|
Skate the Streets lesson with Skatefresh |
|
|
|
Written by Red
|
|
Tuesday, 09 August 2005 |
It's August 7th 2005 and off I go with Merry to become an "URBAN WARRIOR" -
well that's what the marketing blurb said. The "Skate the streets" lesson from Skatefresh is for
people who want to be able to skate out on the streets by themselves
and to improve on their skating skills / techniques for the marshalled
street skates...
Asha our instructor goes through what we are going to cover - big gulps all round !!- Refresher on heel brake 1
- Heel brake 2
- 3 types of on/off kerbs
- Blind man bobbles
- Cobbles
- Up and down hills and slopes
- Jumping (JUMPING !!!)
- Street awareness / theory
So off we go to refresh on heel brake 1. Asha was most impressed as we all squeak our brakes and leave black marks on the tarmac. Tick that box then.
Next we're onto the kerbs. Did you know there are 3 ways to get up a kerb? There's the bend your knees and approach from 45 degrees, there's the 90 degree pendulum and the v-step aprroach. Well neither did I - but I do now, and best of all I can do all three.
The downside is only 2 ways are recommended for getting off a kerb. There's the bend your knees aprroach at 45 degrees and the you're going fast enough roll-off the kerb. Well we went white as a sheet, you want us to roll off the kerb? But it's easier than stepping and I loved it. So did Merry, she even tried to jump off the kerb too. (That girl is so wild !!)
Having mastered the kerbs we're onto jumping. Yep jumping - we nearly had a fit. But like all things in life, when broken down and shown step by step it's as easy as pie. Admittedly we only jumped sticks and goose poo but it's a start. I never knew a toe-roll could be so useful.
Enough of the santuary of Hyde Park - we're out onto the pavements and streets of old London Town. Well the underground subway to be exact, for a lesson in riding slowly down the underground slope. Quickly followed by how to get-up the slope on the other side ! Phew we're knackered - OK I'm knackered. Merry still has her grin on her face and Sharon (Bitwobbly's other half ) is somewhere in between!
Now we're really on the streets. We're taking on pedestrians (aren't they a nusiance), cars, blindman bobbles, cobbles and even the odd bollard (OK OK, I had a small incident!!)
After 30 minutes of skating around London we've covered all of the topics and are stopping and reviewing where we've skated, where we are about to skate, and what options are open to us. Taking into consideration terrain, volume of pedestrians, volume of traffic, width of the road etc etc
The BIG lesson of the day is plan ahead, and be ready for not just the next 5 feet, but the next 55 feet. Asha could not stress that enough. Having been the one that collided with the bollard I agree.
I absolutely recommend this course as it covers more than just skating, it also covers road sense and safety. So, big thumbs-up from Red and I'm sure Merry would agree.
Lesson - Skatefresh - Skate the Streets (AKA what do you buy a mental 40 year old for their birthday ?)
Duration - 2.5 hours
Cost - £30
Basic requirements - Full pads and helmet. Attended at least one street skate and / or intro to Street skating course.
Attendees - Minimum 2 people, Maximum 6 people.
Location - Starts at Beach end of Serpentine Road, Hyde Park
|
|
Last Updated ( Friday, 10 February 2006 )
|
Home 
