Erin Riffel wrote:Questions about pumping:
1) can you pump the board in a straight line or does it always have to be turning?
2)trucks - how tight - does it matter much?
3) camber in the board - does it help or hinder?
4)tips to help in learning and practicing this technique?
Please enlighten me.
thanks
Hello Erin,
Thanks for asking the question, I think you are in a good spot to extract information from a skilled set of skateboarders.
I'll try to answer your questions in number. It's early, so I will probably get to only a couple before I have to go to work. I will answer all of them eventually.
1) can you pump the board in a straight line or does it always have to be turning?
ANSWER: Yes, you can pump the board in a straight line. This is not a typical response for standard slalom disciplines though. It's more in a downhill giant slalom mode. Here in Arizona, we have hills, BIG hills, all sorts of twists and turns, level spots and short ups and long downs. If I am in a tuck, and there is a level section and then a big downhill grade after, I will slightly lift from my tuck before the break down and then compress on the downslope. This keeps me "weighted" as I pass the break in the hill instead of getting "light" and it keeps me conected to the road. I have tried and tried to "weight and un-weight" in many different fashions and to put it plainly, the best that I can come up with to increase speed in a straight line is to simply tuck tight, find the most aerodynamic position and then STICK TO IT given everything is uniform. More information can be found in ski racing books.
2)trucks - how tight - does it matter much?
ANSWER: As tight as possible to a certain degree. The Carrasco's taught me to tighten my back truck first and to "tighten" my stomach muscles as I "jab" the board with pumping motion. I use a Seismic up front and a TTC in the back. This is an awesome combo. I got the suggestion from Gilmour and Kirby, two very knowledgable racers along with the Carrasco's. The faster that you can go, the tighter the trucks can be, back more tight and just how tight is a personal choice depending on your comfort level in turning at speed.
3) camber in the board - does it help or hinder?
ANSWER: It helps if the board has flex. A board with ROCKER ala the old Z-Flex's with NO FLEX are really good pumping boards. My Roe "Unlimited" with it's camber and stiff flex is my absolutely favorite pumping board set up with the before mentioned truck set up. I have made some goofy boards that looked really weird but you could really extract speed from them to a certain degree. A 36" flat board with Bennetts, Road Rider 6's up front, 4's in back, trucks so loose you could shake them rattle silly. That board would "SLASH PUMP" and was awesome for surfing the sidewalk or bank surfing. Another was a 27" Z-Flex rocker will very little flex, split axle Gullwings and Road Rider 4's. That board I could get up to a comfortable speed quickly and maintain it all day. My Roe is my favorite of all time though, great board.
4)tips to help in learning and practicing this technique?
Please enlighten me.
thanks
ANSWER:
Practice with what you have. There is nothing better than having a mentor to coach you. Find someone here at this web site to help as you have done or are doing.
Practice Listen to them when they tell you tips for your own technique. Ski racing books can help, goto the library or a used book store and search around.
Practice Watch a race. Buy "This is NOT Skateboarding" the video or some of K.Mollica's racing video's and attend races in your area.
Practice Be pro-active here and at other slalom skateboard web sites.
Practice Let us know what sort of board set up you have. Some board set ups will steal your energy, hopefully you are in the ball park.
Practice Take Dan Gesmer's article and study it, check Wesley's response, there is good technique tips in his answer.
Practice
Looks like I got to them all. Sorry about being so sharp with you before. I have been personally "thrashed online" so much lately that I am a little edgy. You are really seeking it, not rattling my cage and again, I apologize.
When you get up to speed, bring back that knowledge you have learned and share it here with us will you?
adam