MAINTENANCE TIPS
Remember Crew! You must remain healthy with all your parts working at optimum efficiency ( and in the right places) to be a "Master " skater! A Pro skater always wears protective gear and skates responsibly at his own true skill level!
Make sure that you have control of your board and gravity and that this nasty little force of nature does not control you. Be sure you can control your speed and your turns and know how to brake and stop quickly before you go on to higher level maneuvers. And oh yeah, DO NOT SKATE IN THE STREET!
Another safety point is board maintenance. You should check your board often and know it well. Keep an eye out for loose or broken parts. You should always have a skate tool with you to solve these problems when you are skating.
Look for sharp edges and separation in your board, BOTH are dangerous. Presure cracks eventually appear around the harware holes which may affect your board's "pop"
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Also watch for cracks in your wheels which may develop over time due to stress and age. "Fresh" wheels offer greater grip and control after a short break-in period.
Many skaters underestimate the importance of firm, fresh, crack free bushings. Your bushings take tons of pressure and stress and should be changed often ( pivot cups also, depending on what trucks you have).
Smooth bearings are also important to the smooth execution of tricks ( particularly on ramp maneuvers). A bumpy or "glitchy" bearing or even a bearing that rubs or has a bit too much friction (due to a lack of lubrication OR excess wear) can HIGHLY effect your ability to improve!
Skating with worn grip tape is another maintenance issue and can also be more dangerous than you think, so be sure to change it regularly also!
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