The skateboard is a certain device which was conceived as a means of surfing outside of water. The history of skateboards cannot be specifically traced back to a certain age but is indeed very fascinating. Some hold the belief that the art of skateboarding began on the beaches of California while some other hold other that the background of skateboarding can be traced to some other place. In the recent times however skateboards are seen as an emblem of youthful energy and vigor. In the early era of 1930s the kids in the United States attached the roller skates to a board which measured up to two to four inches. But it was not before 1958 that the modern range of skateboards was invented.
Talking about the design of the skateboards it can be easily claimed that they were inspired from that of surfboards. In the initial phase they were quite similar to that of the surfboards but in the following times there was a change in the design due to that of the commodities. The first range of skateboards was manufactured in the year 1965. They were thick by one inch and had in them rubber wheels and also cast iron trucks. With varied range of skateboards available the skateboarders are also able to classify themselves accordingly like free style skateboarders, high jump skateboarders, downhill skateboarders, long jump skateboarders and so on.
Today with the popularity of skateboarding especially in the Western parts of the world the surfing enthusiasts are developing a special fascination over the skateboards and this is leading to an increase in the manufacture of skateboards of different types. There are also certain trivia attached to that of the skateboard. In the year 1993, on 17th August Thomas Welsh was issued patent # 5,236,208 for a skateboard which would be platform steerable. Following that Allan Ollie Gelfand invented Ollie which was again a trick of skateboarding where in the skateboarder would jump into the air with the skateboard completely attached to his feet. Though there was a lapse in the popularity of the skateboards in the 70s and 80s it has made a huge comeback again both in the arena of pastime and sport in the contemporary times. In the United States skateboarding ranks sixth when it comes to the talk of the sports which has the largest number of participants. In the coming years also it is likely to remain the major attraction as well as the centerpiece of the youth culture of America.
Getting exposed to skateboards early in life is a great boon because it helps you overcome your fear of trying those daredevil stunts. Mastering tricks on skateboards and being able to manoeuvre them through your busy streets will truly help you fly past. It gives you a freedom that's unmatched and this little stint that you get acquainted with will give provide you with an unmatched joy for life. It's not just fun, but it's time saving apart from being cost effective and eco friendly. Truly they provide you with a freedom that can only be complimented.
By: Manny Ramirez
Monday, December 8, 2008
Why Every Kid Loves Skateboards
There are many things in life that I will never understand. The amount of things that I don't understand has increased significantly since I became a mother and began to watch my kid's choices and preferences as they got older. I couldn't understand why my daughter wanted to wear such an ugly shirt with pants that clearly didn't match it, and I definitely couldn't understand it when my junior high aged son came home wanting to get his ears pierced. Being a mother definitely adds mystery to my life. Up until recently, the fact that all kids seemed to love skateboards was a mystery to me.
I began to recognize the phenomenon of skateboards when my own three children asked for them for Christmas a few years ago. I thought it was strange that they all wanted the same thing, yet when I asked them about it they said that literally everybody they knew was asking for skateboards that year. So my husband and I went out after researching the best skateboards for their ages and novice abilities, and we purchased three skateboards to place under the tree on Christmas morning.
From the moment our children opened their skateboards they were hooked. They haven't stopped using their skateboards almost daily even still, three years later. It is by far the most loved and best used gifts we have ever purchased for them. Since that Christmas day I have spent countless hours at our local skateboarding park watching my children play with their friends on skateboards. Usually I bring a blanket and a good book and enjoy a morning at the park while I watch. I'm so intrigued by the whole place, however, that I rarely get a chapter read.
I've learned that kids love skateboards because they love the freedom, the adventure and the risk that skateboards give. In small proportions, kids love the thrill that skateboards allow them to have. They love learning a new trick or showing off a skill for their friends. I've learned that skateboarding is a healthy way for kids to burn energy and to learn how to relate with other kids. A skateboarding park is quite a social gathering place, and I am thankful that my children are learning to relate with all kinds of people simply because of their skateboards.
So parents, take my advice. If your child wants a skateboard, be the first to encourage them. Yes, it is risky and hence there is potential danger involved, but it is a healthy way to let your children experiment with adventure and learn to make friends in the process.
By: Julee Mitchelsin
I began to recognize the phenomenon of skateboards when my own three children asked for them for Christmas a few years ago. I thought it was strange that they all wanted the same thing, yet when I asked them about it they said that literally everybody they knew was asking for skateboards that year. So my husband and I went out after researching the best skateboards for their ages and novice abilities, and we purchased three skateboards to place under the tree on Christmas morning.
From the moment our children opened their skateboards they were hooked. They haven't stopped using their skateboards almost daily even still, three years later. It is by far the most loved and best used gifts we have ever purchased for them. Since that Christmas day I have spent countless hours at our local skateboarding park watching my children play with their friends on skateboards. Usually I bring a blanket and a good book and enjoy a morning at the park while I watch. I'm so intrigued by the whole place, however, that I rarely get a chapter read.
I've learned that kids love skateboards because they love the freedom, the adventure and the risk that skateboards give. In small proportions, kids love the thrill that skateboards allow them to have. They love learning a new trick or showing off a skill for their friends. I've learned that skateboarding is a healthy way for kids to burn energy and to learn how to relate with other kids. A skateboarding park is quite a social gathering place, and I am thankful that my children are learning to relate with all kinds of people simply because of their skateboards.
So parents, take my advice. If your child wants a skateboard, be the first to encourage them. Yes, it is risky and hence there is potential danger involved, but it is a healthy way to let your children experiment with adventure and learn to make friends in the process.
By: Julee Mitchelsin
Skateboards, Skills And Riders
A skate park is nothing neither more nor less than an athletic facility specifically for skateboarders, in-line skaters, and freestyle BMX riders. There are at least 533 in the US. California, with sixty-eight, has more than any other state; Colorado comes in as second with twenty-six, and Florida with twenty-five. So what does a skatepark offer? Most importantly, it offers a place for skateboarders to meet, perform their skills, and relax in a safe environment.
Most offer a variety of surfaces for different skill levels, from a kiddie course, through a main street course, to a vertical ramp and bowl for the most skilled. Usually, a skatepark needs between 18,000 and 25,000 square feet in order to meet all skill levels. In beginner areas, individuals with limited or even no experience can practice out of the way of intermediate and advanced skaters; the beginner areas can feature small hips, moguls, banks, curbs, and rail slides.
The skatepark designers’ association recommends that parks include street elements such as ledges, stairs, and rails familiar to non-skaters, to allow skaters to practice in safety. Not only will a place to skate, skateparks offer modestly-priced lessons to give students back information, skateboarding techniques, and safety gear. Skateparks are reused facilities, in that municipalities frequently develop skateparks from unused basketball, tennis court, or parking lots. In developing new skateparks from old facilities, architects are counseled to follow the ten quick rules for design, which are simplicity, smoothness of surface, no kinks, flatbottom, no overcrowding, pushing room, no ledges over your bellybutton, edges that grind, pumpable hips, and lights.
While some of these are clear, others require a bit more explication. Any skatepark needs flat bottom between obstacles, since skateboarders generate speed by pumping up and down transitions; maximum flatbottom allows more skateboarders to skate at the same time without collisions. Any wall, bank, or skate able pool’s edges must be hard and grind able; a slightly protruding edge allows a skater to feel where they are. Street elements—curbs, blocks, and walls—should be included in every skate park’s design.
There are two ways to accomplish transitions between flatbottom and included surfaces; either round, with a perfect radius, or banked, with a tighter transition curve; the wall’s height determines the transition, but the angle should never exceed 50 degrees. Skateboard parks offer safety. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that more than 15,600 people a year require hospital emergency room treatments for skateboard-related injuries.
More than half the injuries are caused by falls due to irregular riding surfaces. Wrist injuries lead, followed by sprains and fractures. A third of the injuries are sustained by those who have been skateboarding for less than a week. The best advice that the National Safety Council can offer is, ‘wear your protective gear,’ ‘learn how to fall,’ ‘use your skateboard properly,’ and ‘head to the skatepark.’
By: Dana Bradley
Most offer a variety of surfaces for different skill levels, from a kiddie course, through a main street course, to a vertical ramp and bowl for the most skilled. Usually, a skatepark needs between 18,000 and 25,000 square feet in order to meet all skill levels. In beginner areas, individuals with limited or even no experience can practice out of the way of intermediate and advanced skaters; the beginner areas can feature small hips, moguls, banks, curbs, and rail slides.
The skatepark designers’ association recommends that parks include street elements such as ledges, stairs, and rails familiar to non-skaters, to allow skaters to practice in safety. Not only will a place to skate, skateparks offer modestly-priced lessons to give students back information, skateboarding techniques, and safety gear. Skateparks are reused facilities, in that municipalities frequently develop skateparks from unused basketball, tennis court, or parking lots. In developing new skateparks from old facilities, architects are counseled to follow the ten quick rules for design, which are simplicity, smoothness of surface, no kinks, flatbottom, no overcrowding, pushing room, no ledges over your bellybutton, edges that grind, pumpable hips, and lights.
While some of these are clear, others require a bit more explication. Any skatepark needs flat bottom between obstacles, since skateboarders generate speed by pumping up and down transitions; maximum flatbottom allows more skateboarders to skate at the same time without collisions. Any wall, bank, or skate able pool’s edges must be hard and grind able; a slightly protruding edge allows a skater to feel where they are. Street elements—curbs, blocks, and walls—should be included in every skate park’s design.
There are two ways to accomplish transitions between flatbottom and included surfaces; either round, with a perfect radius, or banked, with a tighter transition curve; the wall’s height determines the transition, but the angle should never exceed 50 degrees. Skateboard parks offer safety. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that more than 15,600 people a year require hospital emergency room treatments for skateboard-related injuries.
More than half the injuries are caused by falls due to irregular riding surfaces. Wrist injuries lead, followed by sprains and fractures. A third of the injuries are sustained by those who have been skateboarding for less than a week. The best advice that the National Safety Council can offer is, ‘wear your protective gear,’ ‘learn how to fall,’ ‘use your skateboard properly,’ and ‘head to the skatepark.’
By: Dana Bradley
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