Riding posture is how you stand on a rolling board: feet over the bolts, knees bent, weight kept central between your feet. Skateboard GB calls balance on the board the best skill you can learn, and every push, turn and trick starts from this position. From the side the app reads your knee bend, hip height and torso lean; from the front, your stance width and symmetry. It does not track the board itself.
Set your feet
Start on grass or carpet so the board can't roll away. Stand sideways on it with one foot over each set of bolts. Skateboard GB's cue is "bolts for balance".
both feet sitting over the trucks, not out on the nose or tail.
Keep your weight central, split evenly between both feet. Rock gently toward your toes and heels, and forward and back, then settle back in the middle.
the board stays level under you.
Bend the knees
Bend your knees and keep them soft, so your legs can absorb bumps. Practise moving from standing to a squat on the deck and back up until it feels easy.
springy legs, hips lower than when you stand on the ground.
When you start rolling on a smooth, flat surface, keep the same bent-knee position the whole way. Don't stand up tall and stiff as the board moves.
the same low position rolling as standing still.
Head up
Keep your head up and look where you are rolling, not down at the deck. You need to see cracks, stones, wet patches and people early, because irregular and wet surfaces are where riders get hurt.
you can see the ground a few metres ahead without dropping your chin.
Fall safely
If you feel yourself losing balance, crouch down on the board so you have less far to fall.
getting small and low, not stiff and tall.
If you do go down, try to land on the fleshy parts of your body rather than your arms, relax and roll. Don't throw a straight arm out to catch yourself.
loose, rolling with the fall instead of bracing.
If you have to step off, step or run off forward in the direction you are moving. Avoid jumping off backward, which leads to hard falls.
your feet keep moving the way the board was going.
Feel it
Feet over the bolts, knees bent and soft, weight in the middle, head up. Standing still on grass should feel boring and stable before you roll. If you start to wobble, the answer is to get lower, not to stiffen up. The app reads your knee bend, hip height and torso lean from the side, and your stance width and symmetry from the front.
Fix-its
- Stiff, straight legs Bend your knees and stay low. Do the standing-to-squat drill on grass until a bent-knee stance feels normal.
- Feet out on the nose or tail Move both feet back over the bolts. Look down once to check, then lift your head again.
- Weight leaning back toward the tail Rock forward and back on grass to find the middle, then keep your weight central between both feet.
- Staring at your feet while rolling Pick a point ahead on your line and keep your eyes on it, so you see hazards in time.
- Catching falls with a straight arm Crouch as you start to lose balance, then land on fleshy parts and roll. Practise falling on grass, and wear wrist guards.
Drill
- On grass or carpet: stand on the board with feet over the bolts, knees bent, until you feel steady.
- Still on grass: go from standing to a squat on the deck and back up, slowly, several times.
- Still on grass: rock toes to heels and nose to tail, then settle back to the middle each time.
- Practise crouching and rolling onto the grass from a low stance, wearing your pads, so falling feels familiar.
- On a smooth, flat, traffic-free surface: push off gently and roll in your bent-knee posture. Film from the side to check knee bend and hip height.
Sources
- Skateboard GB — Learn to Skate Guide
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (OrthoInfo) — Skateboarding Safety
- American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) — Skateboarding and In-Line Skating (2011)
- Nemours KidsHealth — Skateboarding Safety Tips (reviewed 2019)
- Leon Toppin (skateboard instructor) — How to Skateboard for Beginners
Last checked 2026-10-26.