*When your trying to build up the courage to drop in for the first time but everyone in the comments is talking about their horrific injuries they got*
I'm a beginner skateboarder. Working on different size ramps right now but I'm done dropping in. Fell on my back twice because of it. I'm sick of that pain. Takes the fun right out of skateboarding.
This is the one video that taught me how to drop in. Specifically 3:15 when you show how your body is already in the ramp before you push your front foot down. I've watched a load of tutorials but that freeze frame made it click for me. Thanks!
When i was about 14 back in tge 90s . My first attempt to drop in was on a 7foot half pipe. I went for it and smashed my face broke my nose . Blood splattered everywhere. I got up went to tge bathroom stuck tissues up my nose and kept skating. I eventually dropped in on a 5 or 6 foot quarter pipe. What an accomplishment. Felt like i reached the top of mount everest. My nose still has a bump in it from the fall to this day at 35 y/o. God those were the glory days on my Ed Templeton Toy machine 7.5
This was me a few days ago. Luckily I had my helmet on or I'd have needed a trip to the ER. It's so hard to really make yourself lean forward and hold it.
@@s.a.l.1974 I've learned that skateboarding is something you should start learning from a very young age instead of trying to learn when you are in your mid to late 30's. If you start early the wipe outs aren't going to hurt that much because you don't weigh much and you're short so by the time you get 6 feet feet or taller and weigh 170 you'll be so good there won't be many wipe outs.
Better to lean a bit forward than leaning too far back. I suggest people stomp down like they are crushing a bug. To help keep their weight forward, I try to emphasize that they gotta make sure the bug doesn’t get out from under their foot, so they need to keep the foot firmly planted.
I couldn’t drop in after about a week of trying on and off. The first two times I over committed and fell hard. After that I couldn’t even drop in at all I was too freaked out. Then I watched this video and ran up to the local skatepark. After 20 minutes I moved through all of these steps and am now dropping in every time. It’s so easy with these build up steps.
I fell twice when I tried this , the first hurt really bad… ended up falling backwards. Then someone told me to bend my knees and lean forward more, I listened to him and made the next couple drops. That same session I moved up and up and eventually did the highest drop they had at the park. What I learned was you have to try to “Bang” the nose of the board down with your feet. I make it a game where I try to Make it sound loud as possible. Still scared to death of dropping in but I figure it’ll go away in a few months.
One thing that you actually do in the video, but I didn't hear you speak about and can help a bit when starting out is to bend your knees a lot to get a more stable drop in. I'm still learning this, and every time I remember to get down and bend my knees it's so much more stable :)
Ben, awesome video!!! Thanks to this video I was able to finally drop in today. What I found key in yours that no other explained is how your body should be in the ramp before you push down.
Took the plunge x2 yesterday ate crap at 52 years old... Back is a mess today ... Chiropractor tomorrow if not better .. almost made first try.... 2nd try I shot board out .. made it unto work today but not by much. Elbow has a lemon size knot .... Not sure if I cracker vertebra or slipped disc or just aggravated old back injury... But got total respect and encouragement from all the younger dudes
My last attempt (3ft mini), I went too far forward, basically threw myself onto flat.. My ribs are still in pain over a month later, (took a good while to get up after that one). Being over 30 sucks for the slams... The extra weight does not help either.
@@wyatthunter987 not a must but helpful. I mean dropping in isn't necessary. For getting to the coping, carving, kick turning and pumping. In fact not being able to drop in might help your pumping progress better not having so much speed from the get-go. I'm in this place, bad spill as a kid put me off drop ins so working on getting there. In the meantime having an amazing time, transition is my go-to. Trying to incorporate power slides currently. But practicing this videos stuff to hopefully drop in soon. Juat don't want to break myself and be unable to skate again. So yeah not necessary at all. Depends on style and tricks you're working on really. Many would need you to be able to drop in and drop in fakie, equally hundreds of tricks/ riding styles that require no drop in at all
I did my first drop in on a little 3 foot ramp today. It had a straight slope, not like a real ramp. Anyway, I fell off about 4 times before realising I had to learn forward into the drop or you fall off backwards. After the first time I got it, I fell off only hslf the time for a few trys, then after that, I had a 100% success rate.
I was so proud when I first managed to drop in on some banks, because even that is scary when you are just starting out! but its definetely the way to go, and one great piece of advice a senior skater gave me the first day I tried was "if it doesnt feel right yet, don´t! the day will come" and he was so right. dont force yourself to do what doesnt feel right to you. its important to overcome your fears, but there is no rush, build up your confidence and with greater skill confidence comes easily. there is an obstacle in my local park, that appeared almost vertically to me in my first 2 weeks of skating, I couldnt imagine how I would ever be able to skate this - its not anywhere near vert at all btw, more like this / and now 1 month later, I can skate this no problem, and its all because I worked my way up slowly and my perceipton changed, its almost like when you are a kid your family dog seems as big as a horse, and 5 years later its head only reaches your hip. so in Skateboarding you grow up so quickly, give yourself some time and space to grow, thats what I learned so far. might be that trying scarier shit earlier can make you progress faster and being too cautious can hold you back, but at the same time trying too hard but lacking the skill might result in too much injury, which puts you out of skating for a week or more, which also halts progression and might make you more hesitant in the future - that totally happened to me! anyway, I like sharing my experiences, I´m still pretty new to skateboarding, but I think I´ve learned alot about learning itself and thats a really cool thing about learning this as an adult I think. so whatever you do, go out and have fun :-) there is no better feeling than being able to do something on your board you couldnt do before, but you put in the work and then it just works!
That’s bs… it’s never going to feel right when you’re looking down before a drop. You have to find the smallest one near you, hopefully get someone else to give your advice/feedback and then go for it. Once you fall once or twice you learn how to do it
@@tosa5855 can't remember dude but I improved at skating so much over the yesr and a half I had been skating. Suffered a major shoulder injury tho (happened before skating too on my other shoulder). Now i can't skate until I get surgery. Few years off my board ):
It's ridiculous, a bad spill when I was a kid and never learnt to drop in after it. I can ride the bowl but always start at the bottom. It's just crazy when you can get to the coping with carves and kick turns but still can't drop in. Feel like such a noob. Going to have to get this done!
Hi Ben, me and my sons really enjoy watching your skating tips. I've tried to teach them myself but there's nothing like being shown how to do it by 'a skating expert on RU-vid' 👍👍👍
Stomp your front foot down, and lean forward. Everybody says that, but you have to be careful on how much you stump it down, and how much you lean forward, because that is how I bruised my ribs. So, I would say you just have to transition your weight to the front wheels quickly and lean forward not too much. If you stomp your front foot too hard and lean forward too much, you can just fly forward down and hit yourself real hard.
You make a really good point. Probably the best advice is to start on small ramps first. I think some of us are just going to slam when learning to drop in and there is no guarantee which way you might fall. I obviously did the same thing when I first tried dropping in on a vert ramp.
I'm had a difficult time to drop in on a ramp (short slope) on a skateboard. I was testing myself a should have leaned forward and not ease up in the back, because the skateboard came out from under me. It rolled ahead of me quickly and I had reflexively landed on my left palm, causing me slight pain in after the elbow, and before the wrist. This showed I am way out of my league and have a ton to get experience from this.
Thanks Ben! This video helped out a lot! However… I need some help. Is there any way to reduce my speed in my drop in technique or my set up? Basically, I followed your advice: dropped in on a couple of flat ramps and then small quarter pipes. Followed your advice, got a lot of speed, but went smoothly. The next step up was a 6ft mini ramp with a 4ft spin. Jumped up onto the 4ft spin and shot like a damn canon across the flat and slipped at the bottom of the 6ft wall across on to my back. Brushed myself off. Got back up on the 4ft. Shot like a canon again but this time I flew up the 6ft into the air and then down the wall on my knees and head (thank god for helmets and knee pads - wish I filmed it). Am I stomping too hard, staying too low, or do I need smaller or tighter wheels till I get used to the speed? Let me know, because I really want to do it again, but I work in construction and kinda my head where it is. 8.5, Thunders, Spitfire 56mm, Lucky 7 bearings.
One advise I want to share, I almost pop my shoulder joint trying to drop in. My biggest mistake was that my back foot was fully on the tail, that is a NO,NO!!!! Leave some of your back foot in contact with the ground. 50:50, 60:40, 70:30,( back foot on tail:back foot on ground contact) this will give you an anchor point to stable yourself.
Looks so easy when you’re doing it I am so I am in Houston Texas so it’s different for me either I’m still trying to learn how to drop it I go down small Rams
Hi, great vid, thank you. I love all of your vids. im nearly 60 yrs old and ive just started skateboarding! , what could possibly go wrong? .... I can drop in on gentle straight ramps and i so want to drop in on a small concave 1/4 pipe about 30'' high but i just cant do it. lots of space between the front wheel and the ground on a concave vs linear ramp. i know its stupid, but is there a way to slow down the wheels? like over tighten the bearings or glue them HAHAHA! just so the exit speed is slower. I have a spinal injury from snow boarding and cant afford to take a hit again. But ive fallen in love with skateboarding. in general, im an athlete, strong and capable, but old and broken. any advice to help take that plunge and avoid a tail bone hit? of course the obvious advice is ..dont do it.. but im gonna. i love it.
I've managed to drop in on a couple of mellow flat ramps but the bigger one, I always get back wheel movement before my front wheels are anywhere close and end up bailing.
I have a bowl that one end is 6 ft and other is a 8 ft vert? Should I do the vert? It’s concrete so I’m scared, I’ve already dropped in in the 6 ft side how I’m scared to go vert
I want to drop in. I feel that I can do it, but reading all these comments makes me scared about it. Is there really that high chance to break or sprain my ankle/wrist while doing it?
Broke my foot on my third attempt dropping in on a 3 foot ramp. I want to learn how to skate transition but as a husband and father of two kids I’m debating on trying again even though I want to. Had surgery back in August end just now starting to weight bear without a boot
Dropped in on a 2 ft wooden quarter pipe for the first time last week. The next quarter available is a 4 ft concrete and it’s scary af because it’s really steep compared to the 2. Also I’m 6’3 so the ground looks far away from my eyes, makes it scarier.
I’m 35, just started skating again (4/5 months) but I only ever skated street, there were no ramps. There are now, however. My town has a double bowl thing about 6 feet. I’m pretty sure I am capable, but scared shitless to drop in. But I want it. I wanna tear that thing up. My idea is to get up early and skate it every day till I feel like I’m surfing. But I’m scared to drop in.
Yes, didn’t think of that! Considered pumping into a terrifying rock-to-back of head smash…But a tail-stall, hmmm…I could practice by rolling fakie into curbs and stalling, maybe?
Are there any smaller ramps or bowls anywhere around you. It might be worth a drive to find something a little smaller than 6 feet to get your bearings on. 6 feet is a long way down.
Dude I'm in the same boat. I'm 34. I used to skate every day 15 years ago. Now it's foreign to me again. We didn't have parks growing up either, now we do. I'm really surprised none of these parks have mini ramps for beginners. They have everything else though. The park planners need to take the beginners into account, plus mini ramps are freaking fun. Good luck dropping in. I'm going to be doing the same soon.
i have been able to drop in on a 3 foot ramp, little bit steeper compared to a miniramp tho, i tried the 5 foot one today and bailed twice :(, first time my front foot stayed on the board, second attempt was a straight up body slam, there was no 3rd attempt haha, i just went back to the smaller ramp and tried to drop in harder, i will try again when i get my helmet and pads
Which skatepark in vancouver area you think is good for learning drop in? I am thinking a skatepark with a few drop in slopes that I can work my way up...
There just don’t seen to be any mini ramps anywhere around where I live(Haarlem, Netherlands). Skateparks yes, but none have a mini ramp for some reason. I find this a bit frustrating tbh.
Argh!!!!!! I can't even Drop in on a one foot Little hill. I keep lifting the front of the board. And jumping off. What's going with the back foot? Do i keep it locked in or do i let pressure up, please help!
I always tell my friends that the key is to slam those front wheels down and lean forward. The moment u doubt it and pull back is the moment your head will kiss that coping. So just slam those babies forward
What's trippy about this is that it only takes a 6ft fall to kill someone. One foot away from slamming and murdering yourself. Stay safe folks and start small. No rush takes time to become good at something it doesn't happen over night.
