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Merrie_England
PostPosted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:34 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 1391
Location: UK

In an effort to help me learn to heel better, I was wondering if I could get some tips from those people who are good, which to me means: can do pretty much all the usual tricks comfortably: 360s, Ollies, backwards foot-swapping, grinds if you got plates etc.

The thing I want to know is, how long did it take you to get as good as you are now, and how did you learn: mostly at a skatepark, or at home, or where?

Thanks. Smile

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seth1230
PostPosted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:05 pm  Reply with quote
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Well. To ow i got good, i guess just practice. Trial and error really took place, when i started doing tricks there wasnt nearly the amount of videos there were on youtube and the ones that did show tricks werent slowed down or anything to see the foot positoion and so like in the tricktionary. When i started however, there was a master list describing all teh tricks, so i just tried them how i understood them.

as for how tips on how i learned some tricks, well...

shuffling: well the first day i got my heelys, i learned to heel right foot in front, the next day i woke up put on my heelys, tried heeling with my left in front and i kept falling so i learned to heel all over again. later on in a store, i was about to do a sharp turn and switched out my right foot and realized, d'oh i already had my balance on my right foot, im an idiot. but yeah, that was teh first thing i learned by accident.

backwards: waiting for my mom at the checkout of ross store, i kept pushing myself off the counter with my toes down, then i realized how cool it would be if i could it with my toe lifted so i tried it until i could go backwards into teh counter in a straight line. (learned this the correct way, with the opposite foot infront)

revert: that same day, we were in another store and i was all crazy happy about how i just learned to go backwards and so i kept doing it all over the place, then i just turned one foot, stepped with the other and pushed off to go forwars and kept practicing that until i could do it without stepping. (luckily learning backwards with the opposite foot infront, i didnt have to learn to go backwards all over again just to be able to turn and be leading with my strong foot.)

360: same thing as the revert, i would just roll then put my feet in a v and try to 360, if i made it to the full spin, i stepped down and pushed again, didnt keep trying to go forwards after it without stepping. once i got REALLY comfortable with taht, i learned to do it iwthout stepping.

180: already knowing how to 360, i went onto runandroll.com (it was the old major heelys forum) and read that the 180 was just like teh 360 but when you were facing the opposite direction all you had to do was stick your opposite foot out and youd magically start going backwards (didnt know the rules of friction then) and so yeah, taht one i got easily and started combining it with revert.

crabwalk: this one was just really trial and errror, i saw it done a few times in teh commercial but didnt exactly understand how to get my feet in that position.all i knew was from teh master list taht your opposite foot is suppose to be the one leading so i kept trying till i figured it was easier to put spin your lead foot to that direction (left to left, right to right) as if you were about to do a 180, and then just let your back foto keep going, this one took lots of practice to perfect because like going backwards i started spinning instead of going straight.

footy: i use to only be able to do this for a few feet and then when this place was still heelytalk, hailey suggested to someone to just take out the wheel of your back foot and try heeling, without hitting the brakes. slowly but surely i got better at it and can footy 2 aisles at BJ's.

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Redemption
PostPosted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:33 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 07 Jun 2008
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Location: Toronto, Canada

I aint that good at it because I got mine about 1 1/2 months ago.

I can heely forward really good and I learnt by pushing off a counter and I kept going more and more till I got it

I then learnt to go backwards (Learnt With lead foot infront so It messed up alot of tricks) I learned it same way as heeling forward

180 I learned with practise for a few days

Ollie and Nollie were the easiest trick for me because Its just a little jump you do from pushing off from your feet

Im trying to learn 360 but I cant get it good yet

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Merrie_England
PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:18 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 15 Jun 2008
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Location: UK

seth1230™ wrote:
when i started doing tricks there wasnt nearly the amount of videos there were on youtube and the ones that did show tricks werent slowed down or anything to see the foot positoion and so like in the tricktionary.
Sweet, I didn't know about this tricktionary thing but I'm guessing you mean the vids on the Heely website - so thanks for that, am sure it will be useful to me. Wonder if there's any more vital Heelys learning resources I should know about? Very Happy

seth1230™ wrote:
shuffling: well the first day i got my heelys, i learned to heel right foot in front, the next day i woke up put on my heelys, tried heeling with my left in front and i kept falling so i learned to heel all over again. later on in a store, i was about to do a sharp turn and switched out my right foot and realized, d'oh i already had my balance on my right foot, im an idiot. but yeah, that was teh first thing i learned by accident.
Shuffling, right, so that's what you call it when you swap your front foot for the back without stepping. Yeah, I learned that one by practising at work - they have smooth corridors. Smile I can do it say a dozen times in quick succession, but not much more without losing balance, so I still need work on that.

seth1230™ wrote:
revert: that same day, we were in another store and i was all crazy happy about how i just learned to go backwards and so i kept doing it all over the place, then i just turned one foot, stepped with the other and pushed off to go forwars and kept practicing that until i could do it without stepping.
Hehe, I'm a bit afraid to practise new moves in shops, because practising new moves is when i'm most likely to fall, and being an old git i need my protective gear for that or I'd probably bust something, and I know if the store staff see me fall they'll get all like "health and safety" crazy, so the places that have the best floors I can't really use for "practise" without risking getting banned. Sad

seth1230™ wrote:
footy: i use to only be able to do this for a few feet and then when this place was still heelytalk, hailey suggested to someone to just take out the wheel of your back foot and try heeling, without hitting the brakes.
Good Idea, I'll try that, thanks! Smile


seth1230™ wrote:
slowly but surely i got better at it and can footy 2 aisles at BJ's.
Nice Smile I am still on the "can do it for 2 seconds" phase, but I'll keep at it Smile

Redemption wrote:
Ollie and Nollie were the easiest trick for me because Its just a little jump you do from pushing off from your feet
Hehe, I'm struggling with Ollie and Nollie at the mo, so congrats on finding them easy, but I guess I'll get there in time. Smile

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IVI4V3R1CK
PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 5:49 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Dec 2007
Posts: 1067
Location: Colorado Springs, CO

I've been aggressive inlining for a while now, so I preferably like my grinds and tech skating (though I am far from being anything good)

For tricks, I just had to put my mind to it when I felt comfortable... Then it was just constant practice over and over and over...

I don't have many people to heel with (though my girlfriend just got her first pair) so I don't really know how to get a lot of the proper technique down... When it breaks down to it, I don't really care... As long as I have fun doing what I do...

For tricks though, here are some pointers:

-Power shove (aggro kick, whatever you want to call it):

Lean forward... I learned this from watching skateboarders at the park get speed. I though I was tough shit until I saw Merlyn do it, then pretty much everyone else in the known world who skates, so I was like...damn....

You only need to have footy balance for a few feet and enough force to actually kick and stay stable. Knowing the switch comes in handy though...

I recommend learning this trick AWAY from Nazis... but once perfected it can be the perfect way to TAUNT Nazis Smile

-Footy

KEEP OFF THE BRAKE!!!

Don't ride on the brake other wise you get dependent on it. The things that kinda helped me out is when I was in line for the supermarket or even just sitting at work, I would try to balance on my wheel with one foot. It kinda gives that stability thing... Then start going at a slower pace to know how to work the motions... Faster and faster we go until finally you can make it good...

-Grinds

There really isn't much left to say on it other then practice. If you cock your leading foot inisde (kinda like a half royale) you can get more speed doing the frontside.

Candle wax has been my best friend though, especially for urban stuff...

Grinds just have to come at your own pace... I love grinding, but I always get pressure because I have issues landing them Tru... instead I land fakie and shove off... But whatever



The number one rule I can give you though is to just "roll with it" (sorry mcro, had to steal a pun ^_^)

Heeling is fun, great exercise, and a beautiful form of alternative transportation... Kids give it a bad wrap but whatever you know. I like heeling/skating hybrid... Its what I do...

And don't be pressured to learn stuff all crazy fast... I've been doing it for a little over a year now and I just learned not to gimp going down the half pipe... AMN just picked up grinding... Everyone develops at their own pace...

Just have fun and keep on keepin on

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Merrie_England
PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:57 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 1391
Location: UK

seth1230™ wrote:
Well. To ow i got good, i guess just practice. Trial and backwards: waiting for my mom at the checkout of ross store, i kept pushing myself off the counter with my toes down, then i realized how cool it would be if i could it with my toe lifted so i tried it until i could go backwards into teh counter in a straight line. (learned this the correct way, with the opposite foot infront)


Redemption wrote:
I then learnt to go backwards (Learnt With lead foot infront so It messed up alot of tricks) I learned it same way as heeling forward


Hmm, I keep hearing about this 'learning to go backwards the "right" way and I'm not sure but I suspect I might have started learning the wrong way - I know currently I find it much easier to go backwards on one foot than the other, but I can't remember right now which foot that is, as I am having to take a "wheels out" day (shock, horror! Smile ) because I did four hours of hard practise yesterday on grinds and my legs are knackered from all the jumping: I've got aches and pains in places I didn't even know I had Very Happy

I know going forwards I find it far easier to go fast with the left leg leading, so from what you guys wrote, I'm guessing you guys are saying that I should go backwards with the right leg in front (left leg behind me) ? Or do I have it backwards? (no pun intended Smile )

IVI4V3R1CK wrote:
I've been aggressive inlining for a while now, so I preferably like my grinds and tech skating (though I am far from being anything good)
yeah, ever since my niece pestered me to take her ice-skating a month or so back, I've kinda been itching to get some inlines to practise similar movements on the street, since the Ice Arena is expensive, and there were some incredibly talented whippersnappers there and next time I go I don't want to look like such a noob heh.

That's my main problem tho when it comes to learning Heeling: I am a TOTAL noob to all balance skills - In 30 years I had never rollerskated, rollerbladed, ice-skated, nothing - so for me it's all new and a steep learning curve, but ever since I first managed to glide forwards on heelys I've been hooked and wanted to learn everything I have time for.

But I imagine that most of the better heelers are better because they've already learned other similar "balance-related" skills, such as one of the other forms of skating?

IVI4V3R1CK wrote:
I don't have many people to heel with (though my girlfriend just got her first pair) so I don't really know how to get a lot of the proper technique down...
Same here, the only person I have is my neice but so far I'm a little better than her so I don't learn much from heeling with her, but maybe being a kid who already likes rollerskating she will overtake me in her learning, and then maybe I can pick up some tips, but of course it's hard for a kid to teach someone else as they do it sort of instinctively without the kind of mindful concentration adults use to learn.

IVI4V3R1CK wrote:
For tricks though, here are some pointers:

-Power shove (aggro kick, whatever you want to call it):
Is that when you sort of run and and jump into a glide? If so I'm proud of myself, as that's one of the first things I learned, and didn't think of it as a trick, I was just trying to practise going faster. Smile I might have to add it to my "known tricks" list. Of course I am still better at this with my left leg forward - perhaps every heeler has one leg that they find easier to use in front and no amount of practise on the other will ever make it identical?

IVI4V3R1CK wrote:
Candle wax has been my best friend though, especially for urban stuff...
You rub it on your grindplate to make it slippier?

IVI4V3R1CK wrote:
Heeling is fun, great exercise, and a beautiful form of alternative transportation...
True, very true, I have the aches and calorie burn to prove it: no matter how much I eat since I got heelys I am finding it impossible to gain weight, lol.

IVI4V3R1CK wrote:
And don't be pressured to learn stuff all crazy fast... I've been doing it for a little over a year now and I just learned not to gimp going down the half pipe... AMN just picked up grinding... Everyone develops at their own pace...
Sure, I understand, I just love the skill I see shown by you guys in vids on youtube and am dead keen to see if I can get anywhere close to that level, so at the mo I'm kinda hungry to learn, but I'm sure as I've learned a bit more I'll go at a steadier pace.

Thanks for all the information, I've bookmarked it and will be sure to refer to it.


Last edited by Merrie_England on Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:03 pm; edited 1 time in total

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IVI4V3R1CK
PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:47 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Dec 2007
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So I am going to answer the questions to have to the best of my abilities in order because I don't have the patience or detication to quote/unquote everything D:

Anyways

1. I go backwards how I go forwards lol... I can't remember how I learned. I think I just put my back foot up, and shoved off of my right and went back... I can't do it fast or anything, but I am learning

2. A lot of the people on this site have had some sort of previous skating expirience. Majority of the people here were and still are skateboarders, there are a handful of cats who are inliners, and a few people who do alternative sporting (such as Kain and his free lines... or anything else new and weird lol).

There are some people on here though who have had no real expirince with anything and kinda picked it up and took it to the next level.

Even when it comes down to the previous skills, I have noticed that inlining helped me with one thing for heeling; how to fall. Other then that, you have a different stance and you work different muscles.

Also, when Merlyn helped start the skating revolution, there was absolutely no variance in the tricks besides grinds, which were established by Soapers. A lot of the flat land work/tech skating was never really thought of before hand, and then attempted by the skater guys. Some of the tricks (Crabwalk/Can Opener) are only really associated with Heelys. I have never seen anything like that in the inline world...

3. I've been taught by both people older and younger then me... A big thing, even when not having anyone to skate with, YouTube and the Trictionary can easily help you learn new tricks to push yourself a little more

4. Naw, I don't know the name for that... The one I'm talking about is pretend your on the skateboard... You would kick with one foot to propulse you... Same concept... I'm sure one kid here will read this and post the name

5. I rub candle wax on the rail/surface... The friction causes it to stick to your plate, but its easier to adheare to a non-plastic surface such as express plates

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seth1230
PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:51 pm  Reply with quote
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IVI4V3R1CK wrote:

4. Naw, I don't know the name for that... The one I'm talking about is pretend your on the skateboard... You would kick with one foot to propulse you... Same concept... I'm sure one kid here will read this and post the name


lawl, i realized no one has named that trick, yet, i've done it before, and my little cousins dubbed it the scooter.

@merrie, teh correct way to go backwards would be to with teh opposite foot you normal lead with in front, just like the correct way to heel would be with your stronger foot in front.

i learned to heel forward incorrectly, but backwards correctly.

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Merrie_England
PostPosted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:22 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 15 Jun 2008
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[quote="seth1230™"]
IVI4V3R1CK wrote:

@merrie, teh correct way to go backwards would be to with teh opposite foot you normal lead with in front, just like the correct way to heel would be with your stronger foot in front.

i learned to heel forward incorrectly, but backwards correctly.
Darn it, it seems I learned forwards correctly, but backwards incorrectly, hope it doesn't hinder my backwards trick learning (180s etc) too much.

Funny how you say there's a "correct" way to heel forwards tho? Even though I still seem to be much better with my left leg forward, I had always thought this was a hindrance not being equally good on both legs, and have been trying and trying to get my right leg as good as my left, but if it's normal maybe I should not worry too much about the right leg.

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Heely Hailey
PostPosted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:06 am  Reply with quote
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Don't worry about, maybe you'll become the second (is it third now) to ever skate AJ!

*brief explanation: Left leg forward your a lefty, right leg your a righty, if you skate either foot your AJ

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Redemption
PostPosted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:25 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 07 Jun 2008
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Heely Hailey wrote:
Don't worry about, maybe you'll become the second (is it third now) to ever skate AJ!

*brief explanation: Left leg forward your a lefty, right leg your a righty, if you skate either foot your AJ


Im practising to be able to do equal stunts on both feet.

I saw some of your vids and its cool that your the only person I see doing wallplants

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IVI4V3R1CK
PostPosted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:19 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Dec 2007
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seth1230™ wrote:
lawl, i realized no one has named that trick, yet, i've done it before, and my little cousins dubbed it the scooter.


I always called it an "Aggro Push"... Its an aggressive push... I do it more then I kick switch, and it gives me massive bursts of speed... Works well when coming up to a high QP/Spine

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Merrie_England
PostPosted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:09 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 15 Jun 2008
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IVI4V3R1CK wrote:
seth1230™ wrote:
lawl, i realized no one has named that trick, yet, i've done it before, and my little cousins dubbed it the scooter.


I always called it an "Aggro Push"... Its an aggressive push... I do it more then I kick switch, and it gives me massive bursts of speed... Works well when coming up to a high QP/Spine
Do you do it by letting your back toe touch the ground and pushing off, or by letting the front toe touch the ground and pushing whilst letting the back leg become the front (switching)? I'd think the second would give more speed because you get to push for longer since the front leg has more time to push if it can become the back leg, but the way I've seen people do it on youtube seems to be using only the back leg and not switching.

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Kain
PostPosted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 5:03 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 22 Feb 2007
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Merrie_England wrote:
IVI4V3R1CK wrote:
seth1230™ wrote:
lawl, i realized no one has named that trick, yet, i've done it before, and my little cousins dubbed it the scooter.


I always called it an "Aggro Push"... Its an aggressive push... I do it more then I kick switch, and it gives me massive bursts of speed... Works well when coming up to a high QP/Spine
Do you do it by letting your back toe touch the ground and pushing off, or by letting the front toe touch the ground and pushing whilst letting the back leg become the front (switching)? I'd think the second would give more speed because you get to push for longer since the front leg has more time to push if it can become the back leg, but the way I've seen people do it on youtube seems to be using only the back leg and not switching.


yeah....that's basically what kickswitching is (the second one)

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IVI4V3R1CK
PostPosted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:58 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Dec 2007
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Easiest way to explain it

I take my back foot and take it off the ground

I then put my back foot in front of me and put the toes on the ground to shove forward

I then repeat those steps until I have the speed I want...

Kick switching just didn't do it for me...

Basically, imagine a skateboarder, and how he pushes to go fast, thats the same concept

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