The Truth About Skateboarding (Trigger Warning)

[@AnenLaylle7023]

I was a skateboarder in South Carolina in the 1990's. I was arrested for skateboarding more than 10 times, I busted my nuts open and had to get stitches, I've knocked myself out. What did me in with skateboarding was not having anyone to skate with most times, not way to get sponsored in the middle of nowhere in South Carolina, and breaking boards literally every other day after I got good. Wasn't an excuse for me. There was nowhere to buy skateboards in South Carolina, I had to order them online and they would like like two weeks to get in. I could only afford one board at a time and I would break it within a few days. This got old, I grew up, went to college for mathematics, and now I am a math professor. If you get good at skateboarding, you can get good at anything. This guy is not lying. I still skateboard for transportation, but I'm 40 years old now, so I don't really do tricks. I can still hardflip/360 flip/etc., but I rarely do tricks anymore. I just cruise.

[@Schnarkel]

that's awesome man I appreciate that! I was a teacher for a few years too! Wasn't my passion but I gave it a go! Not many teachers can 360 flip so that's amazing to read! Thanks for your support!

[@liambrown8074]

What a great commentary and a bit of beautiful photography. If you're one of those people who skated as a kid and gave it up in college because you were supposed to quit playing and start adulting (an Establishment notion if ever there was one), the good news is you can un-age to a degree. As a 41YO, having abandoned putting wheels under my feet for over a decade, I took up skateboarding as a daily pursuit. I found a diverse and supportive community, made slow but steady progress in something that was immensely rewarding, and soon learned that it was easier than ever to focus on health, family time, and general life balance than it had been in years. My mood improved, too. I stress less about work and money. While you can't throw out medicine and practical age and health limitations in favor of fresh air and exercise, skateboarding isn't just a game for kids. I believe it's big enough and broad enough to be a lifetime pursuit and a foundation for positive habits.

[@Schnarkel]

I couldn't agree more Liam! Very well put! It's a pursuit for anyone of the right mental fortitude and with ample time and the right expectations given the time they have to put into it. So glad to hear you found skateboarding!

[@Swellbows_94]

Godspeed brother💪🏼

[@TheYoungVulnerableAnimeGirls]

I quit skating because all the skaters in the area around me were the most annoying fucks around, and I had/have growing social anxiety that started to get really bad around 2006. Going places with my board felt embarrassing suddenly despite my view of the sport not changing. Now I'm old, still want to land some new tricks, but just feel weird going anywhere since everyone is like 14 now doing it. Physically I could get back into it, just not willing to do it alone.

[@Schnarkel]

I know what you mean and maybe some of that is a bit of anxiety still showing its head. It is a bit of an attention draw but a lot of that is people just being fascinated by it and having a respect for people that can do something so unnatural and difficult. I have made friends with the youngins that frequent the park as well as the people around my age and older and were all family. I think you'd be super happy with your decision to get back on the 4 wheels again! God Bless you homie!

[@TheYoungVulnerableAnimeGirls]

@@Schnarkel funny enough I DID get back on four wheels, but it's longboarding now lmao. I ate bad shit back in July and the wife still makes fun of me.

[@jamiepeirce526]

47 and teaching my daughter who is 12. It’s the best. Sk8’d every day from 10 to like 30. Moved away, stopped skating, now I can hardly recognize myself lol.

[@Schnarkel]

@jamiepeirce526 that's amazing man! Teaching kids to skate is so fun and rewarding! Keep it up!

[@froggerfrank]

I am 40 years old, my body is a wreck, my mind and soul even more so. Skateboarding is probably the only thing I feel comfy about in life. It's hard for me even to listen to music because I judge myself not beeing able to precess every chord, line on the fly. Don't get me wrong it's nice to pick up an instrument and do stuff but I feel like skateboarding is way more rewarding since you can experience it on your own while you get those highs in music usually just by playing live with a band imho.

[@Schnarkel]

I'm so glad to hear that man! Skateboarding will always accept you regardless of your skill level or perceived skill level. I am so so crucial of my own skating and at one point I couldn't post any videos but this last year or 2 I have worked on accepting myself and the process of making videos along with Skateboarding is very therapeutic for me.

[@diablodan1459]

Just yesterday i went out on my board for the first time in a long time and felt very confident and i skated for awhile and it was great i was sore and i even landed a heel flip (one of my current hardest tricks) so watching this video was inspiring and i think the thing you said about growing old when you stop being physically active is so true!!

[@Schnarkel]

that's awesome dude! Heelflips are one of my favorites! I'm so happy to hear I inspired you! I hope you keep skating!

[@hardworkah]

just wanted to say this really inspired me. I've fractured my left forearm (ulna and radial) twice back in January and October of 2019. My wrist locked twisted too both breaks. the second break (October)was from skateboarding. Completely preventable, was skating with a friend using his flat-rail doing 50-50s and mis clipped my back truck. made the mistake of extending my arm out instead of rolling on my back. around that time I discovered Christianity to myself. A more real and understanding choice considering I grew up going to church with my grandma.just nice to see a godly skateboarding post. I hit that like button and subscribed. really inspiring post

[@Schnarkel]

Wow you got your wrists really good too! I've done both mine in a couple times now but only had surgery twice. I skate with a Brace on my left wrist for now and probably for a long time just because breaking it was so so so annoying and painful. Thanks for the love brother! God bless you and I hope your journey with Christ is long and fulfilling❤️

[@witzer]

Awesome message dude. Thanks for putting the work into this video. Reminds me that I need to get back to practicing, and eventually unlocking, the kickflip. Go skate!

[@johnmcminn9455]

okay, give me a thousand word essay on skateboarding

[@Schnarkel]

Coming right up! In college I actually wrote a paper on how skateboarding on campus shouldn't be illegal😅

[@johnmcminn9455]

@Schnarkel oh, really! Has anyone actually been arrested for "skateboarding," or is it "trespassing"

[@TheSimpelsimon]

battled out my very first treflip at age of 35 a couple a days ago! Those emotions are unmatched! Also god bless you! love to hear that you reading your bible!

[@Schnarkel]

That's amazing man congratulations! Thank you for the kind words! God Bless you too!

[@Ebedits942]

I broke my wrist skating so bad I had to get surgery and do therapy for 5 months but 2 years later I'm still skating a lot but I've had friends who've given up because it was too hard for them or they didn't have motivation or they just were lazy and had a hard time just going out to do it.

[@Schnarkel]

I just had my second wrist surgery from a break in September and I feel great being back on my board. it's hard sometimes to not think about how much of a set back the broken wrist was but I can't ever imagine it as being a reason to stop. Keep killing it brother!

[@andrewmiranda5115]

When I was about 11 my best friend Jamie and I started skating. His stepbrother who was much older was an am from California and he brought us some videos and mags and gave Jamie an old board of his. We were hooked. We skated non stop until the summer of 2001. We were 14. Me, Jamie, and my brother Dave were skating on the road in front of my house. Dave was on a bike. Dave says let’s race, just messing around and takes off. Jamie and I start pushing as hard as we can and a couple pushes in I see Jamie out of the corner of my eye fall and hit the back of his head. He was put into a medically induced coma and six days later died in the hospital. I quit skating after that. Not because I was afraid but more because that was our thing. We spent so many days just grinding out trick attempts and just enjoying the sport together it just didn’t feel the same without him. It’s coming up on 23 years that he’s been gone and I still regret not staying with skating and keeping his memory alive through our shared passion.

[@Schnarkel]

that's horrible man I'm sorry to hear that. You're never too old to get back on board but that's a big decision considering the loss it brought you at such a young age. Thanks for your story❤️

[@andrewmiranda5115]

Thanks. I have considered it many times. Especially with the things guys are doing on a board today is super inspiring. I just love the spirit of skateboarding.

[@NothiamOrphix]

Very beautifully put, love the scenery as well. We all need such soothing reminders from time to time. Great work! 👏🏻

[@Schnarkel]

thank you so much🥰

[@clanleader500]

Where is this? The view driving up with the hills in the background is insane

[@Schnarkel]

Lewiston Idaho! We live in a valley on the border of Washington and Idaho at the confluence of the Clearwater and snake River it's a gorgeous area❤️

[@YourGenericBrownGuy]

Man i really found this true recently, i was trying a trick for 2 hours and i lost count of all my attempts and my brain just kept telling me every try to go home but my heart just made my body keep trying endlessly until i finally got it. Right when i was genuinely about to quit i just couldnt take defeat so i just kept going every time. Thank you for this video man

[@Schnarkel]

That is so so relatable! It always seems to go that way. I find it so hard to step away from a trick even after hours when my body is dead. Good job getting your trick!

[@homer3189]

how did u do the slow motion leaves falling?

[@Schnarkel]

I caught them falling off my tree and just used the slow motion setting on my galaxy s23 ultra

[@GoSkateLouisa]

Spot on. I quit when I was 25 because it got too hard. I got stuck but truthfully looking back I didn't give it the time it required then. Life took over. Now I'm 40 and been chasing that dream every day for the last 5 months. So glad that I'm back on my board and now teaching my kids gives me a whole new reason to keep pushing. I don't want them to see their dad fail or quit. Keep pushing bro and thank you for making this. 🙏

[@Schnarkel]

Love that man! We gotta set an example of perseverance and courage for the youngins!💪❤️

[@iistony8260]

A christian skater with good lessons? This is where i need to be

[@Schnarkel]

I appreciate that❤️

[@spark300c]

you mean stunt stake boarding. for cruising the focus is riding around not learning tricks. I going be cruiser skateboarder.

[@Schnarkel]

@@spark300c whatever brings you happiness! cruising also feels amazing and relaxing!

[@coldbumby]

Wow man! Very cool video. I think everything you said had substance and gave me value. Love your emphasis on everything requiring hard work. It’s just a part of life. Your video reminds me of Dean Neistat’s videos. Also the shots of wherever you live are beautiful. It looks like a nice place to live, keep it up

[@Schnarkel]

thanks so much for your kind words it means a lot! I feel like a lot of us can find avoiding hard work as a coping mechanism and I fell victim to that in my younger years but I find it really just sets us up for disappointment in the end.

[@Ethiixx]

Beautiful vid, gonna go for a skate tomorrow in quite a while.

[@Schnarkel]

Get some!

[@classicsk8mag]

this is a fantastic video ! the power of helix sports is demonstrated in skateboarding. John Taylor Gatto talked a lot about this self driven power of learning.

[@Schnarkel]

without self determination and courage you cannot get anywhere with skateboarding. That's one thing that makes it such a magical sport!

[@realDonaldTrump420]

Skateboarding is a self torture thing. It has zero impact outside of your little mental issue that forces you to do something that's not fun or rewarding. Skateboarders have the least amount of fun out of all people on earth, and serve the least amount of purpose. Even drug addicts serve more purpose and have a better grasp on their mental state than skateboarders, who've I've never once seen smile while doing the same crash 1000 times. The ankles are such a weird part of the body to specialize in lol.

[@tiaowens9263]

Tell us you never got the kick flip in other ways lol.

[@matthewbrandon267]

Thankyou for this, I needed to hear this. ❤ subbed up.

[@Schnarkel]

You're very welcome thank you!😁

[@XUNNiY]

thank you bro i needed this

[@Schnarkel]

You're welcome!

[@TaylorPhase]

really nice edit dude. you made lewiston look pretty too lol

[@Schnarkel]

not an easy feat! Thanks man!

[@JohnAvillaHerpetocultural]

I just started back up after 20 years off at 43. I have a laundry list of injuries. I didn’t quit because of that. I quit because I went to college and didn’t have time. Then I got into mma. My body is too broken for grappling and getting kicked in the neck and I am bored so I started skating again a month ago. It hurts but it’s fun. I am going to get hurt but when I fall I roll well from my submission wrestling past. If I break something I break something. I’m already getting flip tricks and some switch back. I can’t wait to get good again.

[@Schnarkel]

that's awesome man I love to hear that!

[@JohnAvillaHerpetocultural]

@@Schnarkel TU sir

[@louisedyhlen3234]

lol no offence but this is taking jumping on a wooden board way too seriously

[@wylunn]

👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼

[@SnagKing25]

Smh

[@Doobiusphantom]

You wouldn’t get it

[@LilTraptune]

🔥 motivation

[@Schnarkel]

thank you brother!

[@Aminormaze]

Not that deep mon just skate

[@Rory-D]

fantastic video mate! really enjoyed it!

[@Schnarkel]

thanks so much man!❤️

[@_mr3_]

To find the things worth sacrificing more for, we gotta try things sometimes that aren't. For the things that are though, I feel you 100%.

[@Schnarkel]

Agreed! for me I think the things that didn't matter were drinking, bar friends, and video games.

[@AdventuresInSkateboarding]

Love this. 💯🛹 🙏💯

[@Schnarkel]

thanks so much❤️

[@jackboa22]

good vid brother ‼️

[@Schnarkel]

thank you!

[@aasiefjnr]

That threshold for the need to finesse and land these tricks is not easy, the fight is real. Normal people will not understand 😊..

[@Schnarkel]

it's such a tight margin between knowing what to do and making yourself do it! Definitely hard to explain to non skaters!

[@realDonaldTrump420]

Narcissistic people have these challenges. Normal people don't get reward buy creating enemies to conquer. Get a bike and hit the pump track. All those kids have smiles, not religion/drug dependencies. You have a broken brain if you skateboard to do boring flip/ledge tricks over and over

[@anthoonius_gabagoolius]

watching skate noobs make essays about skating and the culture is hilarious lol.settle down bud we all skate for different reasons.

[@JoelMedina-lo9fr]

Found the guy who can’t kickflip

[@satyamahallik]

🔥🔥

[@echofiend3722]

I have been skateboarding for 23yrs and i ain't pro or nothing but I'm PRETTY damn good, and i just don't understand how people break boards so easily. Have you tried keeping your legs and body "squishy" when you land? Have you tried bigger decks, or decks with more plys? I don't care how good your fliptricks are, that 7.5" popsicle stick is TOO small bro! 😂 LOL Dude, I only ever broke ONE board ONE time with my knee while doing a tuck-knee. I just don't get it. Yall are Definitely doing something very VERY wrong if you cant make a board last a month or even a week. My boards last YEARS or maybe 1yr back when i skated every day. If I had this deck-breaking problem, I wouldn't quit. I would try different things until i found a solution. Some idiots even seem to wear it as a badge of strength or badassery, like they're the fuckin Hulk and these puny skateboards are just twigs to them. OR they chalk it up to how awesome they are at skating. 🙄 Gimme a break (pun intended) If you were really THAT skilled, you could learn to do it without totalling your vehicle.

[@Schnarkel]

Some people never really focus on learning to land bolts and they pay the price! Gotta get your flatground down pat before you go hucking! That being said though the new Flight Decks and VX decks are magnificent for those of us above 160lbs

[@DylanWintersteen]

mix your sound.

[@Schnarkel]

i dont know what that means