history. Feel like I missed something? Let us know in the comment section below!
Did We Miss Any Interesting Facts? Comment Your Most Cool Fact Below…
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News
Show Your Stuff! Amateur Skateboarding Competitions
It’s been a long and controversial journey, but a proposal to make skateboarding an Olympic sport in 2020 is finally here. With the recent Olympic developments and lots of professional events going on-from the recently finished X Games to the upcoming Vans Pro Skate Park Tour-competition fever is in the air. What’s a better motivation to up your game than watching pros compete? Competing yourself.
The problem is that finding good amateur skate contests can be tough. Here’s a quick guide to some ways you can get that competitive experience.
Local contests
There are lots of local level skateboarding competitions out there. Ask about it at your local skate shop, talk to people at the park, and see if there are any skateboarding Facebook groups in your area that post about local contests. They might not be as glamorous as the X Games, but they’re a great way to practice competing.
Touring Amateur Contests
If you want to get beyond the local, your next step is touring competitions. Most of them are hosted by skating companies, they’re usually free or have a small registration fee, and they have events all over the country. You may even have a shot to win some prize money or skate at a national competition. Some of the bigger ones are Zumiez Best Foot Forward, Volcom’s Wild in the Park series, and The Boardr Am Series. Check out the internet and your skating contacts to find out if any touring series are stopping near you.
Professional Contests with an Amateur Division
If you’re tearing it up at local and touring contests, this is your next step. Lots of professional skateboarding competitions have an amateur division. The X Games, for instance, have an amateur event that you can qualify for through The Boardr Am Series. The World Cup of Skateboarding and The Boardr both list competitions that are mostly geared toward professional skaters, but often have amateur events. Look through them and read up on entrance requirements to find out more about your path onward and upward.
Pro Tours
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News
Watch Tony Hawk and Jaws Skate in Zero Gravity
by Ron Darian
Tony Hawk and Aaron “Jaws” Homoki have battled gravity their whole lives and now, they finally get a chance to skate without gravity. The result was perhaps a more difficult skate environment than imagined.
Their experience was captured by Sony and 900 Films.
News
5 Surprising Facts About Pros You Know
by Ruben Najera
If Skateboarding is everything then what comes second?
We all come to a point in our skateboarding when we get hurt, sidelined or just plain need a small break. Its normal.
It may not be for very long, but have you ever wondered what some of our industries most recognizable pros do as a side hobby other than skateboard? Here are 5 professional skateboarders with some side ventures or hobbies you may or may not have known about.
5 Surprising Side Hobbies of Top Pros
Don’t worry. They’re not cheating. 🙂
5. Chris Cole is a Pretty Gnarly BMX Rider
Yes you read that correctly above BMX. Chris Cole is actually a pretty gnarly BMX rider and is close with the Cult Crew he can full on do 360’s and everything. This is a surprise and not a surprise at the same time, because he is a skilled and technical skater so you would think that almost anything else he would master. I wouldn’t be surprised if you handed him a scooter and he would seriously do some groundbreaking tricks on it. He can probably pick up anything that easily no joke. I am just glad he holds skateboarding near and dear to his heart as his #1 though.
I would never want to loose Chris Cole the Skateboarder he’s one of the greats! Always been a fan since day one.
4.Eric Koston is a Competitive Golfer
Your pretty on point if you ever thought Eric Koston’s pro Nike SB shoes looked like golf shoes. This was actually intentional since he’s a huge fan and participant of golf. In the video below, you can catch some of his skills on the green turf.
Now although golf is less adrenaline of a sport than skateboarding, it’s not to say its not “difficult”. Sometimes it looks downright just as frustrating to try and get the ball anywhere remotely near the hole to be honest.
I can see where the challenge is within golf and while it may not be most skateboarders alternate to skateboarding. We can all agree miniature golf is pretty fun, right?
3. Steve Caballero Kills it in Motocross
Steve actually has numerous side hobbies next to skateboarding. Everything from collecting action figures to drawing and painting amazing works of art. Steve is a man of many talents and is just as classic as his Vans Half Cabs. For a legend and man that has been in our skateboard industry for decades now many would be surprised to know that he is also a big time motorcycle enthusiast.
Steve loves to race motocross and actually founded “Skatercross” with another legendary skateboarder Salman Agah. They invite numerous other skateboard pros who share the same common interest to race in an all skate/motorcross race for gold! Its pretty awesome!
2. Ed Templeton is an Award-Winning Artist
This is probably the least surprising one on this list, because we all know Ed is an incredible artist. We just had to mention him. He has a unique, instantly recognizable style to his paintings and drawings. He is also known for his photography, but I was always more drawn to his art. I always felt it would fall perfectly into place of like an adult swim cartoon.
If you have seen any of the past Toy Machine videos, you are aware of his animations of his characters. How cool would it be to see a cartoon of the sect character or turtle boy? Come on Ed lets see it happen the worlds first skateboard cartoon show. It would be amazing and you got the skills and awesome ideas dude!
1. Ray Barbee is a Talented Guitarist
Still one of the best Heelflips in the game, in my opinion, and boy can Ray play a mean guitar! Seriously, I first heard one of his songs in a 411video magazine. I believe Kenny Anderson was skateboarding to it. I was so impressed when I found out it was Ray Barbee. In fact, I was more than impressed I was inspired and started to try and make music of my own.
Like why the heck not make your own music for your skateboard videos?
Ray is a man of many talents, if you didn’t know before, now you know check his guitar shredding below and prepare to be blown away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw9uZdlp3dc
News
Top 5 Tips to Find a Skate Spot (When You Don’t Have a Park)
typicalculture.com
No skate park in your town? Or maybe there is one, but you’re just getting started and don’t necessarily want everyone to see you learning the ropes? Not to worry–you can still do all the tricks you dream of, you may just have to think outside the box.
- Be Creative
The world is your skate park! For most skate tricks, what you need is a run-up and a landing. A loading dock has both those things. So does a staircase. So does a raised planter, a concrete park bench, and lots of common architectural features. Schools, banks, stores, parking lots, parks, downtown areas, docks, underneath bridges, and more, all usually have these things. Looking for a half-pipe? If you’re lucky enough to have a (dry) drainage ditch or swimming pool in your area, you’re in luck. Just getting started? A simple curb and crosswalk ramp can get you started on basic jumps. Get used to looking at the world through skateboarding goggles: assess every architectural feature you see in terms of how it will work for tricks. It may take less than you think.
2. Be Sneaky
The problem with all those options we just talked about? A lot of them”¦ don’t want you skating there. If all the schools, businesses, and parks in your area tend to be busy or have no-skating signs up, your next move might be to get a little sneaky. It may not be ideal, but if you go at night or very early in the morning, it’s unlikely anyone will give you a hard time. Be aware of how much noise you’re making to avoid getting cops or security called (and, you know, not bother people who are sleeping), but you’ll usually be OK if you use the cover of darkness.
3. Think Small
Having a lot of space to skateboard is great, but you don’t actually need a ton of it to do most tricks. If you live somewhere rural or with particularly active police, start thinking in terms of the minimal possible skateboarding equipment. Does your driveway have a bump in it? Stairs in front of your house? A roomy garage? A short railing around a planter? Doing the same jump over and over again may get a little repetitive and not be as much fun as having a lot of varied landscape, but when it comes to actually learning new tricks, it will usually work fine.
4. Do-It-Yourself
@oi_skating
Whether you have lots of space or none at all, it won’t help you if there are really no skateable features to it. If you’ve graduated beyond what a curb can offer, the next step may to make your own skating features. You can find lots of great blue prints for different kinds of features online, and if you have some basic power tools, they aren’t too expensive to make.
Cool Do-It-Yourself Ideas
Flat bar/ramp
Make a jersey barrier into a ramp
Make a spot under a bridge
Skate your truck
5. Adapt Your Style
There’s more than one way to skin a cat. If none of the options above work for you, you can always try a different kind of skateboarding. There are tons of cool longboarding styles that don’t take anything to jump off of, all you need to bomb a hill is a hill, and you can always work on your cruising speed and fluidity. Those skills will still help you if you do eventually get to a situation where you can work on tricks, and they’re definitely better than nothing if you’re wanting for skateboarding spots.
Want to Find a Skate Park?
News
Top 6 Gnarliest Hill Bombs!
by Ruben Najera
Bomb hills not countries! Thats a phrase I remember hearing or seeing somewhere at some point in time on some skate related product and I always thought it was awesome. By now many of you should have seen Don the “Nuge” Nguyen recent hill bombed the fifth steepest street hills in America. The hill is in Los Angeles. If you have not I will provide the link below. For those unaware “Nuge” is also the first person to ollie the El Toro 20 stair so he’s no stranger to setting gnarly standards.
How to Bomb a Hill
Bombing a hill is no joke and it can be straight up devastating or even life threatening if things were to go wrong. Whether it be getting speed wobbles on the way down and slamming or worse getting hit by a car at an intersection because you can’t even see them coming nor are they looking out for you. It is a dangerous balance of disaster to juggle with and all while going so fast that worrying about staying on the board is the primary objective and everything else that’s to come in front of you becomes secondary whilst the few milliseconds of adrenaline and focus.
Top 6 Gnarliest Hill Bombs
Below are not the top six hill bombs of all time but more like 5 notable hill bombs that come right to mind for me.
What is your definitive favorite greatest hill bomb of all time to watch? Who holds that title in your eyes? Also bombing hills is super dangerous and in no way are we trying to amp you up to ride down anything like these dudes. You can straight up just live vicariously through watching these speed demons fly by your screen at 40 miles per hour. They are professionals and have had their fair share of years of experience skateboarding in general before they even attempted any of this. Also on a side note I won’t be counting longboard hill bombs these are pure gnarly true skateboard hill bombs! Essentially boards that are not meant to go down something that fast!
6. Anonymous, Massive Cement Hill
Okay this first hill bomb left me wondering where the heck this spot is? Its a trip to be honest with you I mean this is a massive cement hill I’m not even sure what it is completely but it must have been an absolute pain pouring that much asphalt or cement into the ground to create it. This dude nearly disappears on screen the size of an ant and truly shows the sheer mass of this hill. I won’t spoil the end but some of you might be able to guess it. Either way props to him for sticking with it. And if anyone knows where this is in the world let us know!
5. Thrasher, Need for Speed, Richard Bowen (1:35)
This next video is a full montage via Thrasher. They had an actual hill bomb contest and these were individuals that submitted there quite a few in the video but my personal favorite is Richard Bowen at 1:35 of the video because of the near catastrophic fall you think he’s about to have its so gnarly how he recovers at the last millisecond!
4. Next is Jon Allie in the New Blood video!
Now in the video this might not look as gnarly as you’d expect but B Street in Downtown San Diego is gnarly believe me! And bombing it switch is no walk in the park its absolutely mind boggling. This hill has so many potholes and giant cracks throughout its downhill descent that you could be deterred from trying it just walking up it seeing what your going to have to deal with on the way down.
3. Frank Gerwer is a San Fransisco skateboarding legend!
He has always been one of my favorites to watch skate and this hill bomb is epic! I absolutely love his reaction at the end of his hill bomb because the first time I watched it I swear I said the exact same words in synchronization with him as he said them it gave me goosebumps “holy shit”
2. Emmanuel Guzman
Wow is all I can say on this next video! Emmanuel Guzman is a beast he tackled this hill like a champ you can see the sheer and viscous speed that he battles through blazing by the camera its absolutely mind blowing. Its the kind of speed that you would need a windshield to deter insects dying on impact upon your flesh its THAT fast. I could only imagine. Prepare to watch it a couple of times.
1. Here is the “NUGE” hill bomb.
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News, Uncategorized
Korean Longboard Dancing Girl Breaks the Internet
By McKenna Marsden
There’s more than one kind of skateboarding. Longboard dancing, which involves doing actual dance steps on a moving longboard, is taking off with some girls in Korea-and while it may be lower impact than trick-heavy skateboarding, there’s no denying there’s some serious skill and finesse going on here.
Hyo Joo Ko (you can check her Instagram here) is a master of it and has gone viral doing her longboard moves along the Han River in Seoul. Hyo Joo has been building up an Instagram following for a while now, but made the internet big-time with over 25,000,000 views on Facebook after Korean hip-hop star Kero set one of her dances to his music.
Style and presentation are a part of any kind of skateboarding, and Hyo Joo and other Korean longboard dancing girls are all about it, with a focus on cool choreography, timing, and performance rather than tricks or speed.
What do you think about longboard dancing and other creative ways to skateboard? And what about other skateboarding trends from around the world?
News
Top 6 Gnarliest Hill Bombs!
by Ruben Najera
Bomb hills not countries! Thats a phrase I remember hearing or seeing somewhere at some point in time on some skate related product and I always thought it was awesome. By now many of you should have seen Don the “Nuge” Nguyen recent hill bombed the fifth steepest street hills in America. The hill is in Los Angeles. If you have not I will provide the link below. For those unaware “Nuge” is also the first person to ollie the El Toro 20 stair so he’s no stranger to setting gnarly standards.
How to Bomb a Hill
Bombing a hill is no joke and it can be straight up devastating or even life threatening if things were to go wrong. Whether it be getting speed wobbles on the way down and slamming or worse getting hit by a car at an intersection because you can’t even see them coming nor are they looking out for you. It is a dangerous balance of disaster to juggle with and all while going so fast that worrying about staying on the board is the primary objective and everything else that’s to come in front of you becomes secondary whilst the few milliseconds of adrenaline and focus.
Top 6 Gnarliest Hill Bombs
Below are not the top six hill bombs of all time but more like 5 notable hill bombs that come right to mind for me.
What is your definitive favorite greatest hill bomb of all time to watch? Who holds that title in your eyes? Also bombing hills is super dangerous and in no way are we trying to amp you up to ride down anything like these dudes. You can straight up just live vicariously through watching these speed demons fly by your screen at 40 miles per hour. They are professionals and have had their fair share of years of experience skateboarding in general before they even attempted any of this. Also on a side note I won’t be counting longboard hill bombs these are pure gnarly true skateboard hill bombs! Essentially boards that are not meant to go down something that fast!
6. Anonymous, Massive Cement Hill
Okay this first hill bomb left me wondering where the heck this spot is? Its a trip to be honest with you I mean this is a massive cement hill I’m not even sure what it is completely but it must have been an absolute pain pouring that much asphalt or cement into the ground to create it. This dude nearly disappears on screen the size of an ant and truly shows the sheer mass of this hill. I won’t spoil the end but some of you might be able to guess it. Either way props to him for sticking with it. And if anyone knows where this is in the world let us know!
5. Thrasher, Need for Speed, Richard Bowen (1:35)
This next video is a full montage via Thrasher. They had an actual hill bomb contest and these were individuals that submitted there quite a few in the video but my personal favorite is Richard Bowen at 1:35 of the video because of the near catastrophic fall you think he’s about to have its so gnarly how he recovers at the last millisecond!
4. Next is Jon Allie in the New Blood video!
Now in the video this might not look as gnarly as you’d expect but B Street in Downtown San Diego is gnarly believe me! And bombing it switch is no walk in the park its absolutely mind boggling. This hill has so many potholes and giant cracks throughout its downhill descent that you could be deterred from trying it just walking up it seeing what your going to have to deal with on the way down.
3. Frank Gerwer is a San Fransisco skateboarding legend!
He has always been one of my favorites to watch skate and this hill bomb is epic! I absolutely love his reaction at the end of his hill bomb because the first time I watched it I swear I said the exact same words in synchronization with him as he said them it gave me goosebumps “holy shit”
2. Emmanuel Guzman
Wow is all I can say on this next video! Emmanuel Guzman is a beast he tackled this hill like a champ you can see the sheer and viscous speed that he battles through blazing by the camera its absolutely mind blowing. Its the kind of speed that you would need a windshield to deter insects dying on impact upon your flesh its THAT fast. I could only imagine. Prepare to watch it a couple of times.
1. Here is the “NUGE” hill bomb.
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