My Skateboard Tricks

posted by My Skateboard Tricks on Aug 30

Want to Go Pro?
For some people skateboarding is just a fun, exciting hobby. Other individuals may have goals of going further and becoming a professional skateboarder. With available competitions and sporting events like the X-Games, the possibility of becoming a professional is indeed a real one. However, the decision to aim for professional status is not one that should be made lightly. It will take a great deal of commitment, time, money and practice. Ask yourself?Is it in me?
Time: Becoming a professional will take a great deal of time. You will need to spend many hours practicing, competing and traveling. This may be ok if you are 18 or 19 and still living at home. However, if you are very young, or are an adult who is married and/or has kids, finding the time and opportunity to commit to skateboarding full time may be hard to come by.
Commitment: You will need to be committed. There will be times that you do not feel like practicing, traveling and competing but you will need to so in order to make skateboarding a profession.
Money: Serious skateboarding takes money. You will need to be able to support yourself while you are training. You will also need money to purchase equipment, travel to and enter competitions.
Responsibility: To become a professional, you will have to balance responsibilities. If you have a family, kids or are in school, you will need to find a way to do handle all of your responsibilities while traveling and competing.
If you are very young or are a bit older and have a job, you may want to hold off on skateboarding full time. Instead, find time to practice before and after school or work.
To be sure that skateboarding is a good career choice for you, you will want to research current pros. Read their biographies and find out what their work schedules are like. Also, find out what it took for them to be successful and then emulate them when and where you can.
Remember, the decision to become a professional skateboarder will be a tough call to make in many cases. You will have to determine if you are willing to make the commitment to practice even when you don?t fee like it, to travel to competitions and to risk failure. You also have to make sure that you have enough money. You will need to not only support yourself while training and competing but you will also need to pay for the necessary equipment. You will also need to find adequate time. To be a professional anything takes lots of time. You have to be willing to practice when other people do not want to. This is what will set you apart from everyone else.
The timing is right to become a professional in sports that aren?t exactly considered mainstream. People are much more accepting and interested in sports besides baseball, basketball and football. Skateboarding, skiing and extreme sports have become more and more popular. Therefore, if you are serious about your dream of becoming a professional skateboarding, treat it seriously and do the things necessary to put you in a position to achieve your dreams.

SKATEBOARDING/Want-to-Go-Pro.txt

posted by My Skateboard Tricks on Aug 27

Why is skateboarding so popular?

As skateboarding continues to attract people and gain popularity, many are confounded and ask ?Why??

That?s a good question. Skateboarding, according to a survey done in the United States, is the 3rd most popular sport behind soccer and basketball. There are arrays of competitions held from intermediate to professional levels across the globe, not to mention its increasing appeal as a spectator sport.

One ridiculously simple reason is the basic make-up of the skateboard. All one needs to skateboard is themselves and their board! Technically, a person doesn?t even require shoes to skateboard if they didn?t want or need to. Of course, we strongly suggest safety gear for those who want to do tricks especially when they are nowhere near professional level. Plus, no one needs to own the newest and the coolest, most expensive board to become good or improve their skill.

Another reason is the self expression skateboarding allows the person. If you?re a slow and mellow person, it will show. If you?re a speed demon, dare devil it is definitely going to show. If you?re graceful, it will show. Skateboarding has no hard and fast rule about how to skateboard which attracts people from all age groups and background to take it up.

A definite appeal to most is the sense of belonging skateboarders feel with one another. Though skateboarders are made up of an array of people be it punk, jocks, geeks, Goths, adults, kids and more they are all essentially skateboarders. It isn?t unusual to go to a skate park and witness older skateboarders encouraging younger ones, or really good ones teaching crappy one or even see couples and families enjoying themselves while they skateboard. Complete strangers can come together and become friends simply because all of them have one passion in common: skateboarding.

Furthermore, you can?t discount how skateboarding causes an awesome adrenaline rush that will pump you up. When you pull off a trick, when you?re flying up the ramp, when you?re speeding and turn the corner and the realisation that you nailed it. It gives an immeasurable amount of pleasure and awe that you accomplished what you set out to do. This is another reason many skateboarders love it and more people join in.

Also, it is an outlet for creativity and ambition. Tricks are being created and modified everyday by skateboarders to outdo themselves. Due to the nature of skateboarding where the skater and the board are separate, it allows for an array of tricks and manoeuvres to be invented. Skateboarding is relatively young as a sport and obviously there are a number of tricks that have yet to be ?discovered? but even considering it?s ?age?, skateboarding is simply something that allows a person to use their creativity and continuously evolve what they are capable of.

Finally, it has gained and continues to gain popularity simply due to the fact that it is fun. It is fun when you learn to skateboard. It is fun when you make new friends. It?s extremely fun when you mastered that trick you have been working on for the past six months. The feeling it evokes for a skateboarder, that light almost weightless feeling as the air passes you and you know you are doing this, is indescribable. For those who have never skateboarded and want to take it up, go for it. There is really nothing like it.

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posted by My Skateboard Tricks on Aug 24

Why should you skateboard?

Maybe you?re a skateboarder who thinks your friend should learn to skateboard, maybe you?re a parent who wants to encourage your child to try out a sport and skateboarding is one option, or maybe you?re just trying to convince yourself that skateboarding would be worth your time. Well, whatever the case is ? here are a list of reasons listing out why skateboarding is worth a shot but also worth the pain and time invested.

1. Its something new to try
This may seem too simple a reason but a lot of times people want to try something new and interesting. They want to find something that can challenge their ability or skills. If that describes you or anybody you can think of, then skateboarding is the perfect choice. It is a unique sport (And no, surfing doesn?t cont because you can only surf on ocean waves.) that many people have yet to try though it has gained plenty of popularity in recent years. Not only will it provide you with a challenge to learn something new, it will ensure your brain stays active (as anything new will). Plus, when it comes to skateboarding ? there is always something new to try, be it a different ramp, trick or skill.

2. Helps you stay fit
Yes, it seems contrary when you think of all the ways a person can get hurt when learning to skateboard or trying to do a trick when they are more advanced. But despite the scraps you will probably get from falls and tumbles, skateboarding does provide a person a unique way to becoming more fit. First of all, the main part of skateboarding is achieving balance at all times so your core will gain strength. It is also an excellent workout for your legs. Also, it is not hard to work up a sweat when skateboarding as it is a very aerobic ?exercise?. In most cases, if a person is a constant and avid skateboarder they will be very tough and lean.

3. It teaches perseverance and inspires confidence
You may think ?Your joking!? but it really isn?t a joke. Trying to learn new skills and tricks, or even creating new tricks, for skateboarders takes a lot of time and patience. Some days, a skateboarder can do a trick with ease yet the next day they just can?t land it. It takes perseverance and patience to see it through until they have truly mastered it. Yet, once they have mastered it, it isn?t just a matter of achieving bragging rights at to their friends (although that is a big plus too!), it inspires confidence in their abilities and strength to achieve something not every other person is able to by just continuously working at it. It teaches a powerful lesson to people which is ?If you believe in yourself and work at it, you can achieve anything you set out to do?.

4. It?s a great way to make new buddies
This is really a no brainer. When you set out to learn something new, especially skateboarding, you will very likely meet a number of new individuals who share your interest. Regardless of your age, once you learn to skateboard you will likely meet other people when you are out at the store buying new parts or at the skatepark where you skateboard. Not to mention, you?ll probably seem more interesting to people who might not skateboard! Talk about opening doors, huh?

5. It is just good old fashion fun!
While all the above reasons are plenty for any person to go out and learn to skateboard, all it comes down to in the end is that skateboarding is downright fun! It isn?t fun like reading a book or watching a new TV series, but an adrenaline pumping straight down to your toes sort of fun. This applies each time you learn a new trick, every time you try to nail that ramp the way you imagined, every time you turn the corner. To sum it all up ? Skateboarding rocks!

SKATEBOARDING/Why should you skateboard.txt

posted by My Skateboard Tricks on Aug 24

Summer fun isn’t limited to just you or your family… your dog likes to have fun too and often is a playful partner in all your summer activities. So when protecting yourself during the summer, you need to remember to take special care of your dog also.

First and foremost, NEVER leave your dog locked in the car for any length of time! On a hot day the temperature in a car can shoot up to over 120 degrees in minutes. Makes no difference whether you park in the shade or leave your windows partially open. Your car will turn into a hot pressure cooker and your dog will easily succumb to heat stroke and die. NEVER leave your dog in the car!

Unlike humans, dogs don’t sweat or perspire so the only way they can dissipate heat is through panting or through the pads of their feet. Panting and drinking cool water will help cool them down and plenty of cool water should always be available.

Dogs can also suffer from the sun’s damaging rays and develop sunburn or skin cancers. Light colored dogs are more prone to this than darker colored dogs. Always provide access to cool shaded areas for your dog and consider applying a sunblock or sunscreen lotion to a dog’s sensitive skin areas. Your veterinarian can help you more with this and show you how and when to apply.

Traveling with your dog also requires some precautions. Don’t drive with your dog loose in the back of a pickup truck. Many people do this and all it does is put your dog and other motorists at risk.  Dogs are easily thrown from the truck bed and often seriously injured or killed as a result. Keep your dog securely inside the cab with you.

Whether in a car, truck or RV, using a dog seat belt is also recommended. This will keep your dog securely in the seat and in the event of any short, sudden stops or accidents, your dog will not be thrown around or injured. All passengers in any vehicle should be wearing seat belts!

Most dogs love to swim and will jump into any body of water. Makes no difference if it’s a pool, lake or ocean, or whether the water is clean or dirty. They usually won’t hesitate to jump in! To avoid any unwanted ear mites, parasitic infestations or infections, rinse your dog off thoroughly after any water activities. Otherwise, you may end up with some costly veterinarian visits and a very unhappy dog.

If you have a dog that loves to jump into swimming pools you need to make sure that he can get out safely and KNOWS how to do so.  Dogs instinctively will try to get out of any body of water from where they went in. This instinct serves them well if they fall into a lake or pond but in a pool it is a different story and he can drown trying to get out the same way he jumped in. So you must train your dog to know where to get out of the pool.

Everyone thinks that dogs instinctively know how to swim, doing the “dog paddle” that we were all taught as children. Not all dogs like the water, and not all dogs can swim, so if you have a dog that is reluctant to go into the water or appears anxious and nervous, DO NOT force him into the water. It will only escalate his fears and put him more at risk. If however, your dog shows an interest in the water but is hesitant to go in, gently guide him and let him get used to it gradually. Eventually he may enjoy it!

Gardening and lawn care can also present special problems for dogs. Pesticides and herbicides can be extremely poisonous for a dog so always keep these items in a safe container and safely put away.  Dogs are notorious for finding improperly stored containers and chewing them up or drinking the contents with life threatening results. Always read the warnings and instructions on these products and if they are hazardous for your dog, it is recommended that you find an alternative product or make sure that your dog has no access to the product or the treated area.

Summer is that time of the year where it should be fun for everyone, including your pet. Taking the time to follow these simple steps will ensure that for you and your dog and make for a great summer!