Skimboarding is conquering new enthusiasts everywhere. If you never tried it, and before adventuring yourself into the sand and surf, here is some advice from a man who knows how to slide and glide.
Daniel Prieß is one of the most talented skimboarders on the planet. The German charger is always creating new tricks and successfully completing surreal challenges. Whether you’re catching shore break waves or just sliding slippery terrain for the first time, Prieß has the right tips for you.
People of all ages and fitness levels tend to see skimboarding as a summer holiday pastime. You just drop the board onto the whitewater and ride it for a few seconds. While that can be a valid assumption, there’s more to skimboarding, including dangers and precautions.
So, what are the most useful skimboarding tips for absolute beginners?
Get Stoked
At some point, we’ve all been introduced to skimboarding. You could’ve witnessed it yourself at the beach, at some creek, at a skim camp during the holidays or by simply watching a skim video. It doesn’t matter how it was, as long as it makes you stoked to try it out for yourself. Stoke is essential.
Buy the Right Skimboard
Now that you’re stoked to try it out, get a decent board. Do not buy a skimboard from a supermarket or whatever. These boards are crappy and will certainly ruin your first skimboarding experience. You want to invest in a good board that you can progress with. Really: get a good skimboard. If you haven’t saved up enough money, ask a friend to lend you one or ask your parents to get you an entry-level board. They will gladly support you.
Ride with Friends
You’re ready to go. Head to the beach, the sheltered waterway or whatever spot you’ll be riding at. Sharing moments makes it so much more fun. So, find a group of people to ride with. You can build great friendships from skimboarding, and so will you by pushing each other, teaching, learning new tricks or even going on a skimboarding trip together.
Have Patience
No one is born a master. It’ll take time and patience to nail the basics and more complicated tricks. Don’t slow down. Keep your stoke level up, for example, by rewatching your favorite skim videos. Keep progressing.
Find Your Own Style
Once you’ve nailed the basics, you should try to find your personal style. Style is all about trick selection and the way you execute maneuvers.
Make a Sponsor Me Tape & Compete
Once you’ve passed this point, you will find new challenges filming a sponsor me tape. Grab whatever camera you have available and start shooting. Competing can also be fun – you will notice how your riding holds up to others.
Have Fun with Skimboarding
Lastly, and most importantly, have fun doing everything mentioned above. Skimboarding is supposed to be fun, so keep it fun and don’t get lost along the way.
Daniel Prieß rides and competes for DB Skimboards and Beach Breakers. He starred alongside Friedrich Flüh in “Brotherhood,” one of the most important flatland skimboarding movies ever released.
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