Yes, it’s perfectly fine to skateboard alone. And today, I want to share a couple of tips on how to skateboard sole and still have a blast.
But here’s a little piece of unsolicited advice. Quit skating alone already, unless that’s the only option available to you.
Also Read: What Happens If Your Ice Skates Are Dull?
Why Do You Want to Skate Alone?
I’m a true-blue Libra, and for me being with others is a way of life.
Admittedly, there’s a bunch of advantages to cruising around on a wheeled board and practicing old and new tricks all alone.
In fact, skateboarding isn’t about being like everyone else. It’s an art form that lets you express your individuality to the world.
Related: Best Skateboards for Different Styles
5 Reasons You Might Skateboard Alone
Let’s roll!
Also Read: How Do You Flirt While Ice Skating?
1. You’re the Only Skater in the Family
If you’re from a family where no one else skateboards and have a hard time meeting and socializing with other skaters, you’ll probably skate solo.
The same goes for being the only skater in your friends’ circle. You can try to get them interested in the sport, but if they decide it’s not something they’d like to do, leave them alone and focus on enjoying your skating lifestyle.
2. You Aren’t Confident About Your Skating Skills
If you’re a beginning skateboarder, you may not feel comfortable, at first, riding with others.
I mean, you don’t want them to see you trying to land what everyone considers an easy skateboarding trick and failing each time.
You fear they might even laugh at you, and that discourages you from joining others at the local skate park.
3. You’re an Older Skater
There’s nothing wrong with being an older skater. But if it’s been three decades since you last skated, fitting in with kids who speak “skateboard-ese” and can land hefty tricks without pain.
They might think you’re a weird grandpa or grandma who doesn’t get them and avoid you, right? Well, not quite.
It’s easier to just skate alone and not have to feel too old and out of place doing it with skaters 2 or 3 generations younger.
But tell you what? No skater really cares how young or how old you are. Actually, skaters of all age ranges respect beginners and older skaters as well. Everyone knows you’re trying to learn a cool way to live, the best way to spend your free time.
4. You’re from a Country Where Few People Skate
Our family once toured a North African country where pretty much no one skateboarded. We still got on our boards are rolled around as everyone gawked.
I’m seeing more and more people join riding boards alone or in groups in countries where skateboarding was a TV sport just a few years back. And this is nice.
But if you ever land in a destination where skateboarding isn’t entrenched yet, skating alone would be the only option.
5. You Just Like Being Alone
It’s OK to like your company best and not need to spend time with others or socialize. Some people are natural introverts, and they’re their own best friend.
I see such people at my local skatepark all the time. They just hop on their board and drop into a bowl or quarter pipe, and they pretty much don’t speak to a soul.
And that’s fine. Skateboarders are cool with that and will simply leave you alone, which is what you want. And everyone’s happy, quite literally.
How to Skate Solo And Still Have Fun
No one says you can’t have fun skating alone. Quite the contrary, skating solo is the chosen way for some skaters. And that’s totally fine.
6 Ways to Skateboard Solo
1. Invite Your Favorite Band to Your Session
2. Explore Skateboarding’s Spiritual Side
3. Get to the Local Skate Park
4. Record Yourself Playing
5. Avoid Potentially Dangerous Tricks
6. Find Secret Skating Spots
Let’s add a bit of meat to each suggestion to help you have more fun as you skate alone.
1. With Good Music, You’re Never Alone
Much has been said about music, but few have said that music can make skating solo feel much less lonely.
You can wear earphones and listen to your fave band as grind down rails and conquer ledges. But I don’t recommend this unless you like buying new expensive iPhones all the time.
You may be a decent skateboarder and know how to fall right and don’t slam that often. But everyone crashes, and that includes Tony Hawk.
If your phone is in a pocket that’s not deep enough or zippered, it’ll likely slip out and land on the screen.
Do you see skaters pecking on a mobile screen? I bet that’s a badly cracked screen!
I suggest you wear a light hood with zippered pockets for your phone. Or loose pants with deep pockets.
But you’ll soon wreck that smartphone, so why not stream music via Bluetooth instead? When skating alone outside of a skatepark, no one will complain about the noise.
2. Skateboarding is Spiritual
I recently read that a bunch of scholars out there view skateboarding similarly to how they do religion. Practicing either helps the “believer” handle disappointment and failure better.
Both are a way of life to the practitioner, an avenue that equips them to deal with the stresses of modern living.
As you practice landing moving ollies, kickflips, heelflips, and staircase rides and fail, you get back up each time and try again.
You don’t whine about how difficult the activity is; instead, you connect with your inner stoic and accept what is and practice even harder.
To me, skateboarding is less of a sport and more of a way to build one’s inner confidence while promoting personal freedom, exploration, and independence.
3. Practice in the Local Skate Park
This might seem like something I shouldn’t be saying. As in you’re here for tips on skateboarding without distractions from others so how can I suggest public skateboarding?
Look, it’s possible to ride your board in a public park and keep to yourself the whole time. Nobody will walk up to you and say, “Hey dude, why won’t you talk to other
skateboarders?” Pretty much everyone respects everyone else’s space and won’t overstep boundaries.
4. Record a Video of Yourself Riding
One way to improve your skating skill is to create videos of yourself skating.
Yes, I know videography can cost a pretty penny, but how about using your iPhone and an affordable tripod?
You can even make a DIY phone holder to steady your mobile as you practice our awesome art form.
At later times, you’ll want to watch the stuff you recorded (watch in slow motion) versus how pros land the same tricks and learn. Chances you’ll have an epiphany and
land tricks that have up to now proven too complex for you.
And if you’re bold enough, you can ask a much better skater, usually one of the regular faces, to let you record them for learning purposes.
Well, not everyone will grant you the request. But I bet most skaters would be cool with it.
5. Don’t Go Overboard
Well, you want to be on your board most of the time. Just don’t go overboard when practicing tricks.
If you feel your skating skills are no match for a particularly difficult skateboarding trick, just don’t do it. Because you don’t
want to crash real bad and break your neck when there’s no one to get you to the OR.
6. Search for Secret Spots
Property owners like saying all kinds of negative things about skateboarders.
Things like skateboarders have no qualms about trespassing on private property or smoking weed there while spewing vulgarity.
But you meditate some of the time I bet? This means you’re a decent person. And your explorative spirit will most certainly lead you to a skating spot no one knows about.
Turn this discovered skating spot into a sanctuary of sorts, a space you own and escape to when all the craziness in the world drives you up the wall.
Benefits of Skating With Others
There’s no denying that skateboarding with friends and loved ones is a good idea.
I even believe skating with strangers at a skate park is a great idea. Just make sure those folks don’t remain strangers forever.
Approach people, unless they look threatening, which the vast majority of skaters aren’t, and introduce yourself.
Ask them for advice about something you’re struggling with. I’m talking about the moving ollie trick you’ve been trying to land since forever.
Soon, you’ll soon start looking forward to going out to skate publicly, and you’ll have a great deal of fun each time.
I haven’t seen data that asserts that skating with others helps you become a better skater compared to skating solo.
However, I have heard lots of anecdotal evidence where people watched others land a trick they’d been struggling with and a light went on.
It’s a moment of epiphany, and the budding skateboarder suddenly gets it. They successfully land the trick amid much applause from everyone. Oh, what a feeling!
When skating publicly, you get to meet other beginning skateboarders. You’ll see people who are at your skating level or even more inexperienced, and that’ll do tons of good to your confidence.
Plus, you can invite other beginners to do a game of skate and have a blast. Just fooling around with other clueless starters can take a significant amount of unease out of the activity.
Most importantly, not skating alone is a great way to meet new people and possibly make friends.
Even if you come from a country where people aren’t all friendly and nice, talking to new people at the skate park shouldn’t be too hard.
I believe skateboarders are one of the most accommodating sections of humanity anywhere. Who knows, maybe someone you’ve never met will hook you up with the next opportunity
So, get out there and have fun. You don’t have to be a social butterfly, but humans were made to socialize and live together.
Is It a Good Idea to Skateboard Alone?
You can skateboard solo any time you want, and there are several reasons to do so. But skating with others immerses you in the culture and ways of the skating community, giving you a sense of belonging.
Whether you prefer to skate in a park with others or in an abandoned building alone, that’s fine as long as you’re having a blast.