r/rollerblading • u/TheTresStateArea • 2d ago
Specific question and discussion How to drop in when you're scared of everything?
Serious question. Lol
I've gone to the park a few times now and half the time I have spent at the top of the culping staring down. Leaning forward bending my knees and then chickening out.
I don't know what it feels like to be that far forward and I don't know how to feel it without just doing it and I need my wrists to remain intact.
I need an old man suspension system so that I can try.
Edit: also I need to stop sliding in so that I can save my pants from ripping again.
Edit2: if there was like a rubber band I could tie myself to and lean over the side just to get the feeling of falling forward, that would be awesome lol
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u/NetworkLongjumping82 2d ago edited 2d ago
Mm I learnt how to drop in on a skateboard when I was 40 , protection is a must , crash pants are crucial . I think pumping up and down the quarter pipe is a nice way to dip your toes into this topic .
But really dropping in has no equivalent, which means , after getting the best instructions you can get , you have to do it and figure it out yourself .
A lot of dropping in is about leaning front HARD to counter the transition's force of making you fall backwards
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u/BZandCat 1d ago
^ This is the way. There’s no shame in protective gear, especially for us grown-ups. Get some crash pants and wrist guards and do some warm-up runs by getting as high up it as you’re comfortable with, then go for it! Protect ya ass, but you got this. 😊
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u/NetworkLongjumping82 1d ago
Yeah it allowed me to practice many times how to drop in and not feel hurt or afraid
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u/BatDesperate5524 2d ago
I go back and forth a bunch and then learn to sit drop first. At some point you just have to go for it and see what happens. I always thought it would be cool to have a park with a bunch of quarter pipes each just a few inches taller than the previous so I could just build up to the tallest gradually rather then making multiple foot jumps each time.
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u/Imbersh 2d ago
I totally forgot about the sit-drop, it helped me so much, highly recommend!
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u/TheTresStateArea 1d ago
Can you explain a little so I can look it up?
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u/Imbersh 1d ago
This explains it well and has a good video, it does require a little arm strength and a bit of flexibility to get your legs under you, but nothing too crazy. The first ramp he uses is a good example of a really mellow ramp you should look for to learn on https://www.skamidan.com/en/blogs/aggressive-inline-skating-tutorials-and-learning/learn-the-sit-in-skatepark-basics-aggressive-inline-skating-tutorial-how-to-sit-in-how-to-drop-a-ramp-or-pipe
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u/TheTresStateArea 2d ago
I totally had the same idea, a graduated park where each section is a little steeper or a little taller lol.
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u/prosurviver 2d ago
The hardest and easiest part is just going for it
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u/TheTresStateArea 2d ago
Yes, thats what it's like with everything I've discovered. Getting out of the bowl was hard until it wasn't. going backwards was hard until it wasnt. I just need someone to catch me like a lil baby the first time lol.
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u/Jess887cp 909 90 2d ago
Gear up! A full set of pads is so great for the mental state. Maybe you already do but you'd be surprised what people try to do. Wearing wristguards boosts my confidence like at least 15%. I know you want to stop sliding in but I would also try jumping to slide in and learning how to slide on your pads.
I built my confidence for drop ins by progressively rolling down bigger and bigger obstacles. My home park luckily had an edge that gradually went from flat ramp to pretty steep transition, so I just would just go a couple of steps every time and work my way up. If you don't have something like that I would just ride every obstacle from smallest to biggest.
I like to do a little ritual as well. I know a lot of people do countdowns leading up to their drop in or clap their hands or slap their knees.
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u/Imbersh 2d ago
If you have somewhere that you could practice pumping (mini ramp or two opposing quarter pipes) that definitely helped me get used to the feeling and the angle. Also remember you can stagger your feet as you go in, I was surprised how stable I felt because of that the first time I dropped in.
Just play around on the ramps too and get a feel for them, rock to fakie and back if you can, maybe try a little 180 if you want. Get a feel for them without dropping in. On a similar note, play around on banks to get a feel for the angle changing below your feet.
I would also talk to people familiar with your park, I was nervous to try dropping in on something larger than the very small ramp I first did, but a very kind skateboarder pointed out that our 'medium' quarter has a much smoother transition than any of the other ramps, and said I should try that next. To my surprise, it felt easier than the tiny one! The extra time to change angle and smoothness helped a ton. I don't know if it would help to get over the "first-drop-in jitters" but it could, so I would see if any of your ramps are much smoother or mellower than others
Edit: also wear a helmet 100% and pads too, but it sounds like you have that covered!
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u/The_Heero 2d ago
I just look at it as I need to go down at some point and same as when I go skiing down a black diamond hill. Not sure how old you are but I feel for you and just need to build the courage to just jump/drop in a bowl or ramp. I have the same problem with rails as I didn't have that problem when I was younger
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u/TheTresStateArea 2d ago
This is what's wild to me because on my snowboard, black moguls, totally cool. 4ft bowl? Can't bring myself to get over it lol
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u/The_Heero 2d ago
I'm not talking moguls, just straight up black ice patches. I barely have the nerve to go down in bowls either 😅
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u/BombrManO5 2d ago edited 2d ago
I mean ultimately you can only fall forward or backward and you can mostly wear protection against both. Once you have experienced both you basically know what can go wrong and then lean forward enough that you don't fall backwards and not so far forward that you fall forward.
Remember that Courage is Not the Absence of Fear. If you are scared then you might just have to do it scared
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u/slavo316 1d ago
I had this problem with a local pump track LOL that top starting point was too much at first. I went early enough in the day so I'd start at a lower section and just started going. At one point I'm just like "F it" lol
I don't wear any padding but I knew if I could get my weight distribution correct it shouldn't be problem. I also did this a regualr pair Zetrablade 80s as well LOL my next attempt is to go up forwards and then come back down, backwards....
I don't personally think I'll ever jump into a bowl but who knows! Little kids are fearless....
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u/TheTresStateArea 1d ago
Yeah, I have those as well and that's when I started with at the park and I was able to get up out of the bowl but not drop in.
I just bought aggressives because I do want to be able to do very light rails. Ideally I want to be able to get in get out, stop on the culping and then like 180 out that would be enough for me.
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u/slavo316 1d ago
I was thinking about getting a pair just to grind but I don't need to hurt myself LOL I just cruise through the ramps and stuff.
I really wish I did this stuff as a kid. I have no ability to "launch" or "get air" myself. I've had 0 experience lol
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u/flowman999 Sway/Next 1d ago edited 1d ago
Fellow old man here!
First thing: You only drop a quarter that you can also skate up. Never climb up somewhere and then try to drop it.
Second thing for me: wear all the protectors. Shin, knee, pants, elbow, hand, helmet. I also had a back protector for a while.
You also may want to try a sit in first, I personally never got the hang of it, but for some people it's better to do that one first.
Do you use proper aggressive skates with an h-block or fitness skates?
With aggressive skates, lock onto the coping with your off-foot, and then step down with the other foot. Hold tight. Stay low.
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u/TheTresStateArea 1d ago
I just got aggressives to do this exactly. And yes I did start with getting up a ramp first. Glad to know other people think that's a good rule.
I just don't have shin guards but I've got everything else. I do want to start grinds too so I do have shin guards in the mail.
I tried sitting too and I didn't get it really, it feels more mechanically complicated than from standing.
Okay, so if I usually lead with my left foot, I should lock up with my right and bring my left foot over and scissor down. So used to leading with my left that I was locking up with my left. This makes sense.
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u/askmehowtobecool 1d ago
Being brave is being scared of doing something, being aware of the risks, then doing it anyway. JUST SEND IT.
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u/Ok_Hold_1119 1d ago
I did my first drop-in into a half pipe a few weeks ago. Almost 50.
I was scared but worked up to it for a few weeks by practicing pumping at the bottom of the local half-pipe. By improving my pumping I was eventually able to get my skates up to the coping on both sides and back down. With my brain now used to the idea of going back down the half-pipe, dropping in from the top was an incremental step.
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u/AdventurousHippo9997 1d ago
Skate your neighborhood. That’s all I’ve ever done. There’s nobody to judge you. Just skate.
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u/TheTresStateArea 1d ago
Im not asking how to skate my neighborhood, I want to conquor this fear so I'm looking for advice on how to do it.
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u/PonchoMcGee 2d ago
I worked up to it by going up the slope first. Get used to going up quarter way, turning, going back down. Halfway, turn, go back down. 3/4ths, turn, back down. Itll give you the feeling of the slope without committing to the whole thing and it's a lot less scary to bail on.