Pumping

Pumping on a Skateboard - Keeping speed on a ramp or halfpipe. Pushing or rolling on a transition.

To skate a halfpipe you will need enough speed to keep going from wall to wall on the ramp. To generate the speed needed you pump the transition. You push off the ground into the ramp in a sort of jumping motion. On the way back down the ramp fakie you push off the wall of the transition. In bowl skating you pump while carving.

The motion feels like you are pushing off the wall. It gets you going pretty quick. It’s pretty fun to get rolling super fast in a ramp from trick to trick.

Learning how to pump is what enables you to actually skate a ramp. It allows you to control your speed and that is really important.

Tricks you need to know

Getting on and off the skateboard, pushing on a skateboard, Good balance while rolling on a skateboard. Fakie or rolling backwards on a skateboard.

Things to know

To start rolling on the ramp you need to push a few times, get on and roll up the ramp.

This sounds simple but it isn't. The first time you try it there are so many new things going on that most skaters fall off before they even get rolling.

I have seen this happen a hundred times. The skater will put there board down at the very bottom of the ramp, where the curve meets the ground. They hop on their board ready to go up the ramp.
They then push up the ramp.
Then just stand there stiff as a board not rolling at all.
You can't start by pushing up anything. You have to roll into it. Most people miss out of a few major things you need to know to skateboard. Set-up time and judging speed.

Judging the speed it takes to do a trick and the time it will take to get set-up to do it are major keys to any skateboarding. They are essential to everything you do on a skateboard.

They always get missed because they can't be seen like other tricks are. Judging speed and set-up are steps that all skaters take but you don't easily see it happening.

Pumping the ramp to Fakie

When starting to pump a ramp you will need:

  • Time to get rolling and set-up standing on the skateboard.
  • Speed to get up onto the ramp

The goal is to roll up into the middle area of the ramp and then roll back down fakie.

To get going stand on flat ground in front of the ramp with at least 10'[3m] between you and the ramp. Take up to 20'[6m] if you can. If the flat bottom of the halpipe or bowl is not that long then get as much space as you can between you and the ramp.

This may seem like a large distance but you will need the space to get set up once you are rolling.

You will need one or two good pushes for enough speed to roll to the middle of most ramps.

  • Get on and push towards the ramp.
  • Once rolling, get your feet on over the bolts.
  • Stay centered over the board with a little crouch by bending your knees.
  • Arms out for balance. Keep your back straight up with your shoulders and hips in line over your feet and board.
  • Look with your head towards the ramp and everything else squared up over the board.
  • When you get to the ramp start crouching a little more as you go up. This will keep your center low and improve your balance.
  • Once you slow to a stop you will start rolling back down. Stay on the board. It will feel weird when you stop rolling and change direction.
  • Hold it You can do it.
  • Maintain you stance and start to stand back up a little as you roll back fakie.
  • You will gain speed a bit while rolling down.
  • Stay in stance and you will be fine.
  • Once on flat you can stand up and keep rolling away.

You really need to practice this.

Practice

Roll up crouching, roll back down uncrouching.

Hammer this into your mind by practicing. Your will start to judge your speed better and better. Get higher and higher.

You will also start to feel the ramp. You will start to feel when you crouch and when to stand. Pushing away on the ramp and gaining speed in the process.

Once mastered you will be able to pump off the flat and off the transition. Gaining speed going up and coming back down.

When you can do that dropping in will be pretty easy to roll away from.

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