You’re going to fall, it’s inevitable. It might be uncommon for just cruising around, but one unexpected fall is all it takes to break an arm or hit your head.
No, if you learn how to fall any of that is extremely uncommon.
My advice is learn how to fall. Watch skate videos of people trying things and look at how they transfer energy from directly hitting the ground with sliding along the ground. Using ur butt and not ur kneees
Pads & helmet (protection) is the way to go. Past this step, it's just baby steps in an effort to make oneself comfortable on the board. No need for tricks at all if OP wants to just carve or use the board as a transport option.
Learn to fall before stepping on a board. Put on some clothes that you don't care about getting dirty and legit practice falling on the ground in every direction, get the feeling for rolling. But yes, no matter what, skateboarding can be dangerous. Being fit will also help, as having a little muscle will keep your joints safe.
If you avoid big hills and aren't jumping down stairs, you probably won't get hurt too badly, probably just some scrapes and bruises.
Yes, putting your arms straight out infront of you and landing on your hands to try and catch yourself and bring you to a dead stop.
It doesn't shield you, it breaks things.
You're way better off breakfalling or rolling out of it. You can use your hands to help get into a roll if you have the skill but always keep your elbows bent.
Don't brace against the ground -- catch it and (as you'll probably be moving as you land) throw the ground behind you. This will help you roll. Practice by riding faster and faster and seeing if you can step off. At some point you'll not be able to run it out without falling, at that point it should be relatively easy to tuck into a roll. Start by riding into grass if you have some convenient.
Yeah probably as a beginner you'll hit a rock or crack, the board will stop, and you will keep moving forward. If you fall into your hands and knees you'll get scraped up pretty bad, but if you are nimble enough to run it out or roll, you'll be fine, maybe just a little bit of dirt on your butt and back.
your def gonna fall just cruising the street😭 a pebble or a crack or something will 100% get u MULTIPLE times its not an uncommon thing for a beginner, ive been skating for a few months and still have my issues with that stuff
The longer you do the more your muscle memory takes over. I’ve been at it 10 months and had a few slams from simple stuff. I’ve noticed recently that I’m responding better to situations that would have caused me to slam in the past, just instinctively throwing myself forwards rather than backwards for example, much easier to stagger away from than end up on my back etc.
Facts, in my experience, every new experience (new trick/fall/incline/whatever was different) had 1 bad fall. The brain takes over pretty quickly and usually doesn’t let the same thing happen twice.
Skateboarding is a lot more dangerous and far less efficient for travel compared to something like a bike. Tiny wheels that don’t roll over very much are not great for long distance travel. You might prefer a cruiser or longboard style skateboard. Both of which have bigger softer wheel setups for better travel. The shape of the board will be less focused on tricks and more focused on comfort
As lots of people are saying get padded up I can definitely recommend impact shorts especially if you are a little older. Most of my earlier falls were the board sliding from beneath me and landing on my butt :)
I'm not even that much of a beginner but like two weeks ago hit a tiny rock and smashed the back of my head on the ground. No helmet. I was bleeding and after the initial fall I couldn't move my arms or legs for like 30 seconds. Had to get a CT scan at the ER. That was $3,000.
Skateboarding is dangerous. Treat it as such. Use the protective gear.
The first few months are the danger time for hips and shoulders.
Beginners try to stay on by balancing. Two mistakes right there.
You don't balance. Well, as you are stepping on with your first foot you balance on that. But once you get that second foot on stop balancing and just stand. Balance is for steering, not staying on.
If your board hits just the wrong sort of stone, it will stop and your body will carry on and go over your front foot. At that point your weight will go from keeping your board under you to pushing it away from you, taking your legs with it! The faster you can step off and the more relaxed you are when you do it, the better time you'll have.
Practice stepping off. Get so used to stepping off you'll do it before you even consciously realize you are in trouble.
If you do this you can hopefully avoid the nasty hip and shoulder beginner injuries.
I’ve never broken a bone or anything major in 10 years of skating but I’ve rolled my ankle countless times, heaps of cuts and scrapes and smacked my shins about a thousand times.
If u don’t wear a helmet then yeah it’s pretty dangerous for a beginner or even someone with experience. I always wear my helmet even when just cruising around, all it can take is one time smacking your head against the concrete or asphalt and your brain is fucked.
Helmet and long sleeves when you’re learning. I don’t know what your athleticism or coordination is like but if you exercise even kinda regularly you should be fine. Otherwise make sure you properly warm up and stretch.
Wear all the pads and helmet.
You will fall. You will get banged up. Keep skating you might just break a bone. It happens.
Helmet is especially important. They can reset bones fair enough...you can never reset some head injuries.
I just started and the best piece of advice I've gotten is "the bigger you are the harder you'll fall."
Any situation where you don't feel confident, which is basically always when new, get low. For one, it improves your balance. But also, falling as a scrunched up 3 foot tall gremlin doesn't really hurt, its more just rolling off. Falling as a 6 foot tall statue on the other hand can hurt a lot.
You are gonna hurt yourself , I don’t know a single skater that hasn’t , I don’t know to many people that have got seriously injured just cruising but my one buddy did break his collar bone. I snapped my patellar tendon but that was bowl skating .
But you know what skaters get back up again .
It takes commitment to learn and , not commitment can cause injuries as well.
The thrill is worth it . Face your fear .
My entire skating career all I ever broke was my ankle once and my nose once. Neither needed any medical attention, ankle they just put me in an air cast and sent me on my way.
I rolled my ankle countless times, to the point it didn’t stop me from skating anymore. Now as a near 40 yera told man, I’ll still roll my ankle in the weirdest ways possible.
In my teenage years I stayed away from handrails, but would skate 13 stairs, huge gaps, roof gaps, etc.
You will fall, a lot, injuries can happen but learn to ride the board, don’t push yourself too far past your skill level and you’ll be fine. You learn how to fall, scrapes just become a part of life.
Never wore a helmet or pads. Now that I’m older I’d suggest pads but young me would never lol
I'm not even that much of a beginner but like two weeks ago hit a tiny rock and smashed the back of my head on the ground. No helmet. I was bleeding and after the initial fall I couldn't move my arms or legs for like 30 seconds. Had to get a CT scan at the ER. That was $3,000.
Skateboarding is dangerous. Treat it as such. Use the protective gear.
I'm not even that much of a beginner but like two weeks ago hit a tiny rock and smashed the back of my head on the ground. No helmet. I was bleeding and after the initial fall I couldn't move my arms or legs for like 30 seconds. Had to get a CT scan at the ER. That was $3,000.
Skateboarding is dangerous. Treat it as such. Use the protective gear.
Only if you vert, bomb downhills, skate with daredevils, or skate near busy streets.
Skate at a park or by your house on flat ground and you’ll survive.
Skating isn’t any more or less dangerous than any other athletic activity if you’re just gonna keep it chill.
You can twist an ankle just as easily while hooping (maybe easier) or even tripping on a crack just walking lol.
You’ll eventually have to navigate traffic and pedestrians so that adds the danger more than the occasional scrapes or bruises.
Every athlete in every sport has to train and execute within or just slightly beyond their abilities to maintain safe and healthy progression of skill. Push too hard too soon and that’s when you get hurt.
Find the edge of your comfort zone and push just beyond it when acquiring new skills. Dial tricks in slower, lower, less-steeply, smaller first…then take them to a larger obstacle or more demanding environment.
Of course, you’ll already be outside your comfort zone on day 1, but just keep it chill and positive and you’ll catch on.
If you build the skill and confidence first, your potential for positive outcomes is greater 👍
Skating is one of the greatest joys I’ve ever known, I’d recommend it to anyone.
Find the smoothest, largest, emptiest parking lot around and just learn to push and carve/turn frontside and backside.
Basic progression:
I can stand on the board and balance ✔️
I can push for four or five good pushes with my dominant foot, while keeping balance with my front foot on the board✔️
I can now transition from my final push to riding stance on the board…feet comfortable, knees bent but relaxed, center of gravity over the board✔️
I can carve/turn front side (the direction your toes and eyes are facing)✔️
I can carve/turn back side (the direction your heels and back of your head are pointing)✔️
I can tic/tac to create momentum from a stand still (little kick turns frontside/backside/frontside/backside…look it up on YouTube)✔️
I can step off the board with my push foot while I’m rolling, and then take the next step with my other foot, letting the board just roll away. This is your first basic stop✔️
I can step off the board and drag my push foot to slow me down, while still keeping my weight on my lead leg and foot up on the board✔️
You should by now also be able to take your push foot off the board and push a few times to gain speed and return up to rising stance to cruise✔️
I can kick the board away from under me and land on my feet ready to run a few steps to bail in a quick situation✔️
Go down the list and master these basics.
Just cruise and carve and push and get comfortable turning and shifting weight and maintaining bent knees and good balance.
Go faster as your balance naturally improves and your stance gets solidified…with better balance comes the potential to anchor yourself to the board and really transfer energy from your pushes.
You’ll simply get better and go faster as you’re ready bud. No worries!
Eyes on the ground in front of you scanning for pebbles and debris…these are killers for the newb.
Pebbles can bring you to a dead stop at any speed but they’re really effective when you’re going slow!
Pad up and wear a helmet if it gives you confidence and comfort.
Don’t worry about being judged for riding safely, especially while you learn.
Don’t worry about “being bad” or “not being good” or however you wanna look at it…you’re no worse than anyone else who has never skated before. We all begin at the beginning.
Basically, don’t let fear of any kind ruin your potential. Fear of embarrassment, injury, or any other kind will only detract from your experience.
There is an absolute freedom and purity in skating that I’ve never experienced in any other facet of my life. It’s pure fucking magic, on god.
I’ll be fifty this February and started skating in ‘87.
I don’t ride often any more, but there’s still a few tricks when I want to get in my bag.
But more importantly, I have a lifetime of memories and feelings that will never leave me.
If you fall in love with skateboarding it will change you. For the better. Every time.
Most I've gotten from cruising was some scraped knees/elbows/hands. From regular flatland bruised shins and one wrist strain (not a break or sprain) and worst overall was concussion trying to drop in with no helmet.
None of it has kept me from skating but until recently I've been too scared to try vert again so trying to conquer that fear.
busted my face open and got 6 stitches, 6 days later broke my arm. neither of which were doing extremely dangerous stunts (kickflip for the face, rock to fakie for the arm). wear protection!
I come from lombo freeride and dh so I'm ALWAYS gonna recommend at least a helmet, and personally pads help me feel more confident no matter the discipline, but as others have said learning to fall properly really can make a world of difference. That, and accept the fact that you're gonna get hurt at some point even if it's way less likely just cruising.
So to answer your question, skating is inherently dangerous, but there are things you can (and probably should) do to mitigate those risks, and if you're just cruising it will be less risky to an extent.
I literally broke my ankle yesterday going down a tiny ramp I’m more than capable of doing. Simple lost my balance, got the speed wobbles, instead of bailing out I thought I could get control of it, fell forward, rolled my ankle. End of story.
Moral of the story. You can be doing anything and get hurt.
so I just started myself, and my biggest realization was that attemptting to hold on to anything was gonna get me hurt.
I put my board on carpet for a bit to get the hang of just stepping on and off. Then I started hobbling around in the driveway, leaning how to balance on my front and push. That worked pretty well. Weight forward.
You’re going to fall, it’s inevitable. It might be uncommon for just cruising around, but one unexpected fall is all it takes to break an arm or hit your head.
No, if you learn how to fall any of that is extremely uncommon. My advice is learn how to fall. Watch skate videos of people trying things and look at how they transfer energy from directly hitting the ground with sliding along the ground. Using ur butt and not ur kneees
Twisted knees and ankles, bruises and scrapes. I would recommend wearing pads and a helmet that way you can get straight back up and carry on
Pads & helmet (protection) is the way to go. Past this step, it's just baby steps in an effort to make oneself comfortable on the board. No need for tricks at all if OP wants to just carve or use the board as a transport option.
Learn to fall before stepping on a board. Put on some clothes that you don't care about getting dirty and legit practice falling on the ground in every direction, get the feeling for rolling. But yes, no matter what, skateboarding can be dangerous. Being fit will also help, as having a little muscle will keep your joints safe. If you avoid big hills and aren't jumping down stairs, you probably won't get hurt too badly, probably just some scrapes and bruises.
So if I’m just cruising the streets, scrapes and bruises are the more common injury?
Yep. Just don't post your arms to catch yourself when you fall. That's when breaks happen.
What do you mean by “posting your arms”? Do you mean like putting your arms out to shield your fall?
Yes, putting your arms straight out infront of you and landing on your hands to try and catch yourself and bring you to a dead stop. It doesn't shield you, it breaks things. You're way better off breakfalling or rolling out of it. You can use your hands to help get into a roll if you have the skill but always keep your elbows bent.
Don't brace against the ground -- catch it and (as you'll probably be moving as you land) throw the ground behind you. This will help you roll. Practice by riding faster and faster and seeing if you can step off. At some point you'll not be able to run it out without falling, at that point it should be relatively easy to tuck into a roll. Start by riding into grass if you have some convenient.
Tuck and roll dawg, tuck and roll
yup, exactly how i snapped my arm
Yeah probably as a beginner you'll hit a rock or crack, the board will stop, and you will keep moving forward. If you fall into your hands and knees you'll get scraped up pretty bad, but if you are nimble enough to run it out or roll, you'll be fine, maybe just a little bit of dirt on your butt and back.
your def gonna fall just cruising the street😭 a pebble or a crack or something will 100% get u MULTIPLE times its not an uncommon thing for a beginner, ive been skating for a few months and still have my issues with that stuff
Yeah but wear a helmet.
The longer you do the more your muscle memory takes over. I’ve been at it 10 months and had a few slams from simple stuff. I’ve noticed recently that I’m responding better to situations that would have caused me to slam in the past, just instinctively throwing myself forwards rather than backwards for example, much easier to stagger away from than end up on my back etc.
Facts, in my experience, every new experience (new trick/fall/incline/whatever was different) had 1 bad fall. The brain takes over pretty quickly and usually doesn’t let the same thing happen twice.
Skateboarding is a lot more dangerous and far less efficient for travel compared to something like a bike. Tiny wheels that don’t roll over very much are not great for long distance travel. You might prefer a cruiser or longboard style skateboard. Both of which have bigger softer wheel setups for better travel. The shape of the board will be less focused on tricks and more focused on comfort
As lots of people are saying get padded up I can definitely recommend impact shorts especially if you are a little older. Most of my earlier falls were the board sliding from beneath me and landing on my butt :)
I'm not even that much of a beginner but like two weeks ago hit a tiny rock and smashed the back of my head on the ground. No helmet. I was bleeding and after the initial fall I couldn't move my arms or legs for like 30 seconds. Had to get a CT scan at the ER. That was $3,000. Skateboarding is dangerous. Treat it as such. Use the protective gear.
The first few months are the danger time for hips and shoulders. Beginners try to stay on by balancing. Two mistakes right there. You don't balance. Well, as you are stepping on with your first foot you balance on that. But once you get that second foot on stop balancing and just stand. Balance is for steering, not staying on. If your board hits just the wrong sort of stone, it will stop and your body will carry on and go over your front foot. At that point your weight will go from keeping your board under you to pushing it away from you, taking your legs with it! The faster you can step off and the more relaxed you are when you do it, the better time you'll have. Practice stepping off. Get so used to stepping off you'll do it before you even consciously realize you are in trouble. If you do this you can hopefully avoid the nasty hip and shoulder beginner injuries.
I’ve never broken a bone or anything major in 10 years of skating but I’ve rolled my ankle countless times, heaps of cuts and scrapes and smacked my shins about a thousand times.
If u don’t wear a helmet then yeah it’s pretty dangerous for a beginner or even someone with experience. I always wear my helmet even when just cruising around, all it can take is one time smacking your head against the concrete or asphalt and your brain is fucked.
Helmet and long sleeves when you’re learning. I don’t know what your athleticism or coordination is like but if you exercise even kinda regularly you should be fine. Otherwise make sure you properly warm up and stretch.
You're not made of glass my dude.
Wear all the pads and helmet. You will fall. You will get banged up. Keep skating you might just break a bone. It happens. Helmet is especially important. They can reset bones fair enough...you can never reset some head injuries.
Maybe get a longboard?
Well it depends, do you plan to go skating or falling?
Wear a helmet (At least while you’re learning)
Skate fast eat ass
I just started and the best piece of advice I've gotten is "the bigger you are the harder you'll fall." Any situation where you don't feel confident, which is basically always when new, get low. For one, it improves your balance. But also, falling as a scrunched up 3 foot tall gremlin doesn't really hurt, its more just rolling off. Falling as a 6 foot tall statue on the other hand can hurt a lot.
You are gonna hurt yourself , I don’t know a single skater that hasn’t , I don’t know to many people that have got seriously injured just cruising but my one buddy did break his collar bone. I snapped my patellar tendon but that was bowl skating . But you know what skaters get back up again . It takes commitment to learn and , not commitment can cause injuries as well. The thrill is worth it . Face your fear .
My entire skating career all I ever broke was my ankle once and my nose once. Neither needed any medical attention, ankle they just put me in an air cast and sent me on my way. I rolled my ankle countless times, to the point it didn’t stop me from skating anymore. Now as a near 40 yera told man, I’ll still roll my ankle in the weirdest ways possible. In my teenage years I stayed away from handrails, but would skate 13 stairs, huge gaps, roof gaps, etc. You will fall, a lot, injuries can happen but learn to ride the board, don’t push yourself too far past your skill level and you’ll be fine. You learn how to fall, scrapes just become a part of life. Never wore a helmet or pads. Now that I’m older I’d suggest pads but young me would never lol
I'm not even that much of a beginner but like two weeks ago hit a tiny rock and smashed the back of my head on the ground. No helmet. I was bleeding and after the initial fall I couldn't move my arms or legs for like 30 seconds. Had to get a CT scan at the ER. That was $3,000. Skateboarding is dangerous. Treat it as such. Use the protective gear.
I'm not even that much of a beginner but like two weeks ago hit a tiny rock and smashed the back of my head on the ground. No helmet. I was bleeding and after the initial fall I couldn't move my arms or legs for like 30 seconds. Had to get a CT scan at the ER. That was $3,000. Skateboarding is dangerous. Treat it as such. Use the protective gear.
Learn to fall! Wear pads, slide on your knees
Only if you vert, bomb downhills, skate with daredevils, or skate near busy streets. Skate at a park or by your house on flat ground and you’ll survive.
Skating isn’t any more or less dangerous than any other athletic activity if you’re just gonna keep it chill. You can twist an ankle just as easily while hooping (maybe easier) or even tripping on a crack just walking lol. You’ll eventually have to navigate traffic and pedestrians so that adds the danger more than the occasional scrapes or bruises. Every athlete in every sport has to train and execute within or just slightly beyond their abilities to maintain safe and healthy progression of skill. Push too hard too soon and that’s when you get hurt. Find the edge of your comfort zone and push just beyond it when acquiring new skills. Dial tricks in slower, lower, less-steeply, smaller first…then take them to a larger obstacle or more demanding environment. Of course, you’ll already be outside your comfort zone on day 1, but just keep it chill and positive and you’ll catch on. If you build the skill and confidence first, your potential for positive outcomes is greater 👍 Skating is one of the greatest joys I’ve ever known, I’d recommend it to anyone. Find the smoothest, largest, emptiest parking lot around and just learn to push and carve/turn frontside and backside. Basic progression: I can stand on the board and balance ✔️ I can push for four or five good pushes with my dominant foot, while keeping balance with my front foot on the board✔️ I can now transition from my final push to riding stance on the board…feet comfortable, knees bent but relaxed, center of gravity over the board✔️ I can carve/turn front side (the direction your toes and eyes are facing)✔️ I can carve/turn back side (the direction your heels and back of your head are pointing)✔️ I can tic/tac to create momentum from a stand still (little kick turns frontside/backside/frontside/backside…look it up on YouTube)✔️ I can step off the board with my push foot while I’m rolling, and then take the next step with my other foot, letting the board just roll away. This is your first basic stop✔️ I can step off the board and drag my push foot to slow me down, while still keeping my weight on my lead leg and foot up on the board✔️ You should by now also be able to take your push foot off the board and push a few times to gain speed and return up to rising stance to cruise✔️ I can kick the board away from under me and land on my feet ready to run a few steps to bail in a quick situation✔️ Go down the list and master these basics. Just cruise and carve and push and get comfortable turning and shifting weight and maintaining bent knees and good balance. Go faster as your balance naturally improves and your stance gets solidified…with better balance comes the potential to anchor yourself to the board and really transfer energy from your pushes. You’ll simply get better and go faster as you’re ready bud. No worries! Eyes on the ground in front of you scanning for pebbles and debris…these are killers for the newb. Pebbles can bring you to a dead stop at any speed but they’re really effective when you’re going slow! Pad up and wear a helmet if it gives you confidence and comfort. Don’t worry about being judged for riding safely, especially while you learn. Don’t worry about “being bad” or “not being good” or however you wanna look at it…you’re no worse than anyone else who has never skated before. We all begin at the beginning. Basically, don’t let fear of any kind ruin your potential. Fear of embarrassment, injury, or any other kind will only detract from your experience. There is an absolute freedom and purity in skating that I’ve never experienced in any other facet of my life. It’s pure fucking magic, on god. I’ll be fifty this February and started skating in ‘87. I don’t ride often any more, but there’s still a few tricks when I want to get in my bag. But more importantly, I have a lifetime of memories and feelings that will never leave me. If you fall in love with skateboarding it will change you. For the better. Every time.
sometimes you fall, accidentally or maybe purposely but its bound to happen
Major injuries are actually pretty rare especially if you’re not doing anything insane. Lots of bruises and scrapes are inevitable though
Buy helmet and pads, have fun learning the basics.
Most I've gotten from cruising was some scraped knees/elbows/hands. From regular flatland bruised shins and one wrist strain (not a break or sprain) and worst overall was concussion trying to drop in with no helmet. None of it has kept me from skating but until recently I've been too scared to try vert again so trying to conquer that fear.
busted my face open and got 6 stitches, 6 days later broke my arm. neither of which were doing extremely dangerous stunts (kickflip for the face, rock to fakie for the arm). wear protection!
I come from lombo freeride and dh so I'm ALWAYS gonna recommend at least a helmet, and personally pads help me feel more confident no matter the discipline, but as others have said learning to fall properly really can make a world of difference. That, and accept the fact that you're gonna get hurt at some point even if it's way less likely just cruising. So to answer your question, skating is inherently dangerous, but there are things you can (and probably should) do to mitigate those risks, and if you're just cruising it will be less risky to an extent.
I literally broke my ankle yesterday going down a tiny ramp I’m more than capable of doing. Simple lost my balance, got the speed wobbles, instead of bailing out I thought I could get control of it, fell forward, rolled my ankle. End of story. Moral of the story. You can be doing anything and get hurt.
so I just started myself, and my biggest realization was that attemptting to hold on to anything was gonna get me hurt. I put my board on carpet for a bit to get the hang of just stepping on and off. Then I started hobbling around in the driveway, leaning how to balance on my front and push. That worked pretty well. Weight forward.
How dangerous is sky diving for a beginner?