Whether your approach to isolation is to start a novel or to kick back and see what bedsores feel like, there’ll be a point where you’ll need to get that skate fix without leaving your bubble. To find your own iso-skation style, choose which phrase below best describes your personal confinement vibe and we’ll take it from there.
Your skating is all about fun with the homies. Your spirit animal right now is an over-stimulated golden retriever who just saw a cat outside the window. Solo skating isn’t in your nature, so you may struggle over this time. Channel that extrovert energy into multiple group chats and lashings of social media posts making sure everyone know you’re still ripping.
For all the introverts secretly loving social isolation, there’s not much that’ll change in your everyday skate routine. Keep doing what you do, ya big loner, keep on hoarding those self-filmed curb clips and avoiding skateparks. Just make sure you talk to someone every few days and stay off internet chat rooms devoted to conspiracy theories, it’s a slippery slope.
Regardless of your personality type, here’s some classic ways to get that “Real Skate” experience in the home while we’re all hunkered down following government orders.
You know the one; find a comfy surface, lie on your back and flick a board around with your feet. This is a great way to get your feet on the griptape. However it’s barely a substitute for the real thing and is best used as a last resort, let’s say week 2 onwards.
Pros: Possibly good for core strength. Very, very low impact.
Cons: Risk of concussion if a tre shove goes wrong. A slightly embarrassing position to be caught in; let people in your bubble know you’ll be retiring to the bedroom to tweak some sweet Japan airs before they catch you and things get awkward. Always wear pants for obvious reasons.
Wake up and smell the concrete: The Bones Brigade knew what was up back in ’86, “Judo air and comb your hair”.
Skating inside your house seems like the ultimate skateboard fantasy right? However, houses are generally designed for living in and rarely translate to skateable terrain (unless you live in one designed by Isamu Noguchi). If you still live at home this will really depend on the parenting style of your folks, if they’re on the “learn by making mistakes” or “hands off” spectrum then you might be ok. If not, go claim the garage. If you happen to own your own home, go for your life. The sacrifice of a designer coffee table for a decent crooked grind ain’t a big thing for the sake of your sanity.
Pros: Your house is a skatepark? Gnarly brah!
Cons: Bad for your parent’s property values. No tradies on hand for two more weeks if you smash some gib. Bunnings is closed.
This inspired much skate related house damage back in the day. It’s also a clip every skater should watch if they ever start taking things too seriously.
What a great time to stay positive by creating daily lockdown trick challenges on social media! Not one to judge but my guess is the long term scenario might go like this: Day 1: Kickflip; Day 5: Half assed pop shuvit; Day 14: Find your board and stare at it; Day 19: Scrape the word HELP into your griptape Day 26: Fall into a Youtube vortex of scooter clips and seriously consider switching codes…
If you stay motivated and find yourself attempting live stationary benihana fingerflips on week three, you might need to take a long hard look at what you’ve become.
Instead, why use not isolation to secretly master a new trick and casually throw it out for the homies when you’re back on the streets? Now that’s motivation.
Pros: The thrilling yet ultimately empty buzz of Instagram likes. It’s never a bad time to work on your flatground.
Cons: You’ll have to live with the secret shame that your stationary switch tre took forty tries and almost got you evicted. See other points above.
Matt Miller nollie heel challenge: Blame this guy for starting the trend and setting the bar ridiculously high.
