How to Do a Coleman Slide

Sliding is method of stopping or reducing your speed while riding a skateboard. The Coleman slide is a technique invented in the 1970s by Cliff Coleman as a method for safely reducing speed while going downhill. Upon mastering the Coleman slide, boarders can progress to more advanced slides such as the pendulum and standing slides.

Things You'll Need

  • Helmet
  • Sliding gloves
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Instructions

    • 1

      Learn proper foot positioning. Stand on the board with your feet shoulder width apart. Position your heels so that they hang slightly off the rim of the board. Place your back foot at the position of the board where the kicktail and flat part of the board meet or on the mounting screws of the back truck.

    • 2

      Practice riding in a crouched drop knee position on the board. Find a large flat area such as an empty parking lot. Push off at a moderate speed and place your feet in the proper positions. Crouch or squat down on the board. Shift your weight from side to side to perform toeside and heelside turns. Lower your back knee onto the board. Position your knee so that it rests on or beside your front foot. Rest the side of your back foot completely flat on rear mounting screws of the back truck of the board. Keeping the back foot flat helps you to maintain balance.

    • 3

      Practice the sliding technique. Find a relatively wide area with a gentle slope. Push off at a moderate speed -- slightly faster than before -- that is comfortable for you. Position yourself in the crouched drop knee position. Perform a wide heelside turn. As you begin the turn, place the gloved hand -- the hand closest to the front of the board -- on the pavement and extend the other arm out from your body.