How To Ride A Hoverboard Step by Step

Have you ever thought about learning how to ride a hoverboard? Surely you've seen other people do it and it looks easy enough, right? Of course, you have to remember that riding a surfboard or skateboard looks fairly easy too, at least for people that know what they're doing. That being said, if you're interested in learning more , why not start that learning process right now?

What is a Hoverboard? Why is it Fun to Ride?

In short, a hoverboard is exactly what it sounds like it is. It's like a more high-tech form of a skateboard that doesn't need wheels in order to operate. Just like the name implies, it really does hover a few inches above the ground and you can ride it just like a skateboard, only it feels like you're riding on a cushion of air instead of getting jostled by those little urethane wheels that are going around and around over a rough surface. That's precisely why it's so much fun to ride. It's just like it appears in the movie Back to the Future. It gives you a chance to enjoy something different that's challenging and fun at the same time. When you put all of that together, it's something you can spend a whole afternoon doing without getting tired of. It really is that much fun.

How Does it Work?

It actually works by creating a cushion of air that it is capable of operating on. When you turn it on, it uses that cushion to elevate itself a few inches off the ground and it supports both its weight and your own when you're riding. It's a very high-tech version of entertainment and there's a great deal of things involved in its operation that would take a physics expert to explain or understand. That being said, it operates on the exact same principle as the hovercraft that the military uses. These are vehicles that can be used on land or in the water because they don't actually travel over either one. In fact, they travel on a giant cushion of air. It's the same with the hoverboard, only on a much smaller scale.

A Hoverboard is Not a Skateboard

Remember, it was mentioned earlier that a hoverboard is like a high-tech version of a skateboard but it's important to remember that it is not a skateboard in and of itself. These are two very different products that operate in two different manners. A skateboard makes contact with the earth and a hoverboard doesn't. Even if you're used to riding a skateboard, it's still going to take some time to master that hoverboard.

Put Your First Foot on The Hoverboard

If you're looking for information about how to ride one, the first thing you have to do is successfully get on. Remember, it operates on a cushion of air so it's going to move slightly whenever you touch it. You can start by carefully positioning your first foot onto the hoverboard while maintaining contact with the ground with your other foot. Do so slowly and methodically. Don't jump on it or you're liable to find herself face-first in the dirt.

Carefully Place Your Second Foot On

You have to be more careful here than you were with your first foot because now your full weight is resting completely on the hoverboard and until you master it, you're basically at its mercy. Being able to maintain your balance will depend a great deal on foot placement so make sure you get your feet in the right spot and that you have a comfortable stance before you do anything else.

The Hoverboard Turning Technique

Learning how to turn the hoverboard is one of the most important things you are going to do but before you get to that point, there are a few other things you have to learn first. It's kind of like learning to walk. You can't walk until you crawl and you can't run until you walk. It really is like learning how to do something completely new with baby steps because it's something you've never done before. First and foremost, learn how to stand comfortably on the hoverboard and practice getting on and off a few times. Once you've mastered that, you can move on to the next step in getting ready to learn how to turn it.

It's almost impossible to learn how to turn a hoverboard without first learning how to do something simple like going forward and backward, left and right. You'll do this by slightly shifting your weight. You want to be sure that the hoverboard is engaged and that it's turned on and the rest of it will come with the way that you place your weight on the board itself. In this case, it's actually quite a bit like a skateboard even though it's definitely not a skateboard. When you want to move forward, shift your weight forward slightly and do the same thing to move backward. When you want to go left, shift your weight to the left and shift your weight to the right when you want to go in that direction.

Practice doing this several times, especially turning left and right. This will serve as the basis for learning how to turn in circles and spin the hoverboard later on. As always, be careful of uneven terrain. If you start going too fast and you're not paying attention, you may not be able to avoid a sudden rise in the terrain and you definitely don't want to smash into it going at top speed. Until you master things, go slowly and always pay attention to your surroundings.

Once you've gotten the hang of things in the above paragraph, you can learn how to spin the hoverboard. If you've ever spent time on the playground spinning around on a tire swing, then you already know how to spin the hoverboard. The idea is to build up your momentum and then shift your weight quickly but safely in one direction, holding your body in much the same way that an ice skater would hold theirs when they're spinning around on the ice. This is a movement that takes some time to perfect and the best way to do it is to go slowly at first and then gradually build up your speed. As always, be careful not to go too fast and watch what's going on around you.

Wear Your Hoverboard Safety Gear

Obviously, you don't want to ride a hoverboard or do anything else that's potentially dangerous without wearing the right types of gear. Doing so is just asking for trouble and if you do it enough times, you're probably going to find it. People get in the habit of thinking they don't have to use safety gear because they got away with it once or twice and nothing happened. That's great, but understand that if you don't wear the proper gear, the first time you fall off your hoverboard or you crash it, you could end up with some potentially serious injuries. It's just not worth taking the risk when there are all kinds of safety gear available out there that can help you stay safe even when the unexpected happens.

For the most part, it's the same type of stuff that you would expect to wear when you're riding a skateboard or as far as most of it is concerned, even a bicycle . You definitely need a helmet but you also need a few more things as well. Plan on wearing pads that protect your knees and elbows. It's also a good idea to wear some wrist guards because if you do fall off, the first thing you're likely to do is throw your hands out to try to support yourself and you don't want to end up breaking your wrist.

One thing that most people don't think about is a tailbone protector but it's important to wear something that can protect you because you might otherwise end up with a very sore tailbone, especially when you're learning how to ride and you're falling off every time you turn around.

There you have it, that's everything you need to safely ride a hoverboard. They are a lot of fun but they can be dangerous, just like anything else that’s not properly used. Remember that skateboards and bicycles can be dangerous, too. It's all about learning how to use it properly and using common sense when you ride. Take things slowly and you'll learn how to enjoy your hoverboard without ending up with a lot of broken bones in the process.