Classics: Bryan Herman "This Is Skateboarding"

Some young rippers show future promise. But when Herm arrived he was as crazy good as almost any pro. Jamie Tancowny introduces a classic part from Emerica's 2003 vid.

[@MrJayra210]

I can't explain why this is better than today's skating, it just is. Effortless yet fundamentally based, just better. And nostalgic.

[@evmac]

FACTS

[@johndoeiii6103]

Honestly it comes down to a few things for me personally...the speed is a big one, these dudes were just ripping. Certain skaters these days I don't know what it is but it feels like they are coming up to handrails super slow especially. They do these noseslides down rails where they lock in and kinda let the gravity push them down the rail/ledge as opposed to the speed. I always liked seeing dudes busting a kickflip down a set going way to fast, or seeing dudes hitting rails going crazy fast. Ragdoll and Trainwreck were crazy with that style

[@drago6769]

its depressing when i think of how long ago this came out and how much I used to watch this, toy machine good and evil, zero new blood, and baker 3. Good memories though

[@HmmmmNiceBike]

yeah man, I miss those days... watch a skate video in the morning and then head out all day skating without a care, then come back home and watch more skate videos.

[@mjc4890]

Also my era. I was like 14 and skating was exciting back then

[@Thurston86]

Yep same here! I was 17 when this hit! I’d have the music from whichever vid I watched before heading out stuck in my head for the session!

[@williamHenderson33]

We're old now lol am 31

[@brandonfix5844]

@@williamHenderson33 were as young as we feel in our heart.

[@caras5590]

I was obsessed with this part.

[@SevenFootPelican]

So was I. Because I was young, he was young. I loved all the young dudes from Emerica cause they were relateable... Spanky and Herman.

[@ilkkarautio2449]

This is one of the first skate videos i have watched and especially Herman made an impact on my skating. Flip in, eating shit and even broke a truck when doing a crooked down a rail, damn i ate shit. Its the only time ive snapped a board on purpose! 😓👍

[@gettinmoneyman480]

I buy emerica because of 1st Erik Ellington 2nd Andrew Reynolds 3rd Brian Herman g codes one of my favorite skate shoes all Time!! I really wish they would bring back the Ellingtons!!

[@cirocjones9886]

Everyday before school

[@mjc4890]

This part still holds up really well even compared to todays crazy standards. Gotta be one of the best of all time

[@SuperTrollTV]

Herman is forever an art piece to the style section of skateboarding. He took that style it's self to gaps and holds it down overall. A great skater indeed.

[@PaoFootballClub]

Many years ago that was my favourite part.I cant forget when they came to Greece.Emerica team.Good memories.

[@spLiffyFOUR20]

2:59 was and still is my favorite line he does. that nollie flip he does is what got me trying nollie flips and wanting to perfect them. he had such a good style at such a young age.

[@ACTHdan]

That was a perfect nollie flip.

[@brokenson100]

this guy is an artist..... was.... and still is creating

[@warman024]

I'm all for skateboarding blowing up and becoming what we know it as today, but so much footage gets taken for granted or parts get forgotten. Glad I could refresh my memory on this one.

[@andremartinez7484]

It's crazy to compare this to today's standards. Skateboarding has come so far. I started skating at 11 years old in 1998. I never thought It would become what it now is. Crazy!

[@anthonyryan2877]

Grew up watching this shit like everyday before I went to skate and this is definitely one of my favorite skaters of the emerica team and part of the dvd. Love this skate vid

[@whoCares-bd8tw]

Herman's been a Beast his hardflips n treys are perfection

[@travisguide4516]

Great skating far beyond great probably already left a comment but totally worthy of another

[@ttt69420]

His pharmacy chily part and this were so fire.

[@evmac]

Yup

[@donavon]

this was my favourite part for so long

[@SevenFootPelican]

Hands down my favorite skate part growing up. Always got me so pumped up

[@DXGPP]

Herman is one of the best skater and this is one of the best video part of one of the best skate video ever made. Yap

[@a5232106]

This part holds up so well. Heavy skating

[@RaMusChan]

I love the sounds of skating

[@gorelordzskate-racing-videos]

This part is so heavy, he was so good at a young age, this pumped me up

[@sandnaggers]

Damn skating used to be so cool

[@kilo393]

Jayson Chacon what do you mean?

[@sandnaggers]

its still cool, but idk back then it was pure as fuck, and herm tricks are just awesome to watch

[@SevenFootPelican]

Fuck yeah it did man. I was in the prime of it during this time period.

[@DeathBringer769]

@D. Rüesch That's the era of skating I lived through I as well. I was born in 1988 and when I was around 6 years old an older local neighborhood kid gave me his old skateboard for free, and I was hooked from then all the way through high school, lol. Good times ;)

[@samrose3205]

Deathbrewer I was born in 1988 too. Misled youth was my first vid, then flip sorry, then this I think

[@destructo3915]

My girlfriend in 8th grade got me this for my 14th birthday. Like others have said, todays skating just isn't the same even though todays tricks are bigger. There's just something about the spirit of that time and of the people involved that makes the sport what it is, it's not all about the tricks. It's about how it makes you feel. When you start evaluating according to tricks alone, it starts to feel no different than baseball, football, etc.

[@DonnieEls]

The hard flip at 1:47 man that spot always looked like the most perfect big set ever to me. I'd of filmed a full part over that as a kid if I had the opportunity to skate it alot lol

[@GoGoRamon]

This was such an influential clip in a lot of ways. At this time in skating most people were still doing illusion type hardflips but that hardflip was one of the first in a skate video hat was really flicked. Shortly after This Is Skateboarding you saw a lot of "flipped" hardflips.

[@snoopysdogghouse]

used to watch this part all the time back in the day!!!

[@drestaz]

this is one of my favorite parts too. that fs board down the curved rail always stuck out in my memory. still super sick.

[@saxenas]

It's crazy it's like Herman stopped trying after this part came out. Now he just chills in all his skate parts. WOuld like to see Herman go hard like he did in This is and Baker 3

[@NUGSLUG20]

I disagree, watch his baker 3 part.

[@desertdopey]

Watch his stay gold part

[@desertdopey]

And then watch his bake and destroy part

[@rickychardzz]

I agree with you there is stay gold but its the same hardflips inward heel and 3 flips he does over and over again....... But i still love his style and everything...... But he doesnt try as much as he is suposed to

[@v8powergaming423]

because hes like 30 by now not a kid anymorr

[@BrandonWestgate]

One of the best skater of this century...

[@KrossboneMauritius]

Favorite Skater since 2005 and forever!!

[@JosephRosas1]

this is classic ? damn i remember years ago id watch this like everday lol

[@TheZebror]

its about what they do in a year not there whole life time, figgy has killed it all year.

[@brokenwave6125]

I used to watch This is Skateboarding a lot when I was younger...but holy shit...I never fully appreciated this part until just now. Its fucking incredible. I think many skaters from that era and before suffered from the "not being a playable character in Tony Hawk Pro Skater. A lot of younger kids get most of their skater knowledge from those games initially.

[@2esky]

That half cab flip will always be amazing

[@butterysteveo]

brings back memories i love the old days

[@jacobdeal1057]

kickflip noseslide ender makes such a badass sound

[@brahnsenlopez7021]

1:00 was the smoothest switch fs flip in history.

[@dragonviper83]

This guy is the flip trick king

[@oreo9944]

Herman is the reason why I love fs flips.

[@shaolinotter]

best hardflip imo

[@oreo9944]

Nope I know what I meant to say, Herman just has better looking tricks. Which includes the frontside flip.

[@timbrap4693]

Callum McNab switch

[@neph2143]

Best Hardflips

[@josedanielaguilar8086]

+Callum McNab and nollie inward heel

[@davidvittorio8251]

He reminds a Shane Cross

[@7teenagesmokers309]

david vittorio now they all dress like Shane Cross.

[@JoeyPanza123]

Jesus fucking Christ. If there ever his a best part if all time list, this should be way up there. Te epitome of classic. I've always admired his skating since I was in elementary school. More naturally talented than Antwuan. Believe that

[@TheJeezy420]

damn I know I grew up watching this with Jamie Tancowny at the park in Edmonton Alberta im turning 20 here and skatings getting so advanced

[@vamarcus1]

can't beat the classics

[@tired_tiger2125]

Damn this was 12 years ago? I was like 11 when the vid dropped. I remember getting my KSL 1's back in 06 lol, Emerica is the shit.

[@kilo393]

tired_tiger Huh...time goes by fast doesn't it?

[@ReaveWilber]

Just watched this full video yesterday. I wish I was my age in the 90's.

[@GregMuniz7]

Video was from 03 but still I get what you mean

[@chino8it]

My favorite video part growing up. The whole vid was sick

[@MrEastaG]

THE WHOLE MOVIE IS JUST A FUKIN CLASSIC

[@CreditedBag]

Classics are timeless!

[@blasph3my1]

this part will always be legendary

[@AeroTags]

Last 50 50 is sick !

[@JPort561]

these are some bright days

[@SKATETOSLAYER]

probably one of the most watched vhs tapes i own... but then again i watched a shitload of other tapes too. goddamn classic in my mind for sure.

[@mathewharmer478]

There is something beautiful about catching a flip trick clean ok thanks smile laughing love people

[@crondigady]

I would like to this effort again in one of his parts. I don't care how much weed he can smoke, I want to see another balls to the wall segment. Stay Gold, B&D, and Baker has a Deathwish parts I'd say are sub par for what he is capable of doing although his Stay Gold part has some amazing skating in it.

[@Jhabermann96]

baker 3

[@CjCutlerHQ]

I remember watching this part heaps when i first got "this is skateboarding" so good

[@zoningfam]

he was onl;y 16- 17 smhhhhhhhhhhh fucking legend.

[@itsyeaboi5333]

herman fucking stomps on those frontside flips so fucking cool

[@saxenas]

That simple guitar intro always sounded badass as fuck.

[@Butchernamedbilly]

If only we knew we were in the best era while it was happening

[@saxenas]

Before his nollie tres, nollie inward heels, and sw front heels came into his bag of tricks. Also love that he used to do a lot of tailslides to fakie down handrails.

[@Mac10Demarco]

Dude young Herman would’ve easily fit in with Zero. Sick gaps and hand rails. Obviously his style changed a bit and I couldn’t imagine him anywhere than Baker. Just thought that you could add this part to Dying to Live or New Blood and it would fit perfectly.

[@fallenjonathang12]

Fav!!!

[@M88G]

Sick video and why 13 people disliked this video? damn.

[@ChristianFilms11]

Classic. I love the beginning

[@xbradx11]

Iam actually brians brother, he has alawyas been a good skater and iam glad u all like him! :)

[@enzosanchez5246]

sos un genio bryan herman... tenes una tremenda facilidad para hacer cada truco.. :)

[@stevenimeson902]

I still remember herms first baker pro ad

[@ol_ksiy]

thanks

[@seanvanstaden4427]

Probably the best skatepart I've ever seen it tops nyjahs jamies and evans

[@albertosamaniego2476]

2:20 best line ever

[@diegohiguera623]

+albertosamaniego lol fuck off not even close

[@zoningfam]

+Diego Higuera for a 16 year old bruh stop hating.

[@AlexNiedt]

It's an insane line. If you've ever skated there, you know how high that stage is, and how ridiculous it is for a kid that size to kickflip noseslide at the end of that line.

[@HARDL3FT]

alberosamaniego So fucking good for that time! Kick flip front crooks was an unheard of trick in 2002!

[@JPort561]

yeah thats an insane amount of probability for him to of fell on any of those and then the stage damn its fire

[@entransito1]

Young Herman and young Shane Cross looks exactly the same =)

[@seanspicka423]

hell yeah. i love this part

[@tGkJOSH]

2003 seems like yesterday goddam im getting old...

[@michaeld2060]

Cleanest tre flips

[@filipematias2239]

Best Hardflips in the business...

[@885issa]

"This Is Skateboarding" No pain : 0:32 Fucking insane : 0:51 Fucking awesome : 1:47 No shity sleep : 3:27 Thumbs up !

[@kickflip70707]

This guy shreds

[@UndergroundTrev]

Damn, he's got those blunt slides down perfect!

[@AdamTheWize]

He 180s like a king

[@MatuaBlasta]

this was sick. herman shreds.

[@thecraigpaul6799]

my inspiration

[@williamglazebrook9571]

oh bryan, i love you!!!:')

[@Brent.larson]

Dope video part.

[@billscott6819]

This cat is explosive.

[@homunculusSZN]

“Just a new little guy…” Also The Richmond Sluts!! Exploding Hearts sound

[@Hesheli27]

got one of his baker decks nice pop and light

[@Sebastiuon]

so sick !

[@Ceviche016]

I miss when he use to shred like this

[@duncancampbell4109]

such a crispy pop shuv

[@joshuaokoli4236]

so much style

[@anthonyhomercycling]

hypeddd!!!!

[@erickcezario6953]

Herman best style ever

[@shadowcaster7354]

Fuck that pop shovit no one is doin them down things. Love that.

[@theallin8080]

motivation for life

[@ptite_serie879]

These reynolds 2 blue and white😍

[@makerscream7019]

This is wild

[@KAVEH08]

good times watching this as a yoot

[@abcd-ur8fo]

Great part

[@fathermerrin666]

Nollie flip at 3:10 is one of my favourites of all time. Also Suski's part from this video.

[@brianthefuckinglion2]

[@TheGuitarBoarder]

it's so classic *-*

[@sambonaire]

doesnt feel like a classic to me, still watch it every day