HOME >> HELP >> DROPPING IN

Before you try dropping in, you must always make sure that you can reach the top of the coping by pumping from the bottom. Also, the initial fear of looking down at three meters of half-pipe will take some getting used to, but in this tutorial I will try to help you overcome this fear.

The technique is simple. As you stand on top of the half-pipe, put the coping (the metal pipe at the top of the half-pipe) in between the middle two wheels of your skates. To drop in, bend down towards your toes. Gravity will pull you in, and stagger one foot slightly in front of the other (like when you pump) as you enter the ramp. As you get better you can bring your feet together, but for now keep them apart for balance. A common mistake in dropping in is straightening out too quickly. The solution is to remember to lean forward to pump as you glide down the transition. If you try and stand up too quickly, you will fall on your butt, but if you keep leaning forward you shouldn't hurt yourself. You can still pump, but just lean forward a bit.

To overcome the fear of first dropping in, the best idea is to find a mini-ramp (a 'mini' half-pipe), and drop in on that. That way, you won't hurt yourself as bad if something goes wrong. You can't stand up there and think about it - you just have to do it. After you do it once, you will wonder what all the fuss was about. If you don't drop in, you will keep building up negative vibes, and will completely psyche yourself out. If this happens, go and do something else and come back later.

BACKWARDS DROP-IN:

For this, you really have to be comfortable with going down the ramp backwards, just as you would in pumping. If you can reach the coping with the pump and go back down again backwards, you are half-way there.

Stand facing away from the ramp with the coping in between the middle two wheels. Lean backwards just a bit, and bend at the waist as if you were going to touch your toes. Now push your butt out, so that gravity pulls you in. This will get you rolling in backwards. Keep your feet apart wide for balance, and firm so you don't fall. To stop yourself face-planting, you have to keep leaning back because you are going in backwards (if you go in forwards you lean forwards).

The backwards drop in will take a bit more time than the normal one because you have to overcome the fear of doing things blindly. A general tip for dropping in first time is to wear as many pads as possible. Heck, you may even want to stick a pillow down your shorts/jeans to protect the family assets! Just make sure noone is looking or they'll laugh!

By Nick Habibi