Skimboarding: learn how to master the run-drop-slide technique | Photo: Shutterstock

Whether you're a flatland skim rider or a wave skimboarder, you need to learn to throw the board before jumping on it.

Getting on your skimboard isn't easy. And if you can't master it, you won't make it to the waves or ramps. That is why the throwing technique is a fundamental skill in skimming.

One of the most common mistakes people make is running with the skimboard pointing up to the sky or down at the sand. Avoid it - hold it firmly and parallel to the ground.

The goal is to throw the board down so that it hits the water relatively flat and starts planing fast.

The best way to get on your board is by performing the one-step drop technique. Drop the board underneath you or slightly out front of you, taking one step and then getting on it quickly.

So, basically, instead of throwing the board far in front of you and then chasing it down, you need to interiorize a run-drop-slide method.

Throwing a skimboard and stepping onto it requires technique and timing. You want it to glide straight and fast across the water.

If you ride at breaks with bigger slopes, you won't need to run as fast as you can because the inclination will help pull you down into the water.

Before you even jump on it, throw it a few times forward to make sure you're hitting that sweet spot between the board, water, and sand.

The One-Step Drop Technique

Learn how to throw down a skimboard:

  1. Hold your board with both hands - if you're regular-footed, get it on the right side of your body;
  2. Grab the rail of the skimboard with the forward hand somewhere in the center of the board;
  3. Grab the area between the tail and the rail with the backhand;
  4. Find a good-looking, wet surface;
  5. Start running;
  6. Throw the skimboard down in front of you, making sure it lands perfectly flat;
  7. The moment the board hits the water, put your back foot first on the tail and then the front foot;
  8. Bend the knees, keeping them shoulder-width apart;
  9. Center your balance;
  10. Slide across the water;

Avoid approaching the skimboard from the side; otherwise, you'll slip out and hurt yourself. Do several water runs until you feel comfortable with the take-off.

With practice, you'll get better and better at throwing the board flat on slippery surfaces, and you'll start riding it effortlessly.

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