Learn exercises with longboard: the best tips for you

Learning to longboard made easy - we show you how! We have found out the best tips and tricks for longboarding. Grab your board and let's go!

How I envied girls who swing loose and easy on the longboard. It looks so easy. But it isn't. At least not at the beginning. Once you have found a feeling for the board and your balance, learning to longboard is really fun :)

By the way, you can also do great fitness exercises with the longboard! First, however, some important information for you about the Tendbrett.

Where does longboarding actually come from?

The trend sport that has captivated many people at the moment originally comes from the USA. In the meantime, however, longboarding has also reached Europe.

However, the sport did not originate on asphalt, but in the water. The original form is surfing. Some athletes have then transferred this sport to the land.

Of course, for propulsion on land, rollers were needed. The skaters could thus stand on the deck, ride down slopes, but if they gained momentum with their leg they could ride on levels just as well.

What many do not know: This evolution from surfboard to longboard happened in the 1960s. The longboard existed even before the skateboard. So it is just celebrating its comeback.

At that time, the longboard visually reminded of a surfboard. It was very long and had a tip at one or both ends.

There were several forms of the board, which resulted in different uses. Competitions and championships were held in America as well as in Australia. In the 1960s, however, these also made it to us in Europe. The longboard, however, fell into oblivion despite everything. At least until a few years ago.

How is a longboard constructed?

If you compare a skateboard and a longboard, there is a big difference at first glance.

The longboard is much longer and can be up to one and a half meters in its longest form. The deck is usually made of wood. The wood that is used is particularly flexible, such as maple.

In a longboard, the use of plastic is relatively rare. However, the synthetic materials can be in use just for the surface. These materials roughen the surface and thus prevent the foot from slipping off the painted wood. When designing your longboard, you can now incorporate all your own wishes.

What are the different boards?

There are three different variants of the longboard. The slalom board, the shlongboard and the cruiserboard.

The Slalom board is the shortened form of the longboard. It has a length that varies between 90 and 150 cm.

Normally, this also has softer wheels and a structure that allows dynamic driving. High speeds and the execution of movements, circles, etc. is possible through the sheer physical effort of the skater. This can thus advance quickly without much effort.

But you can also make a variant of a longboard from a normal skateboard. Here, the deck is only extended by wide axles. Then the wheels stand very far out. This board is called Shlongboard.

If you want to build your own board, but you should be careful, because with self-constructed often occur accidents. Why? Because the rollers on the axle have too much clearance and then bump against the skateboard.

Rather rare is the Cruiserboard. This is specially designed for fast, comfortable but also safe driving.

The rollers are slightly larger here and are usually also a little softer. Even on rough ground, the board can hold its line. Often you get on with the cruiser board better than with the longboard.

What do you need to consider when buying a longboard?

If you want to learn to longboard, there are a few little things you should consider when buying your board.

First you should decide for what you want to use your longboard later on. use you want. Because the shape, size and surface depend on it.

With an all-rounder board, for example, you can practice every discipline to a certain degree. For hobby boarders it is exactly the right thing.

If you want to buy a longboard only cheap, it is dangerous. Because the quality should come before the price. With the board you are fast on the road. If you because of bad Quality or processing falls, you can hurt yourself badly.

The most important tricks for learning longboard

When you start learning to longboard, it is initially easier to ride than to brake with it. But braking is the key if you want to longboard properly. Here are our tips for you:

1. Pumps

   Great for starting is the "pumping", you need this to pick up speed. You can compare the movement with riding a scooter. With one foot you stand on the board and with the other leg you push yourself off the ground evenly with the other foot.

2. Footbrake

   With the Foodbrake you stand with one leg on the board. With the other you can push off or brake. If you apply more pressure on the foot, you can brake even at higher speeds. It is important that you always use the back foot as a braking foot.
   However, with Footbrake there are of course also disadvantages. The soles of your shoes are very affected. For downhill riding, the Footbrake is also not suitable.

3. Sliden

   Sliding is the safest way to brake with the longboard. Sliding requires practice and agility. With the sliding techniques you put the center of gravity as low as possible.
   To do this, you bend your knees and place the board at right angles to the direction of travel. So if you are now also asking yourself: How should I keep my balance? Here's the answer: You keep your balance by supporting yourself on the road with suitable gloves or by grabbing the edge of the board. This is a technique that is only suitable for professionals.

4. Carving

   When you have a little practice you will also start to ride downhill. If you want to reduce the speed, you can carve. Like skiing or snowboarding, you can reduce the speed.

5. Wind brake

   With the wind brake you can slow down the speed at high speeds. To do this, you stand on the board in such a way that you offer the wind an attack surface.
   You stand upright on the longboard, your arms are spread out and your palms turn open in the direction of travel.
   If you are lucky, your speed will be reduced enough for you to use the foot brake. You should see the wind brake more as an auxiliary technique. It is not a real braking technique. It also works only at very high speeds beyond 50 km/h.

6. Emergency brake

   If you don't have too much speed, you can jump off the board and try to run out. You should really only use this variant in an "emergency", as it can lead to injuries.
   Especially in the beginning, you should always wear a helmet and protectors when learning to longboard.
   Avoid verges or meadows. The board stops abruptly here and you can't plan your jump. You will be thrown forward when the board stops.

A great video to learn longboarding you can find here:

Fitness exercises with the longboard

You're too scared and you don't dare to ride a longboard? We have 7 fitness exercises for you, where you can use the board. :)

1. stretching exercise with the longboard

You can use your longboard for stretching exercises. For this exercise, stand in front of your longboard. With your hands outstretched, touch the board. Your back should be straight. Now hold on to the longboard with your hands and stretch your back and legs.

2. longboard exercise for the back of the thighs

This is an exercise that will help you learn how to use your longboard. It helps you to develop a feeling for the board and is at the same time a workout for the back of the thighs. To perform the exercise, get into the "plank position". Your palms are on the ground and your toes are on the deck of the board. Then pull the longboard closer to you. You should then be in the position as shown in the picture. Make sure that your legs and arms are fully extended during this longboard learning exercise.

3. longboard exercise for the thigh and buttocks

For this exercise, it's best to choose a tree or a wall. Lean the board against the tree/wall as shown in the picture. Stand with your back against the surface of the board.

Once you are in position, bend your knees with the board until your upper and lower legs form a 90° angle. Hold the position for 15 seconds. Then return to the starting position and roll back down.

4. longboard exercise for arms

For this exercise you go into the starting position for push-ups. However, your legs are on the longboard. Your arms are on the floor. Now do push-ups in this position. Do 10 repetitions. If push-ups are too difficult for you, you can just stay in this upright plank position.

5. learn bridge on longboard

You can also train your legs and buttocks with the board. In the bridge, you put your feet on the board. Your shoulders and head are on the floor. Your arms are at your sides on the floor. Now lift your pelvis. Your body forms a line from your legs to your shoulders. Try to stay in this position for 15 seconds.

6. exercise for legs and arms

Now it gets a little strenuous. In this exercise, the starting position is the plank. However, you always pull one leg forward towards your chest, the second leg is on the board. Your arms always remain stretched and your back is straight. Do 3 series and 10 repetitions of this exercise.

7. lunge on the longboard

This is also a typical exercise for learning longboarding. In this exercise you do a lunge with the longboard. Stand in front of the board and lift one leg onto the board. Now lower your butt. When you go back up, pull the board towards you with your foot. Do 10 repetitions of this exercise before switching legs.

Here are a few fitness exercises for you to learn longboarding:

Our conclusion:

As you can see, you can do a lot more with the longboard than you might think at first. It's a great training tool and brings variety to your workout. Have fun :)

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