I woke up at 5 AM, eager to get out the door. The day had finally come. The New York City skate trip that my friends and I had been planning for months had arrived. After meeting my friends, we all threw our boards and bags of choice in the van and started the 12-hour drive. It wasn’t the classiest setup. The seating arrangement lacked any personal space and had no AC in the middle of the summer. But most crucially, it got us from A to B.
Over the course of just a week, we visited numerous skate parks, street spots, and attractions. Not to mention how fun it is to be with your friends, striving to improve at a common passion. Compared to Nashville, New York had so many parks and spots that it felt virtually infinite.
Over the years, I have been on several of these fun adventures. I have improved faster than in any other skating experiences I have had on these trips, for several reasons.
Constant Exposure to New Spots and Challenges
Skating your hometown spots and parks is awesome. But inevitably, you will build stubborn habits that can limit your potential if you’re only skating in certain places. If you’re like me, you have certain runs and tricks that you always do every session. Unless you’re making a conscious effort to avoid this outcome, you can quickly put yourself in a box.
Skate trips force you to break all of your routines and habits. One of the largest reasons you can improve so fast is the unfamiliar spots, obstacles, and difficulties you will encounter on the road. If you come from a skate-friendly city, parks may have the same obstacles you’re familiar with. However, the flat bar may be a different height, the ground may have a different texture, and the design may have a different flow. It is these small differences that give you no other option than to change your approach.
Street skating in a new city is where the real growth happens. Skating in the streets removes the comfort and predictability enjoyed in a park. Being in a city you’re unfamiliar with multiplies this factor and forces you to adapt. You will surely encounter spots completely unlike the ones in your hometown.
More Skating and Less Distractions
No matter what trick you want to learn or video project you’re working on, the only way to achieve results is time. While certain tricks may come naturally, others will require hours and hours of repetition and practice. At home, you have obligations, work, and other matters that consume your time and attention. Skate trips offer a break from daily stressors and a free pass to focus solely on one thing. I have found that learning tricks I struggle with comes much easier on skate trips. Even if you don’t notice it in the moment, you will come home with a bigger bag of tricks.
The environment a skate trip provides also does wonders for your mindset. I have often used the phrase, “skating is 60% mental and 40% physical”. Yes, muscle memory, strength, and your physical state are important to nurture and improve. At the same time, I have noticed that the mindset I lead each session with is an accurate predictor of my performance. Skating is an inherently arduous and taxing activity. It’s extremely easy to become frustrated over time with your progress. Especially so if you are pouring in the hours but still not reaching your goals. If you have been feeling stuck in your skating, which many often do, a fun skate trip can boost you out of a rut.
Motivation From Your Crew
To make improvements in skating, pushing what you’re comfortable with is part of the process. Maybe you’d like to commit to a new rail trick or attempt a new flip trick on a gap. This isn’t easy to do on your own. One of the best parts of a skate trip is that your friends are there to help. I know I have been motivated by my crew to try things I would’ve never done solo.
Not only can your friends provide motivation, but also provide insights. Unless you are one of those guys who can do everything, most skaters have certain tricks they are experts at. Traveling as a group has the advantage of having many different styles and trick selections to take inspiration from. Even just watching your friends hit new, unfamiliar spots can help you progress in ways you never imagined.
Building Endurance
Perhaps the most obvious benefit of skate trips is the sheer amount of exercise you’re putting your body through. Especially if your friends have the “go go go” mentality that mine do, you will be spending a lot of hours on your board. Your body will be forced to adapt to these new circumstances, and you will notice a large improvement in your endurance. Long, strenuous sessions will strengthen the specific muscles that skating requires.
That being said, listening to your body and preparing adequately is important. Having a solid stretch routine, eating nutritious food, and staying on top of a sleep schedule will help immensely. A pro tip I learned for long skate trips is to avoid cotton socks. Investing in some nicer socks designed for marathons will keep you comfortable and blister-free. Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way on my last trip.
Pressure to Land Tricks Quickly
Being on a skate trip means you’re constantly moving from spot to spot. This adds more pressure to commit faster, or you may never get that clip you’ve always wanted. This pressure is especially high if you are working on a video project.
Meeting New Skaters
Traveling to an unfamiliar city is a great opportunity to meet new skaters. When I was studying abroad, I had the opportunity to take a solo skate trip to Barcelona. Even with a language barrier, I felt connected to the people I met through the passion we shared. This trip opened my eyes to how diverse the world of skateboarding really is. The people I met were always friendly and helped me learn several of the staple tricks I do now.
As I’ve explained, there are so many reasons to go on a skate trip. Most importantly, they’ll create some fond memories to look back on. I highly recommend you try it if you haven’t before.
Have you watched my full cab tutorial? Watch it here.
