Learning to Drop In

I’ve come quite a ways since purchasing my Arbor Hybrid
back in April.  When I first received that board I struggled to stay relaxed while kicking around a block or two or maintaining balance while bombing pretty low grade hills.

When I first started  skating the park at Wilson in May it was on the Arbor.  And, while the Arbor was essential for giving me the courage and stability to get back into skating after almost 20 years, it was not long before the extended wheelbase, higher lift, and length between trucks became in impediment to both the speed and agility required for any serious bowl riding.

I purchased the Powell-Peralta reissue of the Ray Barbee Death Angel
board with Independent Trucks
and Rat Bones wheels from Skates on Haight.  While some will still write this board off as too big, it’s the perfect size and weight for my body type at 6′ 235lbs.

So now 3 months after I was too intimidated to even ride down an access ramp at Wilson I’m now successfully dropping in on some of the smaller spots.

I read several articles on how to drop in, including one that recommended that I get low enough to grab the nose of my board.  While this is an interesting way to limit the height you might fall when you inevitably screw up your first dozen or so drop-ins this technique actually makes dropping in harder.  What I found was that if you are already that low, with your knees pretty much fully bent you have nothing left to absorb the impact of grade changes.  If you have nothing to absorb your energy when you come off the vert, then you will absorb that energy into your entire frame and find yourself cozy with the cement as a result.

Skateboarding, more than anything, is the artful meneuvering of energy in service of balance.

There’s a few things I’ve found that need to be considered when dropping in and, if you do these, you should be able to get the hang of it with a little determination:

Wear pads.  Helmet, knee, elbow and wrist.
When I was younger my pride kept me from properly protecting myself.  Now that I’m a bit older, and am keenly aware that a bad spill could be both painful and expensive, I take umbrage when I see someone NOT wearing pads. 

To me there’s nothing cool about someone unable to realize all the potential results of an experiment they are undertaking.  For example, when I see some weekend warrior buzzing around the city or on the highway on his motorcycle wearing shorts and sandals I don’t think that guy looks cool, at all.  To me that level disconnect from the events one is participating in is a time tested tell offering a clear indication that you are observing an idiot in action.

What is cool is someone who relishes the thrill of a good risk and takes considered steps in order to prolong their ability of enjoying new and more exciting risks.  And, let’s be honest here, if you have really considered all possible outcomes of dropping in a dry pool on a skateboard, you’ll be wearing your pads, hotshot.

Start at a spot that has a small amount of vert and a longer roll out.
There appear to be three predominant events involved in the drop in: the drop, the transition, and the recovery.  With the exception of the drop you want to prolong the events as much as possible while you are learning.  The longer your transition and the more time you have to get your act back together before approaching a new change (ie. the other side of the pipe) the better off you’ll be and the more energy you’ll have to focus on what you are learning.

You always want at least a little vert to practice dropping in on.  Some people will recommend practicing on less severe grades and building up to vert, but, in my experience, it’s much harder to stomp your board with a softer grade and, also, the coping tends to lock your wheels and keep you from rolling before you are ready.

As you learn gradually increase the vert and decrease the transition.

Stomp the board.
Probably the most important part of dropping in is stomping the board.  Where most failures occur while dropping in is in a reluctance to adequately stomp the nose down.  Failure to stomp will keep too much weight back, make your nose kick up, insuring that you will fall backwards.

The best method I have found to insure I stomp down enough is to first look at the front of my board where I want my foot to go.  Once my foot makes contact I then look past the board and keep my eyes locked on the cement where my front wheels must connect in order to successfully drop in.

The commitment to fully move all of your body’s energy forward enough to successfully drop in is the greatest challenge dropping in presents.  A failure to commit is the #1 reason people are unable to properly drop in and thus, properly enjoy all the treasures that a skateboard and an empty pool can bring you.

Surrender.
The hardest part of dropping in is overcoming the mental hurdles it provides.  The longer you stand at the top of the pool and stare down at the bottom the harder it’s going to be to succeed.  Nothing you are doing while dropping in is any more difficult or more challenging than what you can and already do, it’s simply that the mechanics you know are now being applied to a more dramatic and ultimately more satisfying stage.

Once you master your mind well enough to properly surrender to the task at hand, you will find dropping in opening up a whole new world of possibilities for you to explore on your skateboard.  Enjoy it.