Second Sunday Skateboard Session Episode 6, 7, and 8 - Shuv-its On Lock (Pretty Much)

TET - Heel Flip attempt Episode 8.

As I near the end of filming my ten part series, Second Sundy Skateboard Sessions, I'm feeling pretty good about my skating generally.

Filming the series has given me a focus, schedule, and a goal, so that when I do skate I'm not randomly riding around doing not much... and getting bored, or just half arsing attempting to learn my tricks.

If you're a solo skater like me - especially if you're learning or relearning - I'd recommend this approach. Even filming your progress. Though you don't have to publicly bore the internet like me if you've got the same 'resting lack of enthusiasm' demeanor I have.

Just having the video footage to compare, and to watch in slow mo to see what you're doing wrong or right is useful. 

If you're not familiar with me or my ten part series of Second Sunday Skateboard sessions, I'm attempting to master all seven basic skateboarding tricks in Braille Skateboarding's Skateboarding Made Simple Volume One, over twenty weeks (or ten fortnights). 

Each episode is a short Sunday check in to show where I'm at after each two week period of practicing. Generally I aim for at least an hour practice session every second day if weather or my work schedule permits. These are the links to Episode One, Episode Two, and Three to Five should you feel the need to see where I started. 

I'm not a complete newbie, having been a relatively hardcore skater through the late eighties and early nineties, however I was mostly a mini ramp and curb skater, and never really maintained my skills beyond riding and ollies. 

Read my previous posts for more of my skateboarding background. I was neve good enough to be pro, or even win a competition, and never wanted to really. It was just fun for me. 

As someone who just turned 55, I'm very grateful that I can ride a skateboard, and learning tricks is still a very viable option for me. If you're just curious to see where I'm at, Episode 8 is the best episode of these three. I'll understand if you skip straight to it.

Episode 6 - More Consistent Pop Shuv-its

Although this video was more of an exercise in just keeping my commitment to series it may well be a bit of a turning point for my Pop Shuv-its. I was able to land stationary ones more consistently and even landed a few moving, albeit, just barely moving.

I also had another small breakthrough with my heel flips in that I picked up a tip through the week that kicking more forward than forward to the side is the better approach. This proved to be good advice for kickflips too, and I found I wasn't accidentally over flipping them this session.  

Episode 7 - Pop Shuv-its Unlocked

Continuing on from the previous episode, I had been so busy through the week with other things, not only had I not had time to get in any practice sessions (well I did get maybe one or two?), I wasn't even sure it was the second Sunday I was supposed to record.

Turns out it was, and despite not a lot of practice this was a really good session in that I demonstrated fairly consistent landing of my Pop Shuv-its, both stationary and moving.

Beyond that I wasn't actually having a great session, as I'd left it late in the day and was trying to get through everything before the sun went down. You'll notice I was having a bit of a battle with the automatic light exposure on my phone camera until I discovered the button in the app that locks the exposure level.

Episode 8 - Bonus Trick Clips at the End

Still a very busy fortnight with only one practice session between videos. However, it was great weather this particular Sunday, and I got a good start with my session earlier in the day, before lunchtime.

In the end it turned out to be my best session yet with improved backside 180 ollies, and frontside shuv-it attempts. I also landed every pop shuv-it I tried.

While my heel flips have kind of gone backwards, my kickflips were back on track. I didn't accidentally double or over spin any, and I got close to getting both my feet back on top of the board, even if I would've landed tail down and technically not a land.

After my routine of running through the seven basic tricks, I filmed me attempting some other flat ground tricks I can do or have attempted in the past with marginal success, just so you can see I actually do know a few more things than just the basics I've been trying each second Sunday.

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Generally, by episode eight I've been feeling good about my skating because I am seeing some progress. Unfortunately we're heading into Winter in Australia. With the daylight already shorter thanks to daylight saving, and now cold rainy weather, finding time to practice is really a challenge. 

I will definitely do my best to keep going though.