FRONTSIDE..........This trick is performed almost exactly the same
as the curb grind is. However there are a few
things that should be stressed and explained
that should make this easier to learn.
To make learning this trick as painless as
possible, you should have a solid foundation of
stalls under your belt. After all, it is easier to
learn on a small curb than it is a rail or grinding
bar. A good way to practice this is to randomly
skate up to objects (both high and low) and try
to stall on them. As you get more practice, your
body begins to learn what it needs to do to jump
that high and stall in the proper position.
With that knowledge, frontsides are a piece of
cake! Find (or get) yourself a low and shallow
bar to practice on. Things like the barricades in
front of car dealerships, metal bars around
walkways, and bike racks are good places to
start. Approach the bar slowly, taking care to
run perfectly parallel to it, and be slightly to one
side. As you near the bar, jump up nice and
high and turn 90 degrees while watching your
landing spot.
Much like a batter in baseball, watching where you will
be landing is essential to success. Spread your legs
about shoulder width apart, and absorb the impact in
your knees. Skate back around and try again..and
again.. and again! (Repetition is the key)
A couple of key things to remember are your landing,
your stance, and your commitment. When you land,
you must be sure to land between your tiny middle
wheels. Otherwise you will catch on your wheels and
you will go flying. (You cant grind with big wheels) Your
stance is also very important. Think of yourself as trying
to stand on a tightrope- Its hard, but possible. Try and
stand erect, with your arms stuck out for balance.
When you try to correct a mistake, adjust using your
hips and arms, and not your knees. Also be sure not to
overcorrect, as myself and many others tend to do. As
for commitment, not enough can be said about it. If you
go up to a rail and only give 50%, you WILL fall and
hurt. Commit and TRUST YOURSELF. If you think you
can do it, you are halfway to doing it. After all, stalls
arent that much different than frontsides..
Skate hard, skate safe, and practice a lot!
BACKSIDE..........Doing backsides is almost as easy as doing frontsides. The one catch is that you are landing with your back to the rail so it is
much more difficult to see where you are landing. (and to land properly) Obviously you will need to practice backside stalls on
curbs and planters before you work up to rails and slider bars.. And after practicing there for a while your body should learn
how to twist and land correctly, and so rail slides will come naturally for you.
Assuming you already can do a backside stall, the slides will be easy to do. First, you need to find a low and not-too-steep bar
to practice sliding on. Just about anything will do. Once you are ready, start out by approaching the bar slowly, and at a fairly
slight angle. As you near the front of the bar, jump high, and pull your legs up. Keep an eye on your landing spot as you rotate
through the 90 degrees and as you are coming back down, unwind and drop your legs onto the bar. The only hard part in doing
backsides is getting your legs onto the bar properly. (Duh!) Always watch where you are landing, otherwise you will fall. Also
be aware that you may have to jump higher and harder to get on properly. Once you are on, your legs should be about shoulder
width apart or so, and you should be grinding in the space between your middle two wheels. As with any trick, the key to
having a successful backside in your bag of moves is practice. Just keep at it, and dont expect to learn it in 10 minutes, a hour,
or maybe even a week.
So to sum up, concentrate on your landing, your stance, and commiting to the rail. Just as in frontsides, once you are on you just
glide it out-- but getting on is the hard part! And to reiterate the commitment issue, if you go up to a rail and only give it 50%,
you will fall and possibly get hurt. Trust your skills, and know that you are giving it your all-- but even then you still may fall.
Once you get over this mental block, it will all start coming to you..
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