Longboarding
What Is Longboarding?
Longboarding is an extreme sport that more closely resembles surfing than skateboarding. It involves using boards that are both longer and wider than traditional skateboards. Furthermore, longboards come equipped with larger, softer wheels, offering superior cruising and carving capabilities compared to skateboards.
Overall, longboarding is an excellent sport for achieving speed and covering distances quickly, but it's also a convenient form of transport for daily use. Numerous longboarding competitions focus on reaching high speeds when navigating downhill. Nonetheless, longboarding also includes tricks-focused riding styles, making it a versatile form of board sport.
Varied Styles of Longboarding
Longboarding encompasses five main riding types: cruising, freestyle, freeride, downhill, and dancing.
Cruising is the most prevalent riding style. This form of longboarding is quite straightforward to master and provides an enjoyable, surf-like experience, whether commuting or riding over varied terrains. Carving resembles cruising but consists of sharper turns and increased pumping action.
Longboard dancing entails executing a range of tricks while moving on your longboard, allowing you to highlight your creativity and artistic flair. Freestyle longboarding is a discipline that lets you perform tricks like hand spins and jumps using your board.
Downhill longboarding is tailored for skilled riders. This form focuses on achieving rapid speeds when descending hills, demanding excellent body control, board management, and familiarity with riding techniques. Freeride longboarding resembles downhill, but rather than concentrating solely on speed, the rider aims to execute slides and tricks.
The Benefits of Longboarding
Much like other board sports, longboarding offers numerous health advantages. It serves as an effective aerobic workout and is fantastic for enhancing your balance. Additionally, longboarding is a fun and accessible sport that does not require a significant financial outlay to begin.
As an outdoor pursuit, longboarding is a splendid way to increase your time in fresh air. Due to the large wheels, which ensure smooth rides over uneven surfaces, you can ride your longboard in a multitude of locations—from urban streets to rural roads. Longboarding may also alleviate stress as it demands focus and delivers enjoyable riding experiences.
To maximise your longboarding enjoyment, ensure you remain safe. Find the right protective gear in our category Longboard & Skateboard Protection.