Is Wizard Skating A Scam?

[@TiagoInlineSkater]

Yooo!!! Really enjoying seeing you do wizard/freestyle moves Bill! 😎🔥 looking great!! And about what you said in the end, you can follow your own path, no need to fit into a specific category! You can make your own skating style while picking things from pretty much every category! As for some moves, I'd suggest you: the Compass & the Gazelle!

[@BlackyRay_Patrick]

hey my friend. Miss your content!

[@jokerrfox354]

Preach! I hate how we feel the need to choose a category. Like a "skating major" of some sorts.

[@lebowski_dude]

Make some videos Tiago! Would love to see more content from you.

[@muhammadfiqih6929]

Long time no see your content

[@Th3Unf0rg1v3n95]

Good to see you around, brother ♥

[@Megazord716]

I like wizard skating, but I don't care for the idea that you need to buy certain equipment in order to do it properly/participate in it. I'm a very short skater with a women's size 6 (US) skate. So the idea of strapping an abnormally long rockered frame onto my tiny boots just wouldn't work the same for me as say a taller/larger footed skater. If I were to get any fancy frames I would consider the Endless 80's as the wheelbase is 255mm, which isn't too far off from my 243mm frames. I find rockering my 243mm frames works just fine for me when I want to play around with wizard moves and I don't have to break the bank to have some fun doing some twirly whirlies :)

[@rerollinginline]

Glad to see you finding new ways to enjoy skating! Gotta rock that rocker. Any kind of deviation from what you’re used to/most proficient at will no doubt make you a better overall skater. Especially those that test different edges and weight distribution like wizard or slalom moves would.

[@Jason_P]

This is good shit, Bill. Guaranteed that at some point you'll be in a weird position and instead of an "oh shit" fall, your new wizard skills will allow you to take edges and steps you wouldn't have thought to take without this practice. It's all skating, and that means it's all good.

[@billyarlew]

Learning wizard tricks is a means to an end, and hopefully it's not the actual end, because then it's no more than a set of prescribed poses. The foundational moves are helpful for enabling improvisation, and I've got a matrix/chart of those fundamentals if you're interested, as long as you promise to move beyond them! :D Specifically I'm seeing some nice forward open gazelles and forward closed lions. I'd recommend learning the back open gazelle and the back closed lion next.

[@billyarlew]

Oh and it's totally possible to wizard skate through the streets. All wizard skating is essentially just creative ways of transferring between forward and backward.

[@rodrigo9500]

Could you make this chart public? For those of us trying to get there. You're a hell of a wizard skater

[@skip1978]

I also would be interested in that chart of all those fundamentals. I like your style of wizard skating

[@GameConnoisseur69]

If you did a 2 hour seminar on your chart I'd watch the whole thing you're seriously talented

[@TheRollingRaptor]

Wonderful to see you swivelling, Bill! Already bringing some badass attitude into wizard skating with your moves. 🤘 Now I'm hoping one day we'll see you hitting the streets on a five-wheel setup, like the Endless Arc or the NN Dragon+. I guess we'd witness the next level of assault skating. 🙂

[@BlackyRay_Patrick]

for me freeskating / streetskating is about having freedom to skate wherever you like to while wizard skating is the freedom of expressing things, to have the ultimate flow and getting perfect technique just without the focus on grinds and jumps for what you would need a skatepark for. wizard skating is more minimalistic than aggressive skating. Give me a flat ground is all I'd need. besides that. Any Type of skating is great. There are to many elitists in any sport. I get showen some comments of a couple dancing where people always complain about "the couple not dancing the traditional style of *insert random country* " ... its so annoying that people are always so negative about things other people like to do. Gladly most people in our bubble are extremely positive, which is, why I like this hobby even more!

[@Pratalax]

I'm glad that you stuck to your guns when you did - not that i think you exploring wizardry now is bad at all, but the wizards always had their representatives; the journey you took exploring "regular" skating, I haven't really seen elsewhere - at least not to the standard you've produced. The only other people i can think of would be Todd and Joey, but of course, they're also from a different genre (not including their wizardry).

[@milamiles23]

Your channel is AMAZING. It is literally lacking nothing! The sequence of importance and the flow of watching for us is perfect: your content comes first with both the physical and mental engagement as well as gear and tools and then your followers’ comments is content too as they are of such high quality. I have been encouraged and learned from both. And your video work with all that it entails is on par with the pros of the trade. (ie the mirror frames) And for all this, all I can say is - Thank You Bill. Thank you for caring by using all that you have in you. And as you mention here, it is for life.

[@pablosskates7067]

What I’ve learned in life is some of the biggest revolutions are the most subtle, almost unnoticeable tweaks on existing ideas. Sometimes you have big revolutions like iPhone. Sometimes it’s like: blogs - isn’t that just a website? Isn’t a podcast just an mp3? Sometimes big changes come in small packages and are easy to miss. I’m with you Bill I didn’t get wizard until I got wizard. Now I’m obsessed.

[@-E42-]

Cool video!!! Great falling technique at 3:25, I wish I could do my falls graceful like that! :) I personally could would never be willing to expose myself to the risks without helmet+the pads, it may look mildly more dorky, but it really helps preserve the 1 skeleton I got in this life - I know I would have seriously ended up in hospital at least 5 times by now without the protectors... just my 5 cents. take care+ thanks again, your skating looks very elegant!

[@BladeDan852]

I'm glad to hear Assault Skating hasn't been completely abolished from your skate lifestyle. I do enjoy your city skater skate flow videos. I don't see any reason why you can't do different types of forms of skating. If anything, it'll help enhance your skating skills even more so. Keep on rolling, you rock!! 🤘

[@chevalsauer]

Just started looking into wizard skating myself and it looks like a lot of twists and twirls flowing in forever-changing directions. definitely looks like fun!

[@TheParkourFencer]

Awesome, Bill. I really love both as well. There's so much room for having fun when we don't box ourselves into a single style.

[@simongloutnez589]

We get so much better !

[@Worques]

I love the fact that you got into wizard skating! When I was getting into skating, I used to watch your videos daily. You were one of the first people on youtube who inspired me, taught me how to stop, roll stairs and stuff like that. So, big thanks for that! 🙏 Later I started to explore the more arty side of skating and didn't feel the need to watch city skating anymore (I still kept doing it tho, just added more tricks in). Now I am doing aggressive skating for 5 years. You popped up in my youtube feed and it's amazing to see you started exploring new areas of skating and that you want to learn wizard tricks 🔥

[@ThirtyandRollin]

Lookin good Bill! I love Wizard because it is creative like Aggressive but a bit more chill like Bigwheel.

[@aimran85]

Shouldn't aggresive skating be called artistic skating then? 😊

[@DonPietroWita]

1:56 - man when this beat dropped and you started turning around my legs started moving out to skate! cool video, keep posting, that inspires me to try new things ;)

[@MusiCaninesTheMusicalDogs]

I'm getting old and I started skating a year ago. My long term goal is wizard skating because I'm not sure I have too much power in my poor old muscles. Also I think it's so beautiful and mesmerizing! By the way, you should learn the heel toe press and the lion X.

[@Markaydaily]

Love seeing these new moves, I can’t imagine the flows you’ll be getting.

[@thecarpathiancouple4425]

You always nail the soundtrack in your videos Bill😁😊🤘

[@Martz604]

Great video Bill! I know of a great video by Rollerbalding featuring a breakdown of some of the fundamental movements. Shaun Unwin from Flow Skate also has some great tutorials on moves like the open and closed gazelles which I think are some of the first moves to build from. Can't wait to see you explore wizard skating more!

[@hirevi8294]

Shaun, Alex and their videos are fantastic, it's been 7 months since they last uploaded anything when they always had a pretty high rate, I wish they would come back, but they have their reasons to stop. They are an inspiration and I hope everything goes well for them. 🙏

[@paul_k_7351]

Rollerbalding is amazing, I wish he had more videos.

[@WheelyArt]

Awesome Bill, I think your wizard skating is great already, what about the S move (Forward open lion (inside edge to outside edge) followed by fakie closed lion (inside edge to outside edge)

[@jokerrfox354]

I didn't understand wizard skating much until my same sized foot homie got some wizard frames and let me try them out and guuurrrrllllll they onto something. I was apprehensive aswell because I'm more of a flow skater too and felt like tricks were sorta expected as a skater. But I guess to me, skating is just a thing for ME and not some sort of performance like I feel others expect from me.

[@stephenklump7615]

Two achievable moves: power pull, sweep. Power pull when you are on 1 foot, sweep when you are crossed over, heading backward.

[@CKBrew]

Great discussion! It's like any artistry - every style always come out in your own language!

[@NorthernGrim]

Id like to see some Wizard/mushroom skating a little more, mix some more aggressive in with the wizard skating!

[@claudeJUNIOR]

After more than 10 years I'm back at skating.

[@B0K1T0]

It's amazing right? My break was 20 years and I have no clue why given how hooked I am to it since I went back to it.

[@claudeJUNIOR]

@@B0K1T0 Thanks a lot, now I just have to buy a pair of skates 'cause I'm depending on a friend.

[@MacToneti]

I'm 42..haven't touched skates since the 80s..I still got it..and now "everything clicks"😮

[@Ronjon86]

Just started a couple months ago after a 25 year break. It's like I never stopped

[@MacToneti]

I just brought a pair of blades at 42..I feel like a baby giraffe 😄

[@christiansinner5187]

Love watching you evolve. Looking forward to your progress.

[@sitatt]

Shit!! I felt that fall at '4.24'! Did my ACL at the end of a bunch of long shifts with a simple backwards to forwards transition (one of millions) and 'bought it'! At 56yo I hope I never stop! Hope you sustained no serious injury, bud! Keep skating! Peace

[@lass4916]

A maneuver that I think is really cool is the Heel Compass. You do the turn to one side, and then the sequence to the opposite side.

[@xxslysinxx]

Very nice sir. I just started skating 3months ago. Practicing to be an intermediate slalom, advanced wizard and advanced aggressive and urban skater in the future.

[@MarcinPetruszka]

Interesting to see your ice wizardry being so much more fluid/smooth… Both worlds are great, roll your own style. Who's there to tell you what you should and shouldn't do! I'm in the same spot… only some 1000 levels lower :D

[@OperationGetLegit]

Hey Bill! New viewer here and this video caught my eye. I could not agree MORE with "No two skaters will flow the same" and I 100% agree with that. I've been working on wizard skating for the past year and it has been exhilarating and expressive in ever sense of the words. I posted a short on my page of my recent progression if you want to check it out. Great work and your words at the end of the video rang so true. Godspeed!

[@WC2hands]

¿Question?: •Best bet on rocker frames? •Endless, Powerslide or Wizard? I’m consider myself a beginner. -Haven’t been rollerblading for 10+ yrs. Have been doing it for about 2 weeks now-tough! (Also got the wrong size,to small) Gained so much weight, feet feel like their gonna burst into flames. Except all tips/hacks/tricks PLZ!!

[@ericbernardi8116]

Frame choice also depends on your boot... Wizard is only available for UFS and PS Combat only for Trinity... Can't go wrong with Endless but all are good frames (I use the PS Combat 90 mostly). Really important, choose the frame size according to your foot size, eu 42 is about the border between 4x90/4x100 or 5x76/5x80... I have size 42 and the longer 4x90 (290mm) works best. Personally I love PS Trinitiy, helps with edge control a lot imo, it limits your boot choice though... Endless has a 3 wheel flat option, while the Combat frames can go 4 wheel flat as an option... What type of feet you have? If you think your problem is from weight, def try a good insole like Superfeet to support your feet (but you need a little space in the boot for that)... If your boot is small, either a thinner liner (you want an Intuition for that type of skating anyway) or you need to buy a size up, or if you have wide feet a wider fitting boot... Hack? If you get a USD Sway you can either use it with Soulplate for UFS Wizard frame or buy aftermarket Trinity adapter, drill a few holes, and use it with Combat frames (that's what I did) 🤓

[@jaystewart4823]

Love this, didn’t know it was called “wizard skating”.

[@jofecteau3]

I guess wizard skating was what i was trying to accomplish with my bladerunners (4x76) in the 90s...

[@JayHeartwing]

Third. I'm a new fan ^^ Wizard skating kinda gets my attention, even tho I just started skating this March. I kinda like the flow of it, and wishing I kinda do it myself. Also, became really curious about wizard frames (no matter the brand) and what's the difference between normal frames (like my 100mm triskate) and wizard setups and how they feel. If only these frames and wheels aren't expensive.

[@bradcran4304]

Speaking of Leon- If you can work on his three move transition at the 2 minute mark of Wizard of Wall Street…love that one. Acid slide- one footed spins (developed from Lions) - exiting with gazelle. Enjoy the journey.

[@youfakou]

I like that you do not resist a fall, I too do so, because resisting the fall does more damage to the knees than the fall itself

[@MrMokey24]

"Wizard" originally wasn't "twirly whirly" but fakie transitions incorporated into street or park skating lines. I never really see you skate fakie that much, I think you could incorporate some of those moves into street skating. Skating fakie isn't really efficient at propelling you through a city, but it's fun and gives a "rush". It can also be dangerous, but it's one of the ways experienced urban skaters can show off their skills.

[@DucatiKozak]

Great vid Bill! n00b wizard question here: are rocker frames necessary or highly recommended? Or am I just not making any turns stick or do I just really suck? (decades old Rollerblade boots with well worn, need of replacement, 4x80) & what happened to the skate shop in downtown Toronto?

[@maritatas]

having at least a gentle rocker is necessary to execute the moves, whether or not the rocker comes from the frames, or a natural rocker after wearing in new wheels. what's highly recommended would be a rockered frame with a long wheelbase (4x90/4x100/5x76/5x80) which would give you tons more stability, and all the swivellyness :)

[@DucatiKozak]

​@@maritatas thanks for your answer!👍

[@batonnikus]

I come from 4x80mm flat urban and found 4x90mm rockered to be superfun for urban and wizarding shenenigans. As for moves, I don't know the names at all, I just do moves, so... do fun flowy moves and don't by shy to be a jumping wizard.

[@andrewcomerford2338]

Hey mate, greetings from Australia. Damn you are a good skater, love watching your videos. Are you still dabbling in the world of wizard?

[@EricaBlades]

Love seeing your skating progression!! Also doggo section was a welcome edition. Here's to making it a reoccurring bit in the videos. Seeing you grow is a reminder to me that everyone's skating journey is different and will take us places we didn't expect on going. For me that meant back on the ice in the summer!! You mention the edges on ice and my journey brought me to freestyle ice skating. In freestyle there's a move called a grapevine. I don't think it's an official wizard skating trick, but it's great to add in as a combo connector. So my vote is for you to learn the grapevine - on inline and then on ice. And maybe you'll become a freestyle skater in the winter as well 😁

[@wza360]

If I would be ever in Toronto again, this place under that bridge will be my main attraction to see and try out

[@gbxgbxgbx]

Wizard skating reminds me of the early skateboarding style, I guess it was called freestyle? Where most of the tricks were basically in a 'dancing' kind of fashion, doing everything mostly standing on flat surface, walking on hands with the skatebaord walking on the skateboard, spinning etc... Dancing basically. I'm talking deep 80s.

[@n.v.b.3616]

Thnx for sharing. Nice video, awesome music choices. Greetings from holland✌️

[@hotforrobot]

Gazelles and Lions. Forward and backward. Then put in your creativity and apply to obstacles. GLHF

[@jeffdumpster1470]

caught a crack 😞I hit one hard last year so I changed a few things no sunglasses no headphones and I watch the road much more because I'll be damned if I'm going to wear pads and a helmet

[@DRTIK0L]

I can't find skates for my wide feet. I tried many skates but always my feet pain that much I can't even stand on skates... Really sad. 😢😢😢

[@stuarthys9879]

Hey Bill, or anyone else who can answer. I just moved to Toronto and want to get a pair of skates. Do you know of any good local inline skate shops?

[@piersikas]

Bill, you should carry first aid kit in cases like these, if you don't already. bleeding isn't fun :)

[@kchappelle]

B, your pants are too tight if you want to be a Wiz on the skates. Steal a pair of pants from Aladdin and start sporting a Starbucks coffee in hand. Maybe as a side note, cut back on the red meat intake and up the tofu. :)

[@DashDrones]

Just figured it out. Bill 'Stoppard'- 'Stop hard' born to skate and carve

[@dannyt2471]

Great video as always. Keep the good work. You should team up with Shawn Unwin for a session one day. His wizard knowledge is pretty good too.

[@sibbyeskie]

Why is it so funny when people fall? What evolutionary adaptation could that have? Maybe to take fear out of exploration? Yeah I think that’s it because after watching this I want to try it too!

[@igorbogdanoff4517]

My skates (seba + nr100) are the coolest skates available. Mainly used to commute. Wouldn’t want anything else.

[@photomorti]

Same for me. I only ride my Seba cj 2 primes + premium intuition liner with NR100 frame. Most fun setup ive ever skated.

[@igorgoga7985]

@@photomorti try advanced frames too

[@photomorti]

​@@igorgoga7985 They do look really fun aswell. Its so temping to also buy PR80 but it gets a bit expensive quickly haha

[@igorbogdanoff4517]

@@photomorti I have PR80's and they don't get much usage - they're great on very smooth pavement but the 100's are killer even on rough ground - the magic of not having to care about the terrain starts at 100mm or bigger. The rocker makes four 100mm wheels responsive as if they are 80mm wheels

[@photomorti]

@@igorbogdanoff4517 Yeah thats why i think i will stick to NR100 because i generally just cruise around in urban enviroments and i like to go fast. I find the NR100 very responsive even more so after the rocker wears in more. But i love the subtle rocker just as much when i put on new wheels.

[@Eliminator1900]

I really enjoy all the videos you are sharing. You have a nice cool vibe

[@SaccoBelmonte]

Learn the Lion X, is quite a lot of fun and the transition backward->Forward is hard.

[@omgwillustrate8475]

I gotta know where I can find that metal version of Toy Flutes.

[@Azmania3000]

Liking the music. I was thinking skating needs its own genre; "concrete". It would be heavy like metal, but then come to abrupt and ugly stops 😅.

[@chevalsauer]

How about some traditional roller skates grooving down the rink???

[@marcvandenbroeckDaKawa]

Bill the video footage looks "Apple amazing". What camera did you use to record the opening scene?

[@kchappelle]

B, I think that move at 2:13 was called a Swizzle shivk, or swizzle stick. Oh, no… sorry, that’s what’s in my vodka martini. Sorry I was looking at my drink and not my phone.

[@Covetise]

your wizard skating is gonna look so good a few months from now.

[@jagz888]

im on the tall side 6,3 big feet I found the 5 wheel trinity set up amazing for my stability wizard style for me..got me skates the work better proportionately for my size in general.

[@8wheeler833]

Hello Bill, I have a question.... How far do you pull out the selfie stick from the insta360? And btw, I like your style of city skating! Very powerfull!!!

[@NEURALDELVER]

Try out using an acid slide as your stop after every sequence, swap sides of slide, and try cross acid alternating.

[@shredmajor700]

"Wizzaphile" 😂 im using that from now on.

[@sarek8472]

@BillStoppard serious. What is the name of the headset you use while blading? Those look like they would make good gym headset, your ripping and jumping all over the place.

[@RogerioLecariaoLeite]

Hello Bill! Which boot do you use? I found her very comfortable just looking at it.

[@sanclay]

I believe you should do what you're doing. Take it to Urban, Wizard Skating. I will always be an urban skater, and I'm using Wizard Skating for Urban. I lost maneuverability, but I certainly I gained more stability due to the long base. My idea is not to be a Wizard Skating skater, but to use Wizard Skating in urban skating. It will be very interesting to see your skills With Wizard Skating applied to Urban.

[@petjavasin5616]

It would be interesting to add a shooting point by attaching the camera to the shoe. Not the whole video, but small inserts.

[@WC2hands]

Nah but I like seeing skaters grow into a new style. It’s so much fun learning from everyone. Plz- if u feel comfortable, share ur wizard skating journey & reviews on ur sessions with me :)

[@paul_k_7351]

Awesome as always.

[@SaccoBelmonte]

Wizard as a style is real. Needing a 400 USD frame, hell no. The Rockin 580 I got are indeed great.

[@charlescarnage]

Damn man i felt every single one of those spills

[@yt.damian]

Genuine question. Why no protective gear?

[@ryn_pail]

The girlie glance is too real!😂 4:29

[@ryn_pail]

Could've ran into the back of a bus. But it's the sacrifices we make.

[@Zig423]

Dogs are so intrigued about skates. I get chased all the time where I live by one’s off lead😂 so far all pretty harmless I worry more about kicking them In The head as a bring my skates back for a push to get or two to get away 😅

[@terrablader]

Isn't it inspired by figure skating ? I got a friend went to Olympics he did those moves plus on inline skates way back

[@danieladams3871]

Now I want to go ice skating lol you look strong on them big Bill!

[@mobyzwick6612]

You should learn the Lion! Shaun has a tutorial on his channel.

[@EnifeCosta]

Aqui no Brasil ainda não vi ninguém patinando dessa forma. Serei eu o primeiro? 😅 Abraço, mestre!

[@Basementn3k0]

the fucking soundtrack is awesome, everything fits!!!

[@kirkpineda2585]

I'm wondering what your thoughts might be on Dirt Skating?

[@alexbohn5129]

why no protection?

[@evgrin1507]

Kinda reminded me of Nancy Kerrigan or tonya Harding. Have fun with that.

[@VIEW-ut3bu]

Anyone able to access the merchandise store?!

[@YegorSmirnov]

Ooooh, clickbaitie! :) I really like that you're into adding this skill to your arsenal. A lot of people would dream to 'suck' in wizard skating this much as you do right now haha.

[@blikefire]

Always inspiring bill

[@jackbradyclancy]

easily one of the best youtubers Ever

[@Tortuap]

You can do the same tricks without special plates, and look goofy the same doing your tricks in town. It's mostly marketing because it's just a blend between urban and slalom. And it's not very impressive, compared to what you can do in slalom. Those wizard tricks need to step up. More jumps, more one-leg, one wheel things please, more obstacles. Wizard feels too easy when you have XP in slalom.

[@supremegoon2767]

Beef was actually just bringing you your wand.

[@utkinvasily]

4x80 or 4x90? Rockering?

[@RichHayterSkater]

I defo don’t think it’s a scam, those Wizards have real skill, which I believe will help with all aspects of control. It’s certainly not as easy as some make it look! I defo need to give this more attention!

[@ppolianidis1]

looks awesome 🔥🔥🔥

[@lippsakapella2380]

Cheers Bill!

[@rockhit8798]

You should try to jump from the space needle. J k i wish some day I can skate lake you do it.🤟

[@belindaterry6010]

I ve been skating since the 90s but am blown away by these bad ass skills! but also.. why is it too much just to wear wrist guards and a helmet? I don't get it. Protect your noggin dude. 😂