'just curious, and tho I’m yet to see it done here in the big apple, is cross stepping on a longboard-skateboard a good approach in learning how to hang 5, if not 10? And how about those indo-boards? Any input is appreciated.
skateboarding and surfing little if anything in common. …go out and surf instead
snowboarding in deep powder is about the closest you’ll get on land
it will improve your cross stepping ability.
yes skateboarding will help you cross-step and indo-boarding helps alot with balance. #1 rule in cross-stepping to the nose is dont hesitate. and try it going slow on a skateboard first.
Waaay back in 1963 I met Jim Phillips and he became my mentor.I was just learning how to surf so we built ourself skateboards of laminated wood and roller derby wheels.We skated daily and we tried to copy surfers like Phil Edwards etc.I am positive that it improved my surfing.Back in these early times there was no “Skate” style,it was all surfing…leanover and crank a bottom turn,crosstep the board and all that.We kept the trucks pretty loose for that cranking motion.One main thing I learned was to “lead with the head”…in other words look in the direction of the planned turn.Hope this helps.(one last thing…we skated barefoot). R.B.
i remember skating parks and pools back in the 70’s. did’nt start surfing until a few years later. i picked up surfing in a matter of a couple of days. then i was hooked for life. i remember surfing being really easy. never really went through that frustrating phase. i believe it was due to skating. but i reckon you might as well do both if you have the chance. one will help the other. it’s all flow.
I practiced cross stepping on my makaha ash deck original my steps were close guage walking anything narrow is good practice… imprint on Donald Takayama’s feet in that video " ADRIFT" if I remember correctly thats the one… then…"do it do it do it ta death " to quote Sylvester stone KDIA soul radio 1966 AWOW … ambrose … .just keep on walkin
I was one of the last of my generation to enjoy the Carlsbad Skate park. It was actually designed for the Larry Bertleman-style of skateboard riding: head direction, long hair flowing, low, crouching stance, barefoot (sometimes), hands lightly skimming the cement as if it were water. The real deal. There were bowls, of course, but no coping. There was even a concrete wave with a lip that was pitching out. So you could cruise down this little hill, swoop through the tube and come out the other side. It was a trip. There were even moguls, similar to a ski slope. It was, as I mentioned, a real trip. I used to go there all the time. Funny thing is, I think it’s still there, burried beneath a bunch of dirt. There was a dirt track for motorcylcles, of course. It’s still there. A quarter mile drag strip. Still there. But there was also a pair of downhill runs for skateboards off to the side. They would use that for slalom and downhill runs, the kind where guys would skate really long boards and wear tight, blue and red daredevil type suits. Wow, the seventies. That was back when skating really could enhance your surfing. Now I am much more inclined to paddle or swim on flat days. I can’t stand skateboarding anymore. Do you think my two broken arms, two broken wrists and torn ligaments had anything to do with that? You betcha. But I am exploring that style of surfing again thanks to, you guessed it, Jim Phillips. He shaped an 8,2 for me recently. It has a narrow, rounded nose and a pin tail. Kind of half longboard half seventies shortboard. There are quite a few guys making that type of board right now: Weber, Cooperfish, Hunt Customs…lots of people. I don’t know if their shapes work well, but mine is magic. I knew it from the first wave. It generates speed in the most unusual ways and really flies in steep sections. With the coming swell this weekend, I plan to take it out at overhead swamis or Cardiff Reef. Supposed to get to about seven feet. Perfect. I’ll probably ride it at Cardiff. If you see me there Sunday morning, you’ll recognize me as the guy who can’t get the smile off his face. I can’t wait to see how far out onto the shoulder I can get the board and still make a roundhouse cutback. I am chomping at the bit.
To improve your cross stepping just build yourself a balance beam using a 8 foot 4X4. Then just keep cross stepping up and down it.
to improve…do
Skating will help. Wear pads and wrist braces since the concrete has a tendency to round off the corners. I skated before I surfed and I never had a problem with the balance part of surfing. The timing of catching waves took time to learn though. Cross-stepping is something I wish I did more of in my skating days, just as we were getting into that the Skateboarder Mag pics of Adams and Alva skating pools changed my focus in skating totally. Cross-stepping is something that can require alot of practice to be comfortable doing (it sure is not comfortable for me! usually I’m a shuffeler), but where and when to move forward and back to effectively surf the wave with style is even a bigger issue. Keep looking and practicing. there are some damn good cross-steppers on LI. you’ll find them… Eric J
“bend ze knees…”
Hey Eric – aint no surf on LI – don’t be tryin to fool peoples
True - hell there ain’t no water on LI either… Yea… that’s the ticket, we all cook in micro-waves…not that I can cook. Peace
you learn quick grasshopper
I am Kane.
Keep your weight on your back foot going up and your front foot going back! It’s one hell of a way to ride!
Roger, what’s up amigo? Those roller derby setups were killer as I recall if you didn’t sweep really well, those pea size rocks were killer when wedged under those old skate wheels. Tom S.
An excellent place to practice your cross step is while shaping. Shuffling isn’t as smooth, it’s kind of a stop and go motion. But when crossing, your shaping tool glides along at a more constant speed. Just don’t trip, especially with planer in hand. Aloha and thanks Mike!