Malaysian Xtreme Project: Safety tips for using a Skateboard

SKATE TIPS

OLLIE!
You need to be rolling with moderate speed. (the faster you're traveling when you ollie, the farther you will go.) As you're rolling, position the ball of your back foot on the tail, and place your front foot in the middle of the board. Bend your knees At the same time you must smack the tail on the ground, jump, and slide your front foot up the deck. Smacking your tail allows the front of the board to raise up off the ground, jumping allows your body to break the confines of gravity, and sliding your front foot up the board allows the deck to level out, thus raising the back of the board from the ground. Stay over the board and at the peak of your ollie you should be centered on the board, your knees bent again ready for landing. When you land, keep your knees bent to absorb the impact with the ground. Upon landing, your back foot should be on the tail, though slightly closer to the back truck bolts so as not to break the tail, and your front foot should be directly over the front bolts

NOLLIE
this trick is very similar to the ollie. It is basically a switch ollie. You use the front of the board instead of the back. To begin, place your front foot comfortably on the nose and your back foot across the middle of the board. Push down on the nose to get the pop: the harder you push, the higher you go. Now your back foot helps the board come off the ground by sliding up the board. When you feel like you've reached maximum flight, your board should have leveled out flat. Now wait until you hit the ground, and like everybody says, roll away smoothly.

manual
Go as fast as you can toward the obstacle that you're going to do the manual on. Ollie up, and land on the back wheels. Once you're up there, rest the majority of your weight on your back foot to help you get more balance. Ride it out, then drop off.

Nose manual
For this trick, all you need to do is be able to balance on your front two wheels. Approach the obstacle you're going to nose-manual on at top speed Snap the tail and ollie to enable you to get up on the terrain. While ollieing, lean forward so you land on the front two wheels. When you want to come off, nudge your body forward a little. Land back on the ground with all four wheels down, and ride away

Pop shove it
The foot placement for the pop Shove-it varies some people place there foot in a kick flip position while others just place it in a ollie position. Smack the tail down with the back foot and use your front foot to shove the board around in a 180 while your body stays stationary. Use your feet to catch the board when it has completed the 180 and slam the board down.

kickflip
Set up in the ollie position. Your front foot should be back towards the heel edge of the board and the front of your shoe should be just behind the centermost mounting bolts of the front truck. Do an ollie, but rather than only sliding your front foot upward and forward, you must also slide your foot to the heel side to start your board in a spin. This action requires you to actually kick your front foot off of your board; the last point of contact between the front of your shoe and the board should be in that little concaved dip just before the nose. When you see the grip again, stop the rotation with your back foot, then put that front foot back on, right on top of them bolts, and land.

heelflip
This trick is very similar to the Kickflip but the board spins in the opposite direction. Set up in the ollie position. Your front foot should be towards the toe edge of the board and the back of your shoe should be just behind the centermost mounting bolts of the front truck. Do an ollie, but rather than only sliding your front foot upward and forward, you must also slide your foot to the toe side to start your board in a spin. This action requires you to actually kick your front foot off of your board; the last point of contact between the front of your heel and the board should be in that littl

Monday, April 20, 2009

Safety tips for using a Skateboard

Skateboarding safety tips from Publication Number 93 of the United States Consumer Products Safety Commission.

SAFETY TIPS FOR USING A SKATEBOARD

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission offers the following suggestions for safe skateboarding:

Never ride a skateboard in the street.

Don't take chances:

Complicated tricks require careful practice and a specially designed area

Only one person per skateboard

Never grab onto a car, bus, truck or bicycle

Learning how to fall helps reduce your chances of being seriously injured:

If you are losing your balance, crouch down on the skateboard so that you will not have so far to fall.

In a fall, try to land on the fleshy parts ofyour body.

If you fall, try to roll rather than absorb the force with your arms.

Even though it may be difficult, during a fall try to relax your body, rather than stiffen.

Reprinted courtesy of the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission

Skateboarding is a great way to be physically active and develop balance and coordination. Its popularity has been climbing steadily since 1999, and so have the number of injuries resulting from it.

The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) reports that between 1997 and 2001 over 350 school-aged children and youth had skateboard related injuries and that the annual rate of skateboard related injury nearly doubled during that five-year period.

Over half (52 per cent) of the injuries were broken bones and dislocations of the arm or leg.

Seven per cent (7 per cent) were head injuries often the most serious and potentially life altering injuries.

Twenty-one per cent (21 per cent) were strains and sprains and 21 per cent were less serious scrapes, cuts and bruises.

Injury rates increase in youth 13 years of age and up.

Skateboard Parks

Children and youth who skateboard in the streets are at increased risk of being hit by a motor vehicle. The injuries sustained from being hit are typically severe, including head injuries. Skateboard parks are safer places to skateboard. While they remove the risk posed by motor vehicles, they present other risks. The tricks performed on the ramps and rails can lead to injuries, as can colliding with other skateboarders. If you choose to go to a skateboard park:

Go to a supervised skateboard park, or one where an adult/parent is present. If this is not possible, go with a buddy. If an emergency arises, help will be easier to find.

Check out the skateboard park to find out the level of skaters using the park, and if BMX biking (stunt bike riding) or in-line skating occurs. A mixture of activities can be dangerous.

Have a look at the ramps and rails to make sure they are safe and secure. Also check that the riding surfaces are free from holes and debris.

Skateboarding Safety Tips

Immerging research is indicating that skateboarding, when compared to other recreational activities, has a lower rate of injuries. This rate can be even lower by following skateboarding safety tips.

Wear the gear! Get a certified helmet that fits snugly, and is done up tightly under the chin.

Wear elbow and knee pads to prevent scrapes and cuts.

Wear wrist guards to prevent wrist fractures.

Wear slip resistant shoes with a closed toe.

Make sure the skateboard is in good working order (no loose, broken or cracked parts, non-slip surface on board, no sharp edges).

A Note on Helmets

Currently, manufacturers are not required to meet any safety standards for skateboarding helmets. Make sure to get a helmet that meets one of the following standards:

When in a skateboard park, wear a helmet that is American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F-1492 or Snell N-94 certified. They are made for multiple impacts.

A Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) certified helmet is safe for skateboarding (and bicycling), but must be replaced after one major blow to the helmet (which happens often in a skatepark).

Get Trained!

Children should learn how to fall safely. They should also avoid trying to perform tricks beyond their skill level. Many local community and recreational centers in the City of Ottawa run skateboarding camps for various skill levels. Contact a local community centre for more information.