Rad Facts About Skateboarding

By Andres Pachon

A. Pachon, a journalist and skateboard addict, is a full-time writer for SHIT® Magazine.

Skateboarding have come a long way to become what it is today, and we bet you don’t yet know all facts about skateboarding. Here are some rad facts you might have missed and should know.

Skateboard, The Literal Expression

 
Photo: Jason Lee (Unsplash)

The first skateboards that existed were literally hammering rollerskate wheels onto boards of wood. The precursor included a box so the rider could hold for balance, but this was ramoved and the skateboard was born.

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From Surf to Skate

Surfers used to “sidewalk surf” with skateboards, looking for hills and embankments that could be used like stationary waves. The streets were the waves and they could go beyond the sea.

Who Said Shoes are Necessary

Skateboarding started with a strong relationship to surfing, that’s why a lot of skaters at the time used to be barefoot while riding. It even had a special jump called “Gorilla Grip” wich was wrapping one toe around the board and jumping.. That's got to hurt man.

Fidget Spinners

These are made with skateboard bearings, yes we know it has nothing to do with skateboarding, but you got to admit it's a fun fact.

More Decks Than You Think

Decks were planks of wood at the beginning, a 2X4 piece. Then, time passed and the deck started to look more like a mini surfboard with a “nose” and “tail”. The tails started to raise overtime, allowing the rider to maneuver more easily. The final skateboard has a raised tail and a nose with a slightly-convex center, so skaters could perform tricks easily.

Ambidextrous People Rule

Almost every pro skater is ambidextrous, meaning they can use both right and left hand. This is because they’re always pushing themselves so they don’t stop just learning a trick but also do it in every stance, both natural and unnatural.

Who Said Pools Are Made For Swimming?

In the 70s there was a huge drought wich affected the Southwestern U.S. Because of that, a lot of homeowners drained their pools in order to conserve water. Then skaters realized that skating in the transition of pools was like surfing and worked a lot better than skating on a hill or embankment. That’s why they tried to find bigger pools to skate. The modern parks have a big influence on the empty pools used in the early days.

Skateboard Army

In the 1990s, the U.S. military used skateboards so they could maneuver inside of buildings and urban settings in a program called “Urban Warrior 99”. So you see, skateboarding has many different applications.

Read also: Top 5 Skateboarding Documentaries You Must Watch

Read also: The Similarities Between Surfing and Skateboarding

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