Samokatlonlearning to ride: scooter, BMX and skateboard, step by step

An independent guide to learning to ride a scooter, BMX and skateboard. Not a shop or a school; we sell nothing and have no connection to the previous website on this domain. Always ride with a helmet and protective gear.

Practice

Practice drills

Reading about balance is useful, but only practice really teaches you. The drills in this section are done on flat ground away from cars, in a helmet and protective gear, and need nothing special: just your equipment, a bit of open space and some patience. Repeat each exercise as many times as it takes until the movement feels calm and natural.

A drill counts when you can do it calmly, not when it worked once by luck.

— Key idea

How this section works: each drill is broken into steps, and each step can be practiced in a single session. There are no tricks here — only skills that make riding safer.

Drill: learning to brake

  1. Pick a spot

    You need flat ground with no slope, no cars and no crowds. Ideally the surface is smooth and dry: on wet or dusty asphalt, wheels slip easily.

  2. Check the brake

    Before you start, make sure the brake works, and on a BMX, that the brake lever squeezes smoothly and springs back. On a skateboard you brake with your foot, so check that your shoe soles have good grip.

  3. Brake standing still

    First practice the motion itself without any speed: where to put your foot, how to press the brake, where to shift your weight. Do it slowly, several times in a row.

  4. Add a slow roll

    Get up to walking speed and stop at a mark you’ve chosen. Draw it with chalk or lay down a stick, and try to stop right next to it every time.

  5. Stop smoothly

    A sudden stop throws you off balance. Learn to scrub off speed gradually, keeping your knees bent and your upper body leaning slightly back.

  6. Brake after a turn

    Once stopping in a straight line feels solid, try braking right after a gentle turn. That brings the skill closer to what you’ll need at a real skatepark.

Drill: falling safely

  1. Put on your gear

    A helmet, knee pads, elbow pads and gloves are a must for this drill too. It’s best to practice falling on grass or a soft surface, without your scooter, bike or board.

  2. Get low

    Squat down low and bend your elbows. The lower your center of gravity, the shorter the distance to the ground and the softer the fall.

  3. Fall onto your pads

    From the squat, drop forward onto your padded knees, then onto your forearms. Don’t stick out straight arms with open palms — that’s the easiest way to hurt your wrists.

  4. Learn to roll

    When you fall sideways, don’t stiffen up; roll onto your hip and shoulder so the impact is spread out. Keep your head tucked, chin toward your chest.

  5. Take it to your equipment

    Once the movement feels natural, repeat it by stepping off your scooter or board at a very low speed. If you take a knock or anything hurts, stop the session: if injured, see a doctor; in an emergency, call 112 in Russia and the EU, or your local emergency number.

Check yourself: common beginner mistakes

  • Speed first, braking later: picking up speed before you can stop with confidence
  • Leaving the helmet at home because it’s “just around the block today” or “only for a few minutes”
  • Eyes glued to the wheels, so you lose your balance and don’t see the people ahead
  • Straight, tense legs, so every bump knocks you off balance
  • Trying to copy a trick from a video with no preparation, no coach and no protective gear
  • Lessons

    Six basic lessons: balance and stance, pushing and braking, turning, falling safely, small obstacles and riding at the skatepark.

  • Methods

    How scooters, BMX bikes and skateboards differ, how to learn in small steps, how to support a child and which myths to ignore.

  • Questions

    Answers about first sessions, safety, skatepark etiquette and equipment care.

Sources

  • “Safety recommendations: helmet and protective gear” (in general terms)

Information about the Olympic program is based on data from the International Olympic Committee; everything else is described in general terms. Each riding spot and skatepark has its own rules, set by the people who run it, so read them on site before you ride. If injured, see a doctor; in an emergency, call 112 in Russia and the EU, or your local emergency number.