Skateboarding

Skateboarding is riding a skateboard, a short deck on four wheels, and using it to roll, carve, jump and do tricks. You push with one foot, steer by leaning and use ramps, rails and kerbs to get creative. It started when surfers in California wanted to surf on land, grew into a whole culture of music, art and style, and is now an Olympic sport.

The deck is the board, usually layered maple, with a kicktail at each end for popping tricks.

Grip tape is the sandpaper-like top that keeps your feet planted. Not great for knuckles.

The trucks are the metal axles that pivot when you lean, which is how you turn.

The wheels are polyurethane. Soft wheels roll smoothly over rough ground, while harder ones suit skateparks and slides.

Bearings sit inside the wheels so they spin smoothly. Keep them out of puddles.

Street skating turns everyday things like steps, ledges and handrails into obstacles. Park skating happens in skateparks, on bowls, mini ramps and halfpipes. Vert is the big stuff, on ramps with walls that go straight up at the top. Cruising and longboarding are more laid-back, all smooth rolling and carving, ideal if you'd rather glide than grind.

Helmet and pads on first, with knees, elbows and wrists all covered. Then your Activity Leader helps you work out your stance: regular (left foot forward) or goofy (right foot forward). You'll practise pushing, rolling, turning and stopping, plus the underrated art of falling well. Feeling brave? Kick turns and dropping in on a small ramp are next. Everyone starts wobbly, so you're in good company.

Good news: it's never too late. Adults bring patience and a healthy respect for gravity, which helps more than you'd think. Every trick takes lots of attempts, so the wins feel properly earned, and skaters are known for cheering people on, whatever their level. Your knees may have opinions. Your inner teenager will be thrilled.

Trainers with flat, grippy soles, so your feet stick to the grip tape. Comfortable clothes you can bend and move in, ideally long trousers. Save the flip-flops for the campsite.

You might also like Mountainboarding, Freestyle Gymnastics and Slackline.

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