by Ben Sheffer

Skateboarding first started back in the 1940s. Many kids had scooters then but these were expensive, those kids who could not afford scooters took the wheels from their rollerskates and nailed them to pieces of wood. They also nailed a handle to the board so they could use it as a makeshift scooter. Pretty soon the handle was removed and the kids would ride just on the wooden board and wheels.

Soon after, some surfers began to ride on skateboards. The first true skateboards, with clay wheels, were commercially made and sold in the 1950s.

Now skateboarding is one of the most popular sports among teenagers in the world. There are competitions held in almost every country that attracts hundreds of both professional and amateur skaters. You can find skate parks in almost every major city and town. With the rise in professional skaters skateboard design is also improving. As a result of this special shoes and clothing have been designed, and there are even extreme sports shows that include skateboarders, attracting huge crowds.

Skateboarding can be separated into two forms, street and ramp. Street skating is basically defined as skating carried out anywhere except on a ramp. Various tricks are carried out anywhere where there is a flat surface, this can be school grounds car parks, or on streets and roads.

Skate parks are an ideal venue for all kinds of skateboarding. They have super smooth surfaces as well as ramps, steers, kerbs, and fun boxes. Street skateboarders jump, flip, and grind over and on all kinds of surfaces and objects. Street skateboarding also includes skateboard racing.

This extreme skateboard racing is carried out on winding and sloping roads, competitors stand on their board and race each other down the slope to the finish line at the bottom. Skaters have been clocked at over 65 km an hour.

Ramp skating is carried out on either vert ramps or on mini ramps. The main difference between these two types of ramps is their size. Vert ramps are giant U-shaped ramps which are over 4 m long and have a vertical portion at the upper end of each side. Mini ramps are smaller than vert ramps and do not have any vertical part in the transition. They are generally easier to ride on and is where most skaters practise their tracks before moving on to bigger ramps.

Skateboarding can be a dangerous sport, however if you follow these simple rules you will keep yourself and others safe: 1) always learn your basic moves on flat and safe ground 2) keep in control of a skateboard at all times 3) always wear a helmet, wrist guards, and knee and elbow pads 4) never skate alone in case of accidents 5) keep all your skateboarding gear well maintained

About the Author:

If you want to learn how to [1] skate like a pro, there is only one thing you need to know. Visit this site now to find out what I’m talking about. [2] Learn Skatebaord Tricks

Source: [3] Recreation-and-Sports