My friend Jose and I had a rad conversation today about why it seems tricks elude us at times. We came to the conclusion that since we are now both old men trying to stick with this thing we love that there are a lot of factors in play for the reasons we cannot do the tricks we want to do, but one stands out among the rest...
Have you ever had that feeling of setting up for a trick, getting ready mentally, wanting so bad to not over-think it, then not doing it and just rolling away? It's like you wanted to do it when you first started pushing your skateboard but in the split seconds that passed before you executed your trick you give up. Know what I'm talking about? You lose momentum - emotionally/mentally. I'm not sure if it is a mental game or an emotional one - who knows which one skateboarding is? Anyway, it's like you don't even want to try. You just give up. Quit.
Some time back I was playing a game of S.K.A.T.E. with a friend of mine and he does a Blunt Fakie in the pocket on this 5 foot tall quarterpipe. I've done blunts long before this kid stepped foot on a skateboard, but since it was on a quarter pipe a little too big for me to be comfortable with I just wasn't into doing it and I was going to just take the letter. Next thing I know he forgets the game and tells me I have to do the blunt. I have to. It's no longer about the game but about the fact he knows I can do the trick and he knows I just don't want to try. It took a few tries and a lot of encouraging from the other kids around the park but I finally did it. But here's the thing. The thing that I don't understand is that since I felt forced to do it it didn't feel good when I finally landed it. What is that? Why did I feel that way? For now I have to call it "self rebellion". That's the only phrase I can come up with that explains it in a nutshell.
In the attached photo you can see my buddy Evan doesn't quite have this problem. It took him about 10 good tries to get this Front Blunt, maybe less. This is the one he rolled away from. He really wanted it. You could tell. He's young. He just doesn't get it yet... or am I the one that doesn't get it?
1 comment:
Dude I remember that day. One problem with your theory though, if you are as passionate about skateboarding as you claim, then you should have been more than satisfied with overcoming such an obstacle. Of course it's not as sweet when one motivates them self, but at the same time, it is a great feeling of accomplishment to overcome your fear. Last time I was forced to do a trick it felt great, because my fear had been overcome. Isn't it great that once you break open that gate, you get a flood of inspiration to go bigger and do better? I know I love the feeling. Anyone else want to get in on this?
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