Skateboarding is a meditation.
Rodney Mullen
Skateboarding can be compared to meditation, as both skateboarding and meditation entail full-on focus and a state of mindfulness. If you wish to devote all of your focus to skateboarding in South Africa, you can look no further than Thrashers Padel & Skate Park in Pretoria, Milkpark Skaters' Park in Johannesburg, or the Shred Skatepark in Cape Town.
Visiting a skateboarding park can be an exciting experience, but only if you know how to skate well and if you are ready to show off some skateboarding tricks, too. If you want to skate with full focus whilst being mindful of every move, we suggest that you start by taking skateboarding lessons. In South Africa, there are many places where you can find lessons. However, you need to know what to expect.
Learning How to Skateboard with Confidence in South Africa
According to the Oxford Dictionary, skateboarding can be a sport or a pastime.
Although skateboarding is seen as a pastime, it is better known by most as a sport that combines creativity, athleticism, and community. Since the skating community is so diverse, skate parks tend to be welcoming for all South African beginner skaters. When you join a skateboarding community in your area, you can build your confidence in your ability to stay on the board, and eventually, you will learn to perform tricks on your board.
Skating can be exciting when you roll down Cape Town's famous Sea Point promenade (locally known as "the Prom"). It can also be fun to cruise along the pier in Durban, soaking up all the humidity. You may also love being exposed to new tricks at one of Johannesburg’s exciting skateboarding parks.
Beginner skaters state that the biggest challenge is overcoming the mental barrier and convincing themselves that they can skate.
To become more confident on your skateboard, you need to take some time to understand the way the board moves beneath your weight, and you will also need to try to keep your balance on the board. Establishing a connection with the board is the very first step to overcoming some of the fears when it comes to skating. With so many empty parking lots and public parks in South Africa, you have the best places to practice getting comfortable on your board.
Understanding your board is important, but it is equally important to feel safe on your board.
Getting a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and even wrist guards can enhance your comfort and confidence when you step on the board. Safety really matters, and enhancing your safety could improve your confidence as well.
There are a few other ways that aspiring skateboarders can develop their confidence, including:
Irrespective of whether you are building your confidence in Cape Town’s Battery Park or Durban’s beachfront skatepark, the key to building confidence is consistency. Beginner skateboarders must remember that they will fall. Patience and determination are necessary on this skateboarding journey. Eventually, you will be confident enough to maneuver your way through crowds while moving with expression as well. Build your confidence for skating in South Africa and invest in the right skating equipment.
How Much is a Skateboard in South Africa?
One thing about a skater: They never quit. So a skater, to sum it up, is awesome.
Lil Wayne
If Lil Wayne said that skaters are awesome, it must be true.
If you, too, would like to join the awesome crew of skateboarders, you may be wondering, “How much does a skateboard cost in South Africa?”
There is no quick and easy answer to the question, as the price that you pay for a skateboard in our country would depend on your personal budget, the quality of material used for the skateboard, and whether you are using the skateboard for beginner skateboarding lessons or more professional skateboarding events.
You can expect to pay more or less:
R130 - R139 for kiddie skateboards. Since beginner skateboarders are kids, too, they can purchase a board of their own.
R140 - R250 for entry-level boards that are more budget-friendly. You can invest in this type of board if you are learning to maintain your balance on the skateboard.
R600 - R1 500 is the price to pay for fully completed boards that are ready to ride. While these boards are a lucrative option for beginner skaters, many regular skate park visitors will prefer to pay slightly more for a board that they will feel most comfortable riding on.
R1 500 - R2 500 quality boards tend to carry a much higher price tag as they are often crafted from premium material. These boards are usually purchased by skateboarders who have taken a keen interest in skating and who will use the board very often.
If it is your first time purchasing a skateboard, you need to ensure that you seek some guidance what to look for. You need to be sure whether you need to buy a popsicle skateboard or a shape board, and whether you need a wider board or not.
Investing in the Right Skateboard Safety Gear
Once you have chosen a skateboard and are feeling more confident about taking beginner skateboarding lessons, you need to ensure that you purchase skateboard safety gear too. Being confident is only half of your battle won. Being confident and feeling safe means winning in this skateboarding journey. When you first start taking skateboarding lessons, you need to expect regular falls and unexpected bumps, and bruises. Having the right gear enables you to push yourself out of your comfort zone without hesitating too much.
Invest in a Good Helmet
Every skateboarder at every level of his or her skateboarding journey needs a good helmet that can protect their head by absorbing the impact when a fall happens. When purchasing a helmet, opt for one that is certified for skateboard usage. Skateboarding helmets can handle multiple impacts whilst protecting the back of your head. The right helmet fits rather snugly on your head. An adjustable helmet is also a great investment, so that you can adjust the helmet to fit you well and pass it on to someone else if need be.
Buying Knee and Elbow Pads
When you invest in knee and elbow pads, you can be saved from rather painful scrapes and all the more serious injuries. Knee pads make a considerable difference when you are learning to do tricks, especially tricks that entail high speed and skating from extreme heights. With knee pads, elbow pads also come in handy. Purchasing a good pair of knee pads and a set of elbow pads will help considerably and will help you to feel more confident as a skateboarder.
Wrist Guards Could Help Too
Although not as essential as helmets, knee and elbow pads, wrist guards can be useful too. Generally, when skateboarders fall, they put their hands out first. Using your hands to stop your fall or prevent serious injuries could result in hand sprains, fractures, and sores. With wrist guards, extreme bending is prevented, and the chance of injury is reduced considerably. Wrist guards are a good way to ensure that accidents do not become bigger than they are.
Why Safety Equipment Makes a Difference?
The gear that you choose to invest in will not only boost your confidence but also ensure that you have peace of mind and that you can ride with ease, feeling freer to attempt the tips given to you by other skaters.
While choosing the right skateboard for you is vital, you also need the right skating safety gear. Step on your board with more confidence and notice the difference that being protected makes.
Taking Skateboarding Lessons Near Me
Superprof skateboarding tutors in South Africa.
If you are keen about taking skateboarding lessons near you, you can expect to take more structured lessons with a professional skateboarding tutor. All of our Superprof skateboarding tutors cater to beginner skateboarders, novice riders, or even skateboarders who want to become experts capable of doing different tricks on their boards.
While you do have the option of attending The Skate School in Johannesburg, you could also reach out to one of our many highly experienced Superprof skateboarding tutors. For skateboarding beginners, private face-to-face lessons are the ideal option. From as little as R100 per hour, you can take reasonably priced skateboarding lessons with one of our tutors.
Most of our tutors offer a free lesson so that you can assess whether you are comfortable learning the art of skating with a respective tutor or not. Learning with a skateboarding tutor that you feel comfortable with is also essential, so that you feel more confident when skating away. Once you have selected the right tutor, you are well on your way to skating perfection.
Consider the Following Before Starting Skateboarding Classes
- Look for your nearest local skateboarding parks.
- If your skateboarding tutor gives you a skateboard to use during your lessons, opt for buying protective skateboarding gear. It is a good idea to buy your safety gear first, before even considering purchasing a skateboard.
- Speak to your chosen tutor about the structure of your lessons so that you understand in advance what you can expect and so that you can set your skateboarding goals.
- Take the plunge and opt for your first lesson. You will never really know whether skateboarding lessons are for you or not unless you give it a shot. Even if you start with a more informal skateboarding lesson in the park, you need to make a start somewhere.
By taking skateboarding lessons, you will learn how to skateboard faster, safer, and you will not hesitate to join a skateboarding community from which you will learn more professional tricks. With skateboarding, the best way to learn is by watching others in action. While watching others skate, you will learn quite a bit, and a dedicated skateboarding coach can assist you on your skateboarding journey as well. To make a start, begin by finding skateboarding lessons in South Africa.
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