THE SKATER

Skating is the modern art of self-control. Skaters must enact the art to perform simple maneuvers and complex maneuvers. There are various arts involved with riding a skateboard. There is the art of riding a vert ramp. There is the art of riding the streets and knowing a city. Building ramps is an art in itself and should be learned by all skaters. Each Skater skates what is available and what he feels inclined to ride.

Even if a person has no natural ability he can become a great skater through practice. Generally speaking the way of a skater is acceptance of physical pain and facing one’s fears. Building skills simply takes surrender of oneself and an awareness of the physical body.


MODERN LIFE

The society we have created over the past thousands of years supports the extravagant lives of a very few. There is a great gap between those who may be considered rich and/or in power and those who are considered poor and or/lower class. Whether they realize it or not the masses of people support those in power.

By working your way up some “corporate ladder” you may think you are being productive, but what are you truly getting in return for your time? You may earn money, but what do you do with this money? It is paid right back to where it came. The corporation who pays the salaries where you work may have ties to the corporation where you just bought that new car you had to have. It is a giant web designed for a specific purpose, to make those in power more powerful, nothing else. If you buy into it you are nothing more then a mindless pawn.

Yet it is accepted as a good, moral way toiling lives away without thought. When we do this we accomplish nothing of true value. Money has no real value, being a productive worker has no value and material items are pointless.

There is a famous proverb that goes: “the more you have the more you want.” It is true, and it is easy to be a puppet. Happiness lies in simple things and day to day living. The mastering of this through a life of practice brings meaning to life. You could say that to a skater, only skate tricks have true meaning, just as to a true painter only his own personal paintings have true meanings and substance.


THE WAY

Mastering an art brings a true sense of meaning to life. For each person it is different and personal. There are an infinite number of activities on this planet to choose from, yet when one becomes skillful enough he usually can see how there is an underlying truth to them all. This truth is sometimes known as The Way.


THE WAY OF SKATING

People who have excelled at skating and have become recognized for their abilities have become known as professionals. All skaters can become great if they choose. Some people have become professional through reputation alone. They are not true skaters. These “fake” professionals may excel in a small area of skating. To be a true professional one must excel in most if not all types of skating, and even more importantly their minds should be open to all forms of skating.

Apart from the magazines and videos there is skating itself. Its beauty lies in the simplicity of the skateboard and the infinite possibilities it possesses. It is pointless to look forward to some time in the future when a skater may be content with his skating. It is the journey of self-teaching that is important.

Many skaters attempt to learn their art quickly. They try advanced maneuvers without first mastering basic ones. They are only attempting to show off. This lack of patience shows through in their skating. Someone once said, “immature strategy is the cause of grief.” That saying was true.

The way of a skater is to know one’s board, not simply how to do a certain trick in a certain situation. A skater must know everything about his skateboard. How to fix the bearings, how to change a broken kingpin. The smallest detail must be observed and the board must always be kept in the best possible working condition. You must think deeply about this. A skateboard which is set up tight enables the skater to skate well. You must do sufficient research in this subject.

With sufficient practice and by knowing the way of skating you should be able to do almost any trick. It is only a matter of fear. For young skater starting out thought the skateboard seems foreign and they may become frustrated. The best way to start on the path to grasping the way is to learn many tricks. Learn at least one trick per day. Eventually the skater will start to see the tricks and understand how his skateboard and the whole world works. This is the first glimpse of the true way of skateboarding.

There is a high mental state that skaters may achieve. Other athletes have noticed it too, it is commonly known as “the zone.” It can be described as almost knowing what is going to happen before it happens and knowing exactly what to do in any situation. It is an important element on the path of the way. A skater who is in the zone is getting a small sample of being a true master. Imagine being in the zone all the time. When the zone becomes you go with it. Use the zone’s power to your advantage and skate hard, it is a special treat what will happen more and more often as you progress. Note the situation. What is it that brings the zone upon you? It is not chance, it is different for each skater.


MASTERING THE SKATEBOARD

Users of the basic skateboard are called skaters. As for other boards there are longboards, luge boards, high jump boards. These are all part of skating but to master the virtue skateboard is to master yourself and the world thus the basic skateboard is the basis of all skating. If you master the skateboard there is no reason why you may not ollie ten stairs, so you may ollie fifteen, so you may kickflip twenty. In skating one stair is the same as twenty stairs. If you know the way of skating in a broad sense you will begin to see its principles everywhere in normal life.




THE BENEFIT OF DIFFERENT SETUPS

The size of one’s setup is a personal choice and each individual skater eventually finds his preference but a few general guidelines do apply. There is a time and a place for different setups.

The best use for a small skateboard is the performing of technical tricks. It takes less effort to maneuver a board under eight inches wide with wheels between 45 and 55 millimeters tall. The trucks should be loosened to personal preference and riser pads used when necessary. When travelling longer distances a slightly larger wheel may be preferred. Mini ramp setups are usually the same as street setups. For vert a larger board is commonly used. Larger wheels are used for vert where speed is more important then maneuverability. The truck width should always correspond with the deck width. Rails and other plastic accessories may be used, but are usually considered unnecessary.


TIMING IN SKATING

There is timing everything. Timing in skating cannot be mastered without a great deal of practice. Timing is important in music and in the daily activities of life. There is also timing in the void.

There is timing in the whole life of the skater, in his thriving and in his decline, in his harmony and discord. All things entail rising and falling timing. You must be able to discern this. In skating there are various timing considerations that must be mastered. A flat ground ollie is basic. To ollie over a fire hydrant one must know timing. Your current rolling speed, the height of the hydrant, and how quickly you snap your tail must all be taken into a moment’s consideration.

If you practice daily in skating your spirit will naturally broaden. Thus skating’s overall ability in throughout the world will increase. This is recorded for the first time in this the five books of Cement, Skill, Fear, Board, and The Void. This is the way of skating:

1. Do not think dishonestly.
2. Skate constantly.
3. Skate everything.
4. Respect all skating.
5. Know the love for skating and learn its importance.
6. Develop intuitive judgement of timing, to excel, to prevent injury.
7. Know what is around the corner.
8. Do not overlook even the smallest thing.
9. Do nothing which is of no use (shut up and skate).

It is important to set these broad principles in your heart, and skate. If you do not look at things on a large scale it will be difficult for you to master skating. If you learn and attain the way you will be able to freely control your own body. Other daily activities will become basic and menial just as incredible skating will become common place to you.

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