I got bitten by the longboard bug a few years ago and I’m in my early 40s.

I absolutely love it. It never ceases to put a massive grin on my face.

Check out Lush Longboards
Find somewhere flatish and smooth to begin with and learn to footbrake

… and as a bonus it’s really helped my snowboarding! 🙂

Digby, good to hear that it’s not too late!

I’m still very tempted though Mrs Blobby’s reaction has been less than encouraging 🙁

Make sure you film the first few attempts for us 🙂

Not sure if it will help ease some of Mrs Blobby’s fears but helmet, gloves and knee pads are definitely recommended – especially when starting out.

I was chatting to a my brother and his mate who also both used to skate about this at the weekend. They’re both 26 and we all thought you should go for it with mini-ramp skating. Set of knee pads and learn to bail properly and you’ll be fine! 8)

Have you ever rolled on one? oh its gonna end in death! If i was doing this all over again from scratch i would buy wrist guards (bought a pair of Rectors after reading about Gators? nightmare broken wrist in Transworld)I would also buy a pair of vans hi tops.Sk8 high tops can be had quite cheap.tie them up snug! They might help the ankles a little more than low tops.Big wheels that wont accelerate silly fast from slow speeds might help. I know i would rather them if i was starting out. go for soft wheels too so you wont hook up on pavements etc as easily.small/hard wheels will stop you in your tracks easier.

Learn ,if possible, to jump off the board as soon as you can feel it fire out from beneath you.Its very common for people to just stay standing on a board when it goes from underneath them.The kind of thing you will see on You`ve Been Framed when grandpa has a go on his grandsons skateboard.
Try and jump off the board as soon as you feel this happening. Its something skaters dont realize they are doing,but you will soon learn to hop off it before you end up on your ass.Just try and beware of getting off it as soon as possible over the first few weeks.. if not, you will be flat on the ground,with feet barely left the deck.I hope this helps at an early stage as falling on 37 year old bones compared to 7 year old bones wont be as fun.

Having said that, if you have kept fit over the years,you might be in better shape than most 25 year olds under the skin ;O)

Got a set of 661 knee pads and a piss pot so almost there with the protection. I’m not sure mrs blobby will ever be convinced of the merits of this one!

TSY, shall investigate mini ramps 🙂

You want knee pads with a hard plastic shell on them btw. You bail by sliding down the ramp on your knees.

Pretty much every little park in every little town has got a mini ramp in it these days. Start off in the middle learn to ‘pump’ it, get used to the transition then post on here, or ask the local kids how to ‘drop in’.

Where are you based?

martinxyz, thanks for the tips. Think I’ll be digging out my padded shorts too!

Based in Newbury. We’ve got a couple of ramps in a local park (not sure if it’s mini!) Think I’d be a bit too embarrassed to ask the local kids, shall see how i can stay on the thing on the flats first.

you WILL hurt yourself. If you’re not bothered by that, then carry on. I was permanently injured when I used to skate, but I was crap, and you bounce when you’re young. I’d be a mess now at 38. Oh.. hang on..

Interesting. I’ve a mate in Newbury who I’ve said I’d go skating with for a while now. I work just up the A34.

I skated the Newbury ramps years ago. Not sure if it’s still the same metal set up they used to have?

I had a go on a Freebord longboard last week and i want one SO MUCH. I love the fact you can stop super quick relative to normal longboards. Well, once you learn how to ride it – all i did was fall off a lot.

Just haven’t got the time for another hobby though 🙁

Padded shorts are a great idea as well. Once you get into sliding (e.g. Coleman or ‘shutdown’ slide) on a longboard your body position and therefore your center of gravity are pretty low so it’s not that far to fall …

… just make sure your knee joints are warmed up and do plenty of stretching exercises to try and stay flexible

skateboarding at 37 you say?
Yep, fantastic idea.

@ Samurai … Ouch!! How did you do that?

TSY, yeah the ramps are the metal ones, drive past them a lot and don’t think they’ve changed in years.

Samuri, looks nasty, what happened? As displeased as mrs blobby would be with the purchase of a skateboard, she would be even more displeased if that was the result!

“Watch this son!”

And I proceeded to succesfully nail a 3 foot high drop in.
As the crowds of children all cheered and whispered to each other about how cool that old guy was. I’d been laughably bad when he first started coming but I learned fast. All those kids wished I was their dad.

Then I leaned a bit too far forwards, fell off the front of the board and stepped onto the ground with my foot sideways.

SNAP! A piece of knee broke off. (although I didn’t find out until I went to the hospital 24 hours later, I was hoping it would get better)

Hmm maybe my dear old mother was right all along about skateboards 😉