Thank you for wording it differently - The motion can be explained in so many different ways so I think that will be helpful to others! And yes, turns out having a super wide stance makes things very uncomfortable, even when trying to demonstrate it for this video 😂 Happy to help, super glad you found it useful.

That’s awesome, freeskating families are the best 😆 Jack (in the video) comes from one!

Your dad has one cool kid.

@@Neventual Thanks :) I’ve been Freeskating for quite a while now and he’s always been interested in it and about a week ago he finally had a go on them and now he wants to buy his own pair

Awesome!! Remember to practice rolling in a straight line down a decline - pumping is a lot easier to practice once you have a bit of balance. Good luck to you!

Excited to hear about your progress!! We’re always here if you need pointers ☺️

Thanks! It’s an issue that seems to be very common the more we teach - Glad you were able to figure that out!

Thanks! Tried to touch up on a bit of everything, so I’m hoping this vid helps beginners for years to come. There’s always something to elaborate on, so let me know if there’s anything that needs more context!

​@@jmkride So one thing I still wonder is the sort of delayed S motion (1 skate follows the other with a delay) vs the X motion (both skates cross) when pumping. hopefully that makes sense. The S motion seems more natural and flowy, but i feel like I tire out quicker doing that motion. The X motion on the other hand feels more stiff and doesn't look as impressive but I feel like for long commutes it's a lot less fatiguing. When i do it i generally have almost a bouncing motion with each stride. IDK if there are actually different pros and cons to these styles or if I'm just slightly inefficient in one. Also for the S motion I'm more likely to involve my hips and sometimes torso lean as well. Which i guess that probably what's to blame for the fatigue. But in my mind it seems like this is supposed to be the ideal pump (maybe minus the torso sway). In short I guess I would be interested in a video that show and explains pros and cons of different pump methods. I'm thinking there might be 3 atm, the s, x and what i would call over the top s which looks really cool but really is just making really exaggerated movements to look impressive so it actually just tires you out. Maybe there are more I'm not thinking of. Even if there is a clear ideal method of pumping that everyone should be working towards, pointing out the others might be useful and interesting.

​​@@mattecrystal6403X motion is good for speeding up and keeping speed on surfaces that are mostly level. It minimizes fatigue so long as you aren't fighting gravity or the surface texture, i.e. bricks or walkways with lots of cracks. S motion relies heavily on leaning. It's all about redirecting the force of "falling" (the pull of gravity) back into your legs and ankles to give your skates that extra forward momentum. When done right, your legs do a lot less work and your abdomen does a bit more. This is great for speeding up quick, climbing steeper inclines, and overcoming challenging surfaces. The "exaggerated S motion" you mentioned is actually great for slowing down on downhill stretches. Each of the sharp turns strips a bit of your momentum away. You can also effectively make this a pump, but it's more for fun and not as effective as standard S motion. :)

You got this! Trust the process and you will get it for sure!

1 tip. Keep practicing! the inner thigh burn will dissipate as you continue to build those muscles. Then, working on the movement will come easier.

Most similar comparison is a snakeboard.

Make a small ramp to start on, maybe going off a curb or something, to give yourself some initial speed.

Yes, that could definitely be true. Your legs, feet, and other muscles will need to build up over time. Rest assured, it will happen as long as you keep skating!

Thanks

That's what pumping is for lol

It’s an advanced pumping technique similar to snowboarding or surfing. You crouch down, lean your body off center, then push off at an angle and bring your feet back under you, like a little hop. There are good surfskate tutorials that explain it well. It’s tough on freeskates since your feet are independent, but when you get it down it’s more powerful and efficient than just using your legs.

Aaand there’s another thing we need to cover! There’s a few different ways to pump once you get the basics down, and people like Jack, Kamaboko, and Jeff are amazing examples of that. @notenoughwheels explained it pretty well - Maybe we’ll make a breakdown of pumping styles in the future. Would that be of interest? 🤔

@@jmkride I would love that!

@@jmkride Yes That would be spectacular. Theres a guy who increases his distance also by "treading" saying it doesnt use the inner thigh so much. The surfskate thing yes most resemble what i see Jeff doing, thanks

I'd love a video on that. I think I just recently have learned a treading technique where I can use my body in long pump sessions to save my legs. Would be curious to see how others are doing it.

Great! Keep us updated with your progress

I definitely could’ve elaborated more on that in this video - To achieve the trajectory/shape of the pump, there is no lean involved. Usually beginners will try leaning after coming from other rides such as longboarding, and then discover it doesn’t really work. When it comes to actually generating the momentum, as you’re now trying to do, it can help to lean the skates a bit. @notenoughwheels explained this nicely in another comment! A lot of the footage we show of experienced riders involves a lean, especially when digging into the motion more - I put this in text at 5:48 but definitely could’ve explained it more! The lean is also just a result of becoming more comfortable/relaxed/fluid on the skates. Hopefully that helps! The next step of getting speed is going to require that push/pull force mentioned towards the end of the video 👍

@@jmkride That's helpful to know, thanks for taking the time. I think I get it now.

You can for sure practice at the house. The really good riders learn how to fall with minimal impact. It can still happen, however knowing the keep your arms tucked and protect your head are always good ideas. If you look at jiu jitsu warm-ups, judo, and gymnastics, they all have great guidance on how to fall and roll.

Potentially! If you have side surfing down on roller skates, it might actually translate very well. I find it just depends on the person 👍

Ok thanks

Great insight! Thanks for sharing that