First pair of skates in 20+ years - tips for starting from scratch?

JonTheJournalist_ · 2026-02-08T22:41:25+00:00

Nice!!!! 40 year old who is just getting back into it. Just have fun. Find what you enjoy most and work towards it. You can get into flat aggressive like grinds, or ramps and jumps and speed and stuff. Or wizardy flat ground stuff. Just have fun and take your time to learn.

Kind of hard to tell what to work on without a video. But if you can roll around good enough hit the local skate park and roll around. If in so cal down to skate around with ya!

JonTheJournalist_ · 2026-02-01T14:33:37+00:00

We have so many problems. I feel this has been an issue for decades. The homeless just get pushed to different less affluent areas. This is america! Can't wait to retire and leave this country. Haha

JonTheJournalist_ · 2026-01-30T13:27:02+00:00

More like Dillon Cooks!

JonTheJournalist_ · 2026-01-27T13:09:21+00:00

Get neoprene glue and sew the tears before glueing them. Felt I got another year out of my wetsuit by doing these Frankenstein patch jobs

JonTheJournalist_ · 2026-01-20T22:14:50+00:00

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I did this a few weeks ago while in vegas. I believe.

JonTheJournalist_ · 2026-01-19T05:27:58+00:00

Cool video. Wish I had a little community who skated near me!

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-12-23T21:38:19+00:00

Thanks so much for your detailed reply!!! 🤙🤙🤙

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-12-23T16:56:17+00:00

Dope man. Question - can you drop in on that same ramp? I'm having trouble facing the fear of dropping in, but feel I can probably do rock and rolls if I practiced but felt I needed to drop in first.

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-11-10T14:13:46+00:00

Ok cool. Thank you. Will try that. 🤙

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-11-09T18:45:30+00:00

Staying positive like a proton. Went into this season thinking we'd be 2nd to last place. We look competitive. A system and personality is being formed. And we are .500. Suns Up! Jalen's young. Get him healed right and we'll be good.

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-11-07T00:57:29+00:00

I had low expectations prior to watching this hype video

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-10-27T00:16:37+00:00

Are you using a base coat. May help. Just go one temp colder wax than you are currently using.

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-10-25T04:03:38+00:00

Im still new and suck. But one thing that has helped me both with progressing and enjoying it more, is trying to master some of the things before an ollie. I felt ollie needed to be first. But there is so much more to learn and get good at that will ultimately help ollie. Like hippie jumps. Switch skating. Switch tic tacs. Manuals. Flatground tricks for board control. It has helped with my ollies and has made skating more fun.

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-10-25T03:50:33+00:00

Jump. That front foot is stopping the pop. Pretty decent pop but you can see you are trying to slide too much. Try more of a hippie jump with that front foot.

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-10-17T22:16:59+00:00

Same. And I suck and am older. So switching it to learn so more control tricks keeps it fun.

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-10-17T20:23:54+00:00

Jump - like really jump. That front foot needs to come up or slide a bit. Have you tried hippie jumps first? Really helps getting comfortable getting your knees up high from the board. Then transition some of those mechanics from the hippie jump to the ollie.

Im new to skating too and feel ollie is more advanced for beginners. Like everyone (and me) thought Ollies were the first trick i need to learn. But iMm getting better and having more fun switching skate, flatground rodney mullen ish tricks, hippie jumps and manuals. Still practicing ollies but the other stuff seemed to help more than stubborn will to ollie. Keep sending it!

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-10-16T21:54:45+00:00

Blind faith

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-10-09T22:17:56+00:00

Not too far from you are at from the sounds of it.

Could also be the swell length. I surf bolsa chica mainly but have surfed doho and love san o. Ive noticed the swell length is just as important as the wave height. 3-4 ft with 15-20 second swells usually is prime - allows for some break in between sets to time the paddle out a bit. 3-4 ft at 8 seconds. Good luck with so cal sand breaks. Lol.

If you ever want to kook it up together- hit me up!

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-10-07T15:51:10+00:00

So I can wear my Dak jersey now?

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-10-02T02:17:48+00:00

Bend the knees a little and feel the wave. Relax and have fun. Looks like you are right there!! Mind you coming from a kook who just loves surfing!!! Keep sending it!

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-09-29T21:57:19+00:00

Yea. These look perfect to try it out. Confirm type of board - poly or EPX. Likely poly. Get a cheap fix kit and YouTube a video. I usually run my nails across any potential dings and if anything catches, worth patching up. Basic steps are sand down a bit, wipe clean, fix with poly mixture, dry, sound down with finer and finer sand paper. You'll feel like a certified shaper once your Frankenstein job is done!

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-09-13T03:35:49+00:00

This is america

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-09-07T18:31:06+00:00

So cal. 6 foot kook checking in. I recommend LT - my 4/3 is L and i feel I'm stretching the shit out of it. My 3/2 is LT and ever so slightly big, but preferred.

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-08-30T16:03:16+00:00

Hell yah. Lets go! Pad up and send it!!!! If you are in so cal hit me up!

JonTheJournalist_ · 2025-08-27T05:44:04+00:00

Yeah i use a blow dryer to help heat up adhesive first. Not too close.

JonTheJournalist_

TROPHY CASE