Skimboarding came to be in the late 1920s when lifeguards in Laguna Beach would use thin pieces of wood to quite literally slide or skim across the shallow water right on the sand.
Though it began with lifeguards, skimboarding has become incredibly popular amongst the general public.
If you go to the beach on a hot day, you’re more than likely going to come across skimboarders, and if you catch yourself thinking it looks fun, you would be right!
Anyone can skimboard, you just have to know what you’re doing beforehand.
We will be going over how you can skimboard for yourself in 7 simple steps. So let’s get started!
How To Use A Skim Board
If you’ve never tried to skimboard before then it is important for you to remember that balance is key! You can move quite fast on a skimboard and if you’ve never tried it before, expect to fall on occasion!
If you follow the guide we have provided, you will be skimboarding like a pro in no time at all. Lots of skimboarding requires a lot of confidence, so don’t be afraid to let go and get stuck in when you try it!
1. Aquiring A Board
The first thing you are going to need is a board to skimboard on. While they were originally just pieces of wood in the 1920s, they have evolved and changed quite a lot since then.
Skimboards come in lots of different shapes and size and they are usually made out of wood or carbon fibre.
You can get skimboards quite cheap, but there are lots of higher quality skimboards that can cost quite a bit of money.
If you’re just getting into skimboarding for the first time, then it’s in your best interest to start with a cheaper one just while you are getting the hang of doing it.
If you find that you really enjoy skimboarding, you can invest in a more expensive one later.
You can buy a good skimboard in surf shops, but if you don’t like the ones you find instore, you can also purchace them online.
2. Find A Good Beach
Once you have your skimboard, you are going to want to find the perfect beach to use it on! There are two different types of skimboarding styles, which are “wave riding” and “flat ground”.
Flat Ground skimboarding is the easier style of the two and can be done at practically any beach that has sand.
As long as the water level is low and it’s shallow enough to run though, you will be able to flat ground skimboard there.
Wave Riding skimboarding is the more advanced kind of skimboarding, and it involves getting on your board in the same way you would with Flat Ground skimboarding, but you are aiming to ride your skimboard out into the ocean turn on a wave, and ride the wave back to the shore. It’s a bit similar to surfing.
As long as your beach of choice has sand and flat water that is shallow enough to skim, you can skimboard there. Remember, most sandy beaches are perfect for Flat Ground Skimboarding.
3. Safety First
When you are just starting out, skimboarding can be quite intimidating and it can be quite frustrating to learn.
If you’re serious about learning to skimboard, you will have to accept that a lot of the time, you’re going to fall down, and that’s ok!
Skimboarding can be quite dangerous, and you need to be aware of your surroundings at all times. As soon as you get over the fear of falling though, you’ll find learning to skimboard is not too difficult!
4. Getting A Feel For Your Board
You will need to get a feel of your board before you can start seriously practicing.
The best way you can do this is by holding your board with both hands, with one hand on the tail end and the other about half way up the other side.
Once you’ve done this, slide it down the beach and chase after it. When you feel confident enough, jump on the board.
You will fall on your first attempts because you’ll need to find your balance, but this is the best way to get a feel for your board. It’s also a good idea to try this technique just on the sand without the board a few times.
5. Timing & Running
Hold on to the rails of your board with both hands and jog on the downward sloping beach to gain momentum. It’s all about timing with skimboarding, so don’t be discouraged if it takes you a few times to get it.
You will want to slowly turn from a jog into a run during this step. The faster you run, the faster and further your board will carry you.
6. Drop The Board
Once you have built up enough speed, you will then want to drop your board. Keep moving forward with your run and drop (or throw!) your board in front of you.
You want a very small distance between you and your board so you have enough room to slide on it when the time is right.
Do everything in your power to maintain your speed during this step!
7. Slide On Your Board
Once you have dropped the board and it’s on the sand, you then need to slide onto your board. The water and speed you have built up should be enough to slide you perfectly onto the board.
Place your back food on the back of the board and then place your front foot on in the middle of the board. You will need to stay balanced to stay upright on the board without falling.
Put all of these steps together and give it a try for yourself!
Conclusion
While skimboarding can be quite difficult to successfully pull off, it is a whole load of fun when you do get the technique down. Use the tips we have provided to get you started!
Since then, I’ve stepped back in my job so that I have more free time to explore the wild. My mental health, clarity, and well-being have all improved by incredible amounts.
I now have a healthy work-life balance, and I want that for you too.
Life is too short to think of work only. Please enjoy my website and use it for inspiration for your next adventure. Maybe I’ll see you out there!
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