Skateboarding is not only a way to travel from one point to another, but it’s also a form of expression. The 50 50 grind is an essential trick that involves sliding the center of your skateboard trucks along a rail or ledge.
If you’re new to skateboarding or want to master this trick, look no further – our guide will take you through step-by-step instructions on how to 50 50, common mistakes to avoid and advanced tips for improvement. Get ready for tons of practice and patience as you work your way towards mastering the 50 50 grind – a comprehensive guide awaits!
Introduction to 50 50 Grinds
The 50 50 grind is a basic skateboard trick that involves grinding on the middle of the board’s trucks. It’s popular among beginner skaters because it’s relatively easy to learn and perform, making it an ideal trick to practice when first starting out. The 50 50 grind can be done on several different obstacles such as rails, ledges, benches, and other flat surfaces.
In order to perform this trick successfully you need to make sure that your feet are placed correctly on the board and that your center of gravity is even. You also want to make sure you bend your knees slightly so that you have enough power for the trick. Once your setup is correct, slowly move forward and let yourself grind down the obstacle while keeping your balance evenly distributed.
To get more creative with this trick, try adding variations like 180 or 360 spins while grinding in order to get more air time or cover more ground while performing. Also be mindful of proper safety gear like helmets and pads when trying any tricks; such equipment will reduce the chance of sustaining any injuries from falling off the board during practice or trying more difficult tricks with greater consequence for failure.
The Benefits of Mastering 50 50 Grinds
Once you’ve perfected the 50 50 grind, your skateboarding abilities will be greatly enhanced and you’ll be able to take on many different kinds of tricks. By mastering this particular grind, you’ll also gain confidence in yourself knowing that you can pull off certain tricks without difficulty.
The 50 50 grind also brings with it a great sense of accomplishment and satisfaction from having completed a difficult trick. This will help boost your morale and can further motivate you to learn more complicated or advanced tricks down the road. Additionally, having mastered the basics like the 50 50 grind will give you a strong foundation in your skating skills and help develop better techniques for more complex maneuvers.
Aside from just improving your overall skateboarding ability and boosting self-confidence, mastering the 50 50 grind can also make it easier to link up different types of tricks together into one seamless sequence. Knowing how to balance well while grinding on obstacles means that transitioning between obstacles becomes much smoother and less likely to result in errors when trying new combinations of tricks.
Factors that may affect your ability to 50 50
Here are some of the factors that may affect your ability to 50 50:
| Factors | Short Description |
|---|---|
| Lack of balance | Inability to maintain balance while grinding. |
| Incorrect foot placement | Placing your feet in the wrong position on the board. |
| Not enough speed | Failing to build up enough speed before attempting the grind. |
| Fear of falling | Fear of injury or falling while attempting the trick. |
| Failure to commit | Not fully committing to the grind and bailing out too early. |
| Poor timing | Failing to time the trick correctly, resulting in a failed attempt. |
| Improper body position | Incorrect positioning of your body while attempting the grind. |
| Inadequate pop | Not popping your board high enough to get onto the obstacle. |
| Uneven or rough surface | The surface being uneven or rough, making it difficult to maintain balance. |
| Incorrect board angle | Placing the board at the wrong angle while attempting the grind. |
| Lack of practice | Not practicing the trick enough to master it. |
| Not using enough weight distribution | Failing to distribute your weight properly on the board. |
| Trying to ollie too high | Attempting to ollie too high, making it difficult to land the trick. |
Lack of Balance:
Without proper balance, it can be extremely difficult to grind on any type of skateboarding obstacle. Balance is an essential skill to master when trying new tricks and grinds, as it will help you remain steady while attempting more daring moves. Additionally, having a good sense of balance will make grinding easier and more efficient as you’ll be able to generate enough speed and power in order to stay on the board while grinding.
The key concepts here are weight distribution and lower center of gravity. Make sure your feet are evenly placed on either side of the board’s trucks so that you have equal weight distribution across them. This will allow for better control and balance when performing any trick. Additionally, make sure to bend your knees slightly so that your center of gravity is lower and more stable during the trick.
If you feel like you’re having difficulty with achieving proper balance at first, try practicing without an obstacle and simply focus on shifti
Incorrect Foot Placement:
Proper foot placement is critical for any skateboarding trick, but especially so for grinds. It’s important to position your feet on the board correctly in order to ensure that you can maintain proper balance and control.
To begin a 50 50 grind, make sure that both feet are parallel and close to the center rail of the obstacle, with your back foot positioned slightly ahead of the front one. Also be sure to keep your toes pointing downward and forward in order to stay stable while grinding.
Incorrect foot placement can not only disrupt balance, but it can also lead to injury. If you’re having trouble maintaining control when executing a grind, take some time to re-evaluate your stance and readjust accordingly. It might also be helpful to practice slow grinding first in order to get used to how the board interacts with the obstacle before attempting more daring tricks.
Additionally, making sure that you have enough speed going into the grind is important for successful execution as well. It’s best to approach obstacles from a slight angle rather than completely straight-on so that your momentum carries you smoothly into the grind without having to push too hard off of it afterward.
Not Enough Speed:
Having enough speed is essential for a successful grind. Without it, you won’t be able to get onto the obstacle and properly slide along its surface. When approaching an obstacle, it’s best to come at it from a slight angle rather than straight-on in order to generate enough momentum to get you grinding on the rail or ledge.
If you don’t have enough speed, you risk either not getting onto the obstacle at all or having to push off of the obstacle after you land—which can lead to dangerous falls and injuries.
It’s also important to approach obstacles with confidence and commit fully while trying to grind them. Oftentimes, skaters will hesitate or bail early due to lack of trust in their own abilities. However, hesitation oftentimes results in not having enough speed or control when executing a trick and correcting it mid-trick can be difficult.
When practicing new tricks, start small by attempting easy obstacles first so that your confidence increases as your skill level improves. This way, you’ll be more likely to commit fully and have enough speed going into your grinds without hesitation.
Fear of Falling:
Fear of falling is a natural response to skateboarding—especially when trying to execute difficult tricks. It’s normal to feel anxious or hesitant in a situation that involves risk, such as grinds. Fear of falling can make it challenging for skaters to commit fully and push themselves into the trick with enough speed and confidence.
However, fear doesn’t need to be an obstacle. Instead, it can be used as motivation to practice more and increase your skills until you reach the level needed to execute grinds confidently and successfully.
Practice on small obstacles first until you are comfortable with your stance, speed and control before attempting bigger ones. Also, keep in mind that falls are part of skateboarding — they happen even to experienced skaters — so don’t be afraid of them.
It’s also important to wear protective gear such as helmets, pads and knee/wrist guards whenever you’re skateboarding. This will give you peace of mind knowing that you’ve done everything possible to protect yourself from potential falls or injuries while trying new tricks.
Failure to Commit:
Failing to commit completely to a trick can lead to dangerous falls and even injury. When approaching an obstacle, it’s important to trust yourself and your abilities — without hesitation or fear. Commitment is essential when grinding rails, ledges and boxes as any lack of commitment can cause you to bail out midway or lose balance.
It’s also important to practice and increase your skills before attempting more difficult or technical tricks. This way, you will feel more comfortable with your stance, speed and control going into the trick which will help you commit fully without hesitation. Additionally, having enough momentum and speed before attempting a grind is key for successful completion of the trick—so be sure that you have plenty of it!
If you ever feel like something is off with your approach or stance, take a step back and reassess the situation before committing fully. Most importantly—skate safely and always wear protective gear such as helmets, pads, knee/wrist guards when skateboarding in order to protect yourself from potential injuries resulting from falls caused by lack of commitment.
Poor Timing:
Poor timing can cause a skater to miss the grind entirely or bail out midway. Timing is essential when grinding rails, ledges and boxes—if the timing is off, the trick will be unsuccessful. To ensure proper execution of a grind, the skater should approach the obstacle with precise speed and momentum as well as focus on their foot placement and angles.
A combination of practice and experience will help improve your skills over time and better prepare you for successful execution of grinds. Additionally, if you’re ever feeling uncertain about a grind or have any doubts about it, take a step back and reassess the situation before proceeding.
If there’s something off with your approach or stance, you can make adjustments accordingly before committing fully to it.
Don’t forget that skateboarding is all about having fun—so don’t worry too much about getting every single trick right each time! The more you try different tricks and push your limits, the more comfortable and confident you’ll become over time which can help with perfecting your timing on grinds.
Improper Body Position:
Having the right body position when grinding is essential for maintaining balance and control. Improper body position can lead to a decrease in stability, leading to undesirable results like bailing out of grinds or losing balance.
In order to optimize your body position while grinding, you should make sure that your feet are in the proper stance and your knees are slightly bent. You should also make sure you are centered on the obstacle and leaning forward—not too far forward, though.
Your arms should also be slightly bent as this helps maintain balance as well as centering yourself over the grind surface. In addition, avoiding excessive head movement will help keep you balanced and focused on the grind at hand.
Finally, keeping your eyes focused on where you want to go—rather than looking down or away from the obstacle—can help with staying on track during a grind. This technique not only helps with maintaining balance but also gives you an chance to judge how much time is left before completing the trick successfully!
Inadequate Pop:
Pop is an essential part of executing a successful grind—without it, you won’t be able to get onto the obstacle in order to start the trick. If you don’t have enough pop, or if your pop is off-timed, then it can throw off your entire trick and make it difficult to maintain balance on the obstacle.
In order to optimize your pop when grinding, you should make sure that your body position is correct and that you are getting enough power from the ground before popping.
Make sure to shift your weight back before creating lift with your feet so that you can have enough momentum for a successful launch into the grind. Additionally, timing is key when popping—make sure that you are initiating the trick at just the right moment so as not to ruin its flow and accuracy!
For extra help with mastering your pop technique, practice ollies or other similar tricks while riding flatground ramps. This will help teach you how to properly shift your weight and gain momentum from the ground before launching into an obstacle grind. With enough practice, you will eventually master pop techniques that ensure success in grinds!
Uneven or Rough Surface:
Having an uneven or rough surface on an obstacle can make it difficult to maintain balance and control as you grind, leading to undesirable results like bailing out or losing your footing. In order to optimize your performance on these types of surfaces, you should ensure that your body position is correct and that you are getting enough power from the ground before popping.
In addition, having a steady setup that suits the terrain is also important—wheels with soft durometers meant for rougher pavement will help smooth out the ride and reduce chatter. You should also choose bearings and trucks that can stand up to repeated impacts, as this will help you stay in control at high speeds.
Applying a small amount of grip tape can also help you with maintaining your balance while grinding on uneven surfaces.
Finally, learning how much pressure to apply when sliding across obstacles can be key for successful grinding on rough terrain. To practice this technique, try grinding a rail with a textured surface—this way, you can develop a better feel for how much pressure needs to be applied in order to maintain control and slide smoothly along an obstacle. With enough practice, you’ll eventually master techniques that ensure success in challenging grinds!
Incorrect Board Angle:
When getting ready to 50-50 grind an obstacle, the angle of your board is a very important factor. The correct board angle will ensure that you have the necessary speed and control to slide smoothly along the obstacle. If your board angle is too steep, then you may end up bouncing off the obstacle due to too much momentum; if it’s too shallow, then you won’t be able to maintain balance and control on the surface as you slide.
To make sure your board angle is correct, try adjusting it before launching onto an obstacle. Ideally, you should set up your board at a 45-degree angle relative to the obstacle’s surface—this will help ensure that you have enough speed but not too much so that it throws off your control and balance.
It’s also important to practice proper body positioning when setting the board angle. As with all other tricks, having a good stance will help ensure success in grinding on obstacles—make sure to keep your shoulders square with the ground and shift your weight back so that you can generate more power from each pop. With enough practice and attentiveness to detail, you’ll be able to master techniques for successful 50-50 grinds!
Lack of Practice:
Mastering the 50-50 grind is no easy feat—just like any other trick, it requires practice and dedication. It’s important to start by familiarizing yourself with the basics of grinding in order to establish a strong foundation—this includes learning how to balance on your board, control your speed, and find the right setup that suits the terrain.
Once you’ve got the basics down, it’s time to get fine-tuning your technique by paying attention to small details like body position and board angle. Try doing some warm-up slides before initiating a full-fledged grind in order to build up momentum without losing control. It’s also important to practice timing your pops correctly so that you can have enough speed but not too much so that it throws off your balance or positioning.
In addition, try practicing a few 50-50 grinds on different obstacles as this will help you develop better anticipation for the obstacle type and conditions. As always, safety first!
Don’t push yourself too hard if you don’t feel comfortable, take breaks often and wear protective gear at all times. With enough practice and consistency, you’ll eventually be able master successful 50-50 grinds!
Not Using Enough Weight Distribution:
Proper weight distribution is essential to mastering a successful 50-50 grind. This means that you must pay attention to your body position and how you transfer your weight onto the grinding surface. If you’re not distributing your weight correctly, then it can be very difficult to maintain balance while grinding.
To achieve proper weight distribution, try shifting your weight back on the board as much as possible. This will ensure that when you pop onto the obstacle, you have enough power to slide smoothly without losing control.
Additionally, make sure to keep your shoulders square with the ground and focus more of your weight on the rear trucks—this will help give you extra stability for those long slides.
It’s also important to try different stances in order to find what works best for you—for instance, some riders prefer a more upright stance for better balance whereas others might lean forward slightly for extra speed. With practice and experimentation, you’ll be able to find the perfect setup that suits your style!
Trying to Ollie Too High:
Ollieing too high can often lead to disastrous results—you might find yourself overshooting the obstacle and ending up crashing into obstacles or rails behind it. To avoid this, focus on keeping your ollies lower and more in line with the grinding surface. This will allow you to maintain greater control of your board while still generating enough power to slide smoothly.
Also, try experimenting with different techniques such as pivoting your feet when popping off the tail or rolling onto the coping so that you can get a better feel of the grind before committing too much weight onto it. Practicing your ollie height away from the obstacles is also a great way to warm up before sliding down a rail or ledge.
Finally, make sure you always wear protective gear like helmets and pads so that you can minimize injuries if something does go wrong. With practice, you’ll be able to master confident low-height ollies for smooth 50-50 grinds!
Essential Gear for Performing 50 50 Grinds
When preparing for a 50-50 grind, having the right gear is essential—you’ll need to make sure you have a good quality skateboard with strong grip tape, well-fitted trucks, durable wheels and reliable bearings. Additionally, it is highly recommended to wear protective gear such as helmets, knee pads and elbow pads when skating to protect yourself from potential injuries.
Your skater shoes also play an important role in your grinding performance—you’ll want shoes that are both comfortable and grippy so that you can stay grounded while turning. Look for shoes made with hard rubber soles which will provide extra insulation against shock and impact—these types of shoes will help give you more control over your board while protecting your feet at the same time.
Finally, if you plan to be grinding on flatground often, consider investing in flatbottom wheels—these will help improve the overall stability of your ride.
Steps to Prepare for a 50 50 Grind
Preparing for a 50-50 grind requires a few important steps. First, it’s essential to warm up your body with stretches and exercises before beginning—this will help prevent muscle cramps and ensure that you’re comfortable when attempting the trick. Secondly, select an obstacle with the right shape and size for grinding. You’ll also want to ensure your skateboard is in top shape, with proper setup to maximize performance.
Thirdly, get into the correct stance and foot placement—both feet should be evenly balanced on each side of the board before dropping in. Fourthly, build up enough speed prior to hitting the obstacle and approach it straight on as best as you can. Finally, use good judgment when selecting obstacles—avoid overly high or difficult obstacles until you gain more experience and comfort performing 50-50 grinds.
Step-by-Step Guide on How to Perform a 50 50 Grind
To successfully perform a 50-50 grind, there are a few key steps to follow. Firstly, approach your obstacle with enough speed and confidence—if you’re not confident in your approach, you won’t be able to lock in the grind properly. Secondly, ollie onto the obstacle and position your board’s trucks in the middle of the rail or ledge. Thirdly, once your board is locked in place, use your balance and body position to slide along the obstacle.
Fourthly, keep your weight centered over the board’s trucks throughout the grind and maintain good balance at all times. Lastly, when nearing the end of the obstacle, pop off and land back onto the ground as smoothly as possible. By following these steps closely and practicing regularly, you should eventually be able to master 50-50 grinds with ease.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Attempting 50 50 Grinds
When attempting a 50-50 grind, there are some common mistakes to be aware of. Firstly, make sure your feet are correctly positioned on the board before you drop in. Secondly, build up enough speed and commit to the trick fully—not doing so can result in failed attempts. Thirdly, maintain balance throughout the grind by keeping your weight centered over the board’s trucks and using your body position to control movement.
Fourthly, slide far enough along the obstacle and pop off at the right moment—don’t pop off too early or you won’t be able to complete the trick. Lastly, avoid leaning too far forward or backward during the grind as this can cause you to lose balance and fall off your board. If you take all of these points into consideration when practicing 50-50 grinds, you should eventually master it with time and dedication.
How to Overcome Fear When Learning 50 50 Grinds
Overcoming fear is key to learning the 50 50 grind. One of the best tips is to start small and work your way up—begin with lower obstacles and increase the difficulty as you become more confident in your abilities. Visualizing yourself successfully completing the trick can also help to build confidence and reduce fear. Moreover, practice on different surfaces and obstacles as this will give you a better understanding of how to control your board.
Protective gear can also help reduce the risk of injury, and seeking tips from experienced skaters or taking lessons from a skateboarding coach can be key in helping you perfect the trick. By following these tips consistently and believing in yourself, you should eventually be ready to conquer the 50 50 grind.
Advanced Tips to Improve Your 50 50 Grind Technique
To take your 50-50 grind technique to the next level, you can experiment with different angles and approaches to the obstacle. Focusing on maintaining balance and control is also important, and using your arms can help you with this. Additionally, learning how to adjust your weight distribution will allow you to control the speed of the grind which is a key part of mastering it.
Finally, incorporating different variations like frontside and backside 50-50s can be helpful in making sure that you have full control over your board when performing the trick. With these advanced tips and plenty of practice, you should be able to take your 50-50 grinds to a whole new level.
Ways to Incorporate 50 50 Grinds into Your Skateboarding Style
Incorporating 50-50 grinds into your skateboarding style can be a great way to add variety and creativity to your routine. By combining the 50-50 grind with other tricks such as kickflips or heelflips you can create unique combos that look really impressive. You can also use the 50-50 grind to set up for other grinds, such as boardslides or feebles.
Adding variations like 180s or 360s to the 50-50 grind can help make your skating more dynamic. Additionally, experimenting with different surfaces and obstacles will allow you to find creative ways of getting onto and off of them. With these great ideas for incorporating the 50-50 grind into your skateboarding style, you’ll have no shortage of options when it comes to creating fun new skate sequences!
Conclusion
The 50-50 grind is an essential trick that all skaters must learn in order to master skateboarding. With dedication and lots of practice, this trick can be mastered and incorporated into your style in interesting ways. Be sure to take all the necessary safety precautions and use protective gear as you practice to ensure your safety. Additionally, use the steps and tips outlined in this guide for optimal success.
Once you have the basics down, why not get creative with variations like 180s or 360s? Finding different surfaces and obstacles and challenging yourself to use them in your 50-50 grinds will go a long way towards developing your skills. With these considerations in mind, don’t forget to have fun while you shred!
I’m John Peterson, a passionate skater, blogger, and lifelong enthusiast. I’ve been skating for over 9 years and have gone on to write a blog dedicated to the sport of skating and its culture. Through my blog, I strive to share my knowledge and experience of the sport with all who are interested. From beginner tips, tricks, and equipment reviews to interviews and event coverage, I cover it all. So read my blog as I explore the wonderful world of skating!