Skimboarding: learn the basics and don't get injured | Photo: Catherine E. Bailey/Creative Commons

Learning how to skimboard is an exciting challenge. However, skimming can also be a physically demanding water sport, so here are a few dos and don'ts.

The best skimboarding tutorial is practice. Now that you've got a skimboard and plenty of smooth, wet sand in front of you, just go for it.

But if you still have a couple of minutes, take a look at a few basic skimming tips.

Remember that injuries are frequent in skimboarding, so learning how to fall might be extremely useful.

Get in tune with the board's speed and become an accomplished rider.

Skimming Tips

Here are our skimboarding tips:

  1. Learn how to skimboard on flat land. Go for speed runs first;
  2. Choose the best skimboard for your skimming level;
  3. If you're a skimboarding beginner, wear a helmet;
  4. Avoid skimboarding accidents. Plan each ride and visualize what you're going to do;
  5. Learn how tides influence and behave at your favorite break;
  6. Dominate the basics of skimboarding before trying to catch your first wave;
  7. Always warm up and stretch before going skimming. Get your ankles and knees ready for forceful impacts;
  8. Watch skimboarding videos and learn with the pros;
  9. Know that you can go skimboarding on grass, land, sand, and tarp;
  10. Ready for sliding over rails and ramps? Protect the obstacles and yourself by removing sharp edges;
  11. Keep switching stances in your training sessions;
  12. Get a skateboard and practice your skimboarding moves on a flat surface;
  13. Not a fan of wax? Get a traction pad for your skimboard;
  14. Fall on your butt whenever possible;
  15. Keep a low and stable stance;
  16. Get on the skimboard one foot at a time;
  17. Too windy to throw the skimboard? Get a few grains of sand to the bottom of the board to add weight;
  18. Always keep your back foot on the back of your skimboard;
  19. Never hit the steep shore break before feeling entirely comfortable on the flat beach;
  20. Check your skimboarding arena before throwing the board; avoid surfaces with small rocks or seashells;

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