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How to Start Skateboarding After 40 (and What Nobody Tells You)

You're not too old. You're also not 14, so you'll want to do this differently.

Written by The HORNGRY TeamWith contributions from local riders and organisers

There's no age limit at HORNGRY and there never will be. This guide covers the practical side: what to buy, what to wear, how to fall, where to begin, and how to find someone who can teach you. Where there's research behind a recommendation, we've named it. Where it's our own advice, we've said so.

The honest bit first

Most of the skateboarding injury figures we found are about teenagers and young men. A position statement from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, using 2009 US figures, reported that 70% of skateboarding injuries involved males aged 18 and under. Wrist and ankle fractures were the most common injuries, followed by head injuries, and most skateboarding hospital admissions involved a head injury.

That tells you two things. Wrists, ankles and heads are where you need to look after yourself. And there's much less research on adults starting from scratch, so nobody can give you a reliable number for your risk. Treat it as a real sport with real consequences, and you'll be fine to start.

If you have a health condition, or you haven't been active in years, talk to your doctor first. That's our advice, not a research finding.

Get your body ready

NHS guidance for adults aged 19 to 64 includes muscle strengthening work on at least two days a week. You don't need a gym. Squats, lunges and core work done at home build the legs and balance you'll be leaning on. A few weeks of this before your first session is time well spent.

What to buy

The board. Skateboard GB recommends buying a proper board from a skate shop rather than a toy or supermarket one, because a cheap board gives a poor first impression and makes learning harder. A standard board is around 31 inches long and 7.5 to 9.5 inches wide.

Shoes. Skate shoes are best. Flat soled trainers work too. Skateboard GB warns that running shoes can throw off your balance. The orthopaedic surgeons' statement recommends closed, non-skid, supportive footwear.

Protective gear. Wear all of it. A helmet every time, wrist guards, elbow pads and knee pads.

  • Helmets should meet a recognised safety standard and fit snugly. The AAOS statement refers to US standards, so check which applies where you live. It advises replacing a helmet if it's damaged and in any case at least every five years.
  • Wrist guards matter most for a beginner. The best evidence we found comes from a 1996 study in the New England Journal of Medicine of injured in-line skaters in the US. After adjusting for other factors, skaters not wearing wrist guards had about 10 times the odds of a wrist injury, and those without elbow pads about 9.5 times the odds of an elbow injury. The study found a positive but not statistically significant link for knee pads, and the authors said it lacked the numbers to be sure. It looked at in-line skating, not skateboarding, and the data is from the early 1990s. We include it because wrist and ankle fractures are the most common skateboarding injuries too, and it's the clearest evidence we found on guards.

Start somewhere boring

Skateboard GB's advice is to practise standing on the board on grass or carpet first, then move to smooth, flat ground with plenty of space. Stay out of skateparks until you can roll confidently or you're with an instructor.

Nemours KidsHealth, a US children's health organisation, adds a few sensible rules: check the surface is smooth and free of debris, never skate near traffic, avoid wet weather, and don't wear headphones. Start in an empty car park, a quiet driveway, or the beginner area of a skatepark at a quiet time.

Learn to fall before you learn to push

This is the part most guides skip. KidsHealth recommends practising falls on grass or a soft surface, crouching down so the drop is shorter, staying relaxed rather than rigid, and landing on the fleshy parts of your body and rolling, instead of catching yourself with your hands and arms.

You'll fall. Everyone does. The aim is to fall in a way you can walk away from.

Get a lesson

Skateboard GB's lessons directory lists skateboard schools across the UK, and adult sessions are among the options. It suggests checking that instructors are DBS checked, first aid trained and safeguarding certified, and holding the Skateboard GB Level 1 qualification. A couple of lessons can save you months of bad habits.

What the first few weeks might look like

This is our suggestion, not a programme. People learn at very different speeds.

  1. 01Stand and balance on the board on grass or carpet. Get used to the feel.
  2. 02Move to smooth ground. Push, roll, and step off.
  3. 03Learn to turn by leaning, then learn to stop.
  4. 04Once you can roll, turn and stop without thinking about it, try a quiet skatepark session.

Skip the tricks until the basics feel dull. Dull is where the progress is.

The part nobody puts in the guide

You'll probably be one of the oldest people at the park. Most skaters respect someone who turns up and keeps trying, and the ones who don't aren't worth your time. Watch for a few minutes before you roll in. Stay out of the landings. Say sorry when you get in someone's way, and expect the same back.

Where to go next

Sources

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