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IntroductionThe drop in is a trick that allows the skater to go from the top of one object, roll down it, and ride away. It can be done on a variety of obstacles ranging from a quarter, mini, or half pipe, or any other object you can find that you deem suitable. This trick is a necessity to transition skating, and is the main building block that you need to advance, much like the ollie is to street skating. Luckily this trick is easy to learn, and all that is required is confidence, and after just a few tries you will have it mastered. What You Need to KnowPumping is a useful trick when it comes to learning how to drop in, because it helps you develop a sense of balance on transition, and allows you to manage your speed while skating.
Backside kicturns are also a helpful trick to know for drop ins, because not only do they help you get used to riding up and down transition and improve your sense of balance on it, but if you are skating a mini or half pipe it will allow you to turn around and set up for other tricks. Other Skills: Basic riding skills are needed. You can't just step on a skateboard for your first time ever and drop in on your first try. Practice riding around, and get a sense of balance and understanding of basic board mechanics on flatground before you try to skate transition. Doing The TrickPositioning: To perform this trick, you are going to want to set the tail of your board on the coping or edge of the ramp, with the rest of your board hanging over in the direction you plan on riding. Your back foot should be fairly centered on the tail, in a position that will help you maintain balance, this is usually with your toes hanging over just a bit. You want to place your front foot on top of the front bolts, or near them, with those toes hanging off a bit as well. This is the most commonly used foot positioning to drop in, however everyone has different preferences so feel free to tweak it if it feels wrong. Motion:
- Place your back foot on the tail in a comfortable position.
- Set your front foot on the front bolts, while keeping your weight on your back foot to avoid falling into the ramp.
- Lean forward.
- As you begin riding down the ramp bend your knees and stay centered over your board.
TroubleshootingQ. I want to drop in but I am afraid.
A. This trick will seem scary at first, however once you do it you will see how easy it is. The best way to learn it is to just pad up and put a helmet on if it will make you feel safer, and go for it. Another thing you could try doing is finding a mellow bank that isn't as steep as what you are going to try dropping into, and practice on that to get the motion down first.
Q. I try to drop in, but when I lean into the ramp I fall backwards.
A. The problem is that you are not committing to the trick. The only thing you can do is try again, but this time lean forward more and be sure to bend your knees. A favorite saying that everyone uses to teach dropping in is, to imagine that a spider is on your front bolts, and to try to stomp it. This action will help you with putting your weight forward into the ramp, and stomping the front bolts down will help with that even more.
Q. I make it to the bottom of the ramp but I manual the whole way down.
A. You are doing good, and almost have the trick, just try it again but lean forward just a little bit more and you should get it. It will help to bend your knees a bit more too, because you will be able to keep your weight centered which will help you avoid a manual.
Q. I tried dropping in and fell forwards onto my face.
A. You aren't afraid of letting go of the coping, but you don't trust that your board will catch you, so you are bailing off. As long as you bend your knees, you will maintain your balance and your board will catch you and let you ride away smoothly. My best advice for this is to try pumping to the top of the coping on the same ramp, and realize that dropping in will feel just like you do when you are riding down from pumping. Where Do I Go From Here?Once you get this trick down you can move onto bigger ramps or a bowl. Don't be afraid to move onto what you imagine will be tougher things to drop in on, the motion remains the same no matter what you are dropping into, and the only difference is the fear in your head, just do what you practiced on the smaller ramps and you will be fine.
You may also progress onto rock to fakies and axle stalls after you learn this trick. Drops in will provide you with the speed required to perform these tricks, and will save you a lot of time compared to having to pump your way up from the bottom of the ramp. |
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