How to Make Sharp Turns on a Skateboard

So you've gotten a skateboard and fooled around with it enough to know the basics. You can ride a short distance, come to a stop and maybe even know a trick or two. If you want to take how you ride your skateboard to the next level, then you must learn how to make sharp turns. With a few quick adjustments, you'll be cutting 90-degree angles in no time.

Things You'll Need

  • Skateboard
  • Helmet and pads
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Instructions

    • 1

      Build some momentum on your skateboard. Push off with your front foot over your trucks and your back foot providing the acceleration. Get up to a good amount of speed where you are comfortable.

    • 2

      Rest your back foot over the back trucks as you normally would in a riding position. At this point, you are "coasting" on your skateboard.

    • 3

      Determine which way you'd like to turn. This can happen a split second before you make the move, but it's imperative your body makes movements in the same direction.

    • 4

      Apply a bit of pressure on your back foot. This will cause the board to lighten its friction in the front. In theory, the board should rise off the ground the tiniest bit. So much so that only a sheet of paper could slip between your board and the asphalt.

    • 5

      Swing your upper body in the direction you would like to travel. This means "throwing" your shoulder in the direction you would like to turn. The rest of your upper body will follow, causing you to make that sharp turn. Note that you will be "throwing" your shoulder just as you apply the pressure to your back foot.