With skateboarding becoming increasingly popular over the years, there has also been an influx in the number of gadgets available to help people learn to skateboard. This is particularly true when it comes to learning new tricks.
It helps to have all the options at your disposal when you’re skating since the sport is all about practice. Skater trainers are a relatively new invention that helps beginners learn not to fall by providing guards for the skateboard wheels.
If you ever wondered do skater trainers work, you’re at the right place. We answer just that and share everything you need to know.
What Is a Skater Trainer?
Imagine standing on a skateboard with square wheels. You wouldn’t slide at all, would you? Skateboard trainers are essentially a small plastic box that attaches around the skateboard wheels, making it impossible for them to spin.
They’re easy to slip on and off and can even be added to longboards. Think of them as training wheels for a skateboard that is super easy to install.
Skateboarding is synonymous with bumps, slipping, and scrapes. However, the psychological fear of falling is one of the biggest challenges for newcomers.
While practicing standing up or trying to learn tricks, skateboard trainers prevent your board from rolling with you.
The main purpose of a trainer is to prevent people from falling. Kids learning to skateboard or first-time learners wanting to learn how to stand on a board can benefit from tools like this.
The main purpose of the skater trainers’ work is to help with building confidence, and they can also help first-timers learn tricks faster.
Because they help to build confidence, skate trainers can help some beginners embrace standing on a board, so eventually, they can remove their trainers and progress to proper balancing and skating.
Pros of Skate Trainers
There are a number of reasons why skater trainers can help beyond learning tricks, muscle memory, and building confidence, including:
- Beginners can stand up smoothly on the deck since they reduce rolling.
- Knowing you have a lower chance of falling helps reduce worry.
- The board will not go far if it slips away, so it is easy to retrieve.
- When practicing in a very small space, the board will not move much when you practice a trick.
- When you learn to skate on the street, you should start with basic moves such as an ollie.
Skater trainers, in general, provide greater feelings of safety, greater ease in performing a trick, and more time to focus specifically on a trick, rather than having to figure out how to balance.
It is this quick learning process that makes skater trainers appealing.
Cons of Skate Trainers
As with anything, there are also cons with skater trainers. Many skateboarders find that they hinder them rather than help them. Let’s talk about some of the cons.
- Skateboard wheels are designed to spin. If your trainer is overused, the bearings could be damaged, and you would need to purchase a replacement board sooner.
- They aren’t actually a safety device. Although they reduce worry, falls can still be severe.
- If you take the trainers off, you may lose what you gained in muscle memory.
- Trainers are often considered a crutch by advanced skateboarders who claim you are at greater risk of falling because you aren’t learning to stabilize your wheels properly.
- In order to reduce rolling, a person can tighten their wheels or practice on thick carpet, so these gadgets might not be necessary.
For some skateboarders, skater trainers have helped them learn a number of tricks, including an ollie and a kickflip. However, some find that they actually do more harm than good.
Skaters who wish to use trainers have to get over their fear of falling will eventually need to learn not to use the little gadget as a crutch.
However, falling is a part of skating. In some cases, catering to fall prevention fears rather than overcoming them directly will hinder progress in the long run.
See also: Shark Wheels Review
Do Skater Trainers Help With Learning Tricks?
Depending on your point of view, yes and no. Some people simply need the confidence boost that comes with their wheels not moving. As soon as they land a trick, they’ll take the trainers off their wheels and keep practicing.
However, some skaters, even after learning a trick with the trainers on, find balancing really hard when they actually roll and give up skating.
If you really need assistance with the basics or want to learn a new trick desperately, skater trainers are an option, but they shouldn’t be relied upon. Though they can help, they aren’t essential for learning the basics.
Do They Help or Hurt Beginners?
How effective are skateboard trainers for new skaters? In the case of skateboard tricks, the skate trainer is said to make it easier for the skater to learn the basic steps without the board slipping or rolling away.
Obviously, because the wheels are held still, they can help reduce fear and prevent slipping and falling, as well as potentially making landing easier.
However, you wouldn’t learn to ride a bike with the wheels held still; you need to be able to roll to learn. Many believe that the same goes for a skateboard and that gadgets are just a waste of money.
Do Skater Trainers Work
Overall, the biggest reason why people use skater trainers is more psychological than physical, since they provide some support and give them more confidence when they’re skating.
Skater trainers that stay fixed on the boards help beginners relax when getting on their skateboards for the first time.
In addition to preventing your skateboard from sliding out from underneath you, skater trainers also keep skateboards from rolling.
By having them in place, you’re held stationary and can go through the motions without worrying about a slip, fall, or being injured.
You should only use skater trainers to learn how to ride your board in the initial stages. Try not to get too used to using tricks with them, as this practice can actually hinder you.
Conclusion
Skater trainers can accelerate your learning curve, but regardless, if your reason for getting trainers is to improve your balance, you should be aware that there are other ways to stay stationary while you’re learning.
You could try practicing on a patch of grass or carpet to ensure that if you slip and fall, the landing will be cushioned.
All in all, skater trainers can help boost confidence, but they aren’t a miracle gadget that will suddenly have you skating like Tony Hawk.