Simon's Skate Tips - How To Do A 50-50 Grind?

Grinding A Ledge

By: Simon

So ya love skateboarding, but still haven't mastered the ollie? Having problems landing your kickflip? Why not and he'll get an answer for you.

Hey Simon,
How do I do a 50-50 grind on my skateboard? Do you have any tips because I can't figure it out!
elementgirl123

Hey elementgirl123

A 50-50 is the most basic grind trick and a good place to start in the world of grinding. But before you spend too much time getting frustrated with this trick, make sure you can land an ollie with your feet where you want them on the board. (For more tips on learning how to ollie, click here.) If you've got your ollie down pretty good, check out these tips for learning how to 50-50 grind.

How To Grind - Helpful Tips

Find a good place to grind. Many skateparks have pretty nice ledges set up for grinding or you can also try grinding on a street curb. Start with a ledge that is about six inches high. Make sure you can ollie at least that high, as you'll be ollying on to the ledge for your grind.

Once you've picked out your ledge, skate toward it at a comfortable speed. The faster you go, the further you'll grind. As you ride toward the ledge, make sure the ball of your back foot is in the center of your tail and the front foot above or just behind the front trucks.

When you're at the edge of the ledge, bend your knees and ollie up on to the ledge you're grinding. Land with both trucks evenly on the ledge and bend your knees as you land.

Try to keep your weight balanced and knees bent while grinding and don't lean back. Put a little more weight on your front foot if you need to and use your arms to help balance. Most importantly, stay relaxed and go with the grind.

When you hit the end of the ledge, rail or curb, give the tail of your board a small pop and land back onto the ground.

If you're having problems with your grinds, it may be because the ledge or curb is too rough. Use some skateboard wax to smooth it out and this should help. You'll probably crash and burn a few times while you're learning to grind, but that's okay. There's no international bandage shortage at the moment and eventually your wounds will heal. You can also minimize your injuries by always wearing a helmet and elbow pads.

Do you need some cool skateboarding tips?, to Simon. He might not no everything, but he's been skating for a while and certainly knows more than your Mom does. Remember: never push mongo, and always wear a helmet.

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