Learn Inverts in 30 days: Day 2

First of all, thanks for all the tips, warnings and encouragement I’ve been getting via comments and email. I wasn’t sure how this would go over, so it was a nice surprise. Alright you sissies…

Day two. I didn’t have time to go to a skatepark, and I don’t have a ramp in my yard, but I was able to spend about 20 minutes in the street. I figured if the only thing I did was work on the motion of grabbing and getting airborne a little it would still be time well spent, and I think I’m right. The act of reaching down, grabbing and planting still feels foreign to me, so the more I do it, the more it becomes second nature. I decided to work on de-stinkbugging it too, reaching around the front leg instead of between. If I learn them this way I won’t have to unlearn a bad habit.

Man, it feels awkward, but with each attempt it makes it a hair easier. My wife caught and snickered at my first attempts that left me sprawled on the concrete. I focused on the the curb by my driveway as the transition. Although there’s barely anything there, I think it helped me mentally. It makes me think we need higher curbs. Several older neighbors came out to see what the commotion was all about, which added a whole different level of awkwardness. Even the ice cream man looked at me kind of funny when he drove by.

I’ve come to the realization that I’ve got a fundamental problem with my timing and rotation. As you can see in yesterday’s post, I am turning or carving before I plant, which can only end in the dreaded over-rotation. I’m still doing it on the curb plants too, but for now I’m going to concentrate on the motion and work on the timing later. I’m not sure if the photo shows this, but by the end I managed to get the board off the ground a fair amount.

Let this be a tip for all of you who say they don’t have the time to make it to the skatepark to work on your handplants. Go out to the curb in front of your house, and you can still make progress.