1. It's Not a Sport, It's a Lifestyle
Now a mainstream sport, extreme skateboarding has stars like Andy MacDonald, Rodney Mullen and Jim Greco. Some skateboard stars are as well known for their fashion and design sense as their extreme skateboarding style. Punk rock and some heavy metal music videos feature extreme skateboarders, and the sport has become a major part of the post-90s punk rock scene.
2. Start Slow to Go Extreme
If you admire extreme skateboarders and want to emulate their tricks, start practicing basic skateboarding techniques like the rock 'n' roll, (sliding up and down a skatepark ramp) and a "manual," where the front wheels tilt up in the air but the bottom wheels remain on the ground. As you master these skills, move on to more complicated tricks, like the axle stall (stopping at the top of a skate ramp before going back down) and the Rock to Fakie (balancing the board at the mid-ramp and rocking it back and forth).
3. Extreme Gear for Extreme Skating
Choose specially made boards like the high tech Curve Extreme Sport Skateboard or variations on standard skateboards by Pig, Angelboy or Dogtown. Choose boards bearing the names of pros like Tony Hawk. Most famous extreme skateboarders have their own line of skateboards. It's also important to have the toughest, highest quality helmets (like the aptly named Anthony Furlong Brainsaver Helmet) and kneepads when performing extreme stunts. Buy the best skate shoes you can afford, like Adio Kenny's cushioned with a rubber top cap or durable Vans skate shoes.
4. Practice Makes Perfect
Once you've conquered the basic moves and feel comfortable on your board, you'll need to devote a lot of time on the ramp to increase your skills to extreme levels. Choose a larger skatepark in your area or attend a summer skate camp to hone your skateboarding skills. Woodward offers summer camps in California, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
5. Learn Some Extreme Tricks
Master moves like the Ollie (jumping in the air with the board stuck to your feet) and the 360 (a double flip off a skatepark ledge while doing an Ollie). Learn how to pogo on your skateboard; then conquer the variel flip (jump up in the air, then land on the skateboard when it returns to its original position). Tilt the board up and over, twirl it around and land on it in the air to perform a frontside flip. If you admire some of the techniques used by your favorite skateboard stars, watch videos of them performing, and then enlist a teacher at your park to help you emulate those skateboard tricks.
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