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Drift skates are simply small boards with a grip on their top and quality wheels below. They never strap onto your feet and they are easy to get on and off pretty easily. Some people are of the opinion that they are a bit complicated to learn despite having experience in other sports like snowboarding. The truth of the matter is that drift skating is pretty similar to inline skating or skateboarding. The only difference is that drift skating seems fast, stable, and has a low profile.
In this case, therefore, you only take a very few seconds to begin cruising as opposed to other sports. If you are willing to learn how to drift skate professionally, this is the right place for you. We have broken down the steps that you need to follow to drift skate like a pro. Before that, learn about drift skates constructions below:
What Do Drift Skates Constitute?
Drift skates are somehow tough owing to the materials they are made of. They feature solid metallic frames and quality wheels with bearings. It is for this reason that they are able to support a high weight capacity. The metal or quality wood plates have been covered using a grip tape. They are also marked L and R to help you know what drift skates go to which foot. The wheels have also been made with some special formula. They, therefore, have the best grip and slide to keep you stable and safe. With ABEC bearings, you can be sure that drift skating will be fun.
How To Drift Skate Like An Expert Step-By-Step
Identify an ideal location- the first thing to do when learning how to skate is to get a good spot to train. It is highly recommendable to get an open space like a park or an empty car parking area. These locations prove to be good for newbies due to the walls and rails that are present. Some people will opt for open spaces and use objects like cars to lean on as they hop onto their skates.
Get familiar with the sliding effect upon stepping onto the skates- you ought to note that every drift skate has been labeled with L and R sigs. This means that there every skate has its own foot like shoes do. One is for the left leg and the other one belongs to the right leg. It is important to note this before hopping onto your skates.
Get onto your skates- it is very easy to do this. You simply place your right foot onto the skate with the label R. The tip of the shoe is supposed to point downward. After this, place the other foot on the skate labeled L keeping the foo in a neutral position.
Get up and push yourself off the wall- at this point in time, you are supposed to be in motion following the momentum. In case you feel unbalanced, you can simply put your feet down. However, you ought not to give up and ensure you keep your momentum going.
Try practicing your footwork- as you are in motion, try to move one of the feet in some horizontal S motion. It is with such motion that you get to skate a little bit further. After this, attempt the other way round. It might seem hard for both feet to move simultaneously in the carving motion at first. For that reason, you need to practice on one foot at first. If you perfect n that, you can progress to move both feet.
Learn the structure of your skates- if you take time to look at your drift skates, you will learn that the wheels on every skate are facing in opposite directions. This is also a good way to learn what skate to wear on what foot. Whenever you practice, be sure to push the skates in the different directions that the wheels are facing.
Brake appropriately- simply lift your foot away from your deck in case you wish to stop. You might however be at very high speed which might make braking a bit hard. If this is the case, try running as you jump off your deck.
Practice to become perfect- simply combine all the steps explained above in your practice. Doing so is going to make you an expert in drift skating. Every time you skate, make sure that you are protective gear including a helmet. Reflector lights are also important when skating in the dark.
Skating Tips For Beginners
Remain patient- it will take some time before you get used to drifting skates. Even though some people might master it in a day, it takes around a week to see progress. Consequently, it might take a month for you to feel confident.
Begin with videos- some of these drift skates come with instructional videos which prove to be a great starting point. You can also watch YouTube videos to earn how to drift skate like an expert.
Avoid those big hills-on long or steep hills, there is little if any that you can do to reverse things that go wrong. It is therefore good to drift skate on flat surfaces or small hills if it would be necessary.
Final Thoughts
Drift skating ought to be fun without necessarily experiencing a sharp learning curve. After following the steps listed in the guide above, it should be easy. One thing that should be clear in your mind is that these skates have the best safety features for you as a rider. They are also easy to get off in case you need to do so as compared to other skateboards. This, however, does not mean throwing caution to the wind. It is very important that you wear your safety gear in order to keep yourself safe all the time. Ensure to keep practicing also in order to hone your skills day by day. As they say, practice makes perfect.
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