Going down in style (stairs, that is)
by Jon Lowden
AI some point dunne one of
ytHir i.impu* sMIUn; iofays v- u
will almost inevitably e*pntr*ue
the m line equivalent of a Kndve
thjf' st<ti though ycnif campus is
probably covered with swf^ily
paved pta/as and vast Ha! public
ari‘#s ycnj probably won t be able
to skate ?>e tween thett^ without fiv
< ounu*f uv^ a flt^hi of stairs of two
When confronted by a stair
way m«*st skaters stop y’fah the
hamif.nl turn to facr the stairs
and walk down backwards
though there s nothing wrofuj
with this know that stair ndit v >s
completely within your abilities
master* wsil tome with prac tice
There y much to be rained by
ripping dtiM>n stairs Ynutl twr
. ,,r Mi!', ,. nr .
hh; Your newfound ability will
better your odds of esi ape should
the walkir talkie luting minium
of Demon liability insurant a
interrupt future skate sessions
And you H no longer r isk bitting
in Someone s lace when you
descend the stairs but! first
Amanng
'A hen hardcore in lining was in
its infancy stair riding was the
trick that made progressive skaters
stand (Hit from the rem-altonal
rabble* Its a more < ommonplac r
muse these days but because the
technique is stiff not exactly obvi
ous we asked national sen ska!
mg champion Chris Ufwards lew
some expert instruc tion
l if wards told us Approach l tie
slclirs as though you re going to
launch off of them lift your legs
up as you go off the tip basic al
!y approach the stairs as though
you re almost jumping them And
stay light you want to kind of
Ilixit over them ilmuvt as if
. ■ it- skating uvt-r eggshells
let yew vkaics bourne don't
light the stairs Jus! If! them
lyour skates! g-.
Vomf $u> s t*ttful i ides later *r
ms body position is essential
Your body should !m- crouched
your SPros should In- very (x-nl
ill id your fi-t-l should be s t-ry
M.iyscied' in other words pul
<>(>(■ loot r(! (Mini o( the othri
stay
crouched
ar*s out
in front
of you
n ueight
over your
heels
find a staircase
that's very shallow
mrt-t' that li^ht footedness ts key
Bui realiting (one less successlu!
mote pulverumg ride later) there
are yel marc components to <1 sale
stair ride we asked our street
wise New York pal Shura McComb
to elaborate t>n Edward s ads nr
Mi Comb sa>s .1 slunk absorb
Both towards ,itKl Mitomb suy
ye't you keep your weight over
your heels Mitiimb retnmmends
that you keep mm! of ynur
weight over your buck too!
Where you ve g"i your hands ■
important too Your handy
should be in front of you but a
bit out to the side (or balance '
• ays Mi Comb
Where you prai tue is also cru
( Id! 'Find .1 Stm ase that s very
shah"* ' says our Manhattanite
one that has ffrtily vuile long
steps that don l drop spry far to
the first step At first instead of
going stiatght down them you
should go diagonally the more
diagonally you go the rastrl it will
t»- besause each stair theoretical
.
hose more time to relax and bat
am e yourself "
Finally Slav relaxed If you re
not relayed says Mi Comb 'your
body wdl get stiffened up you
*un I be aoie to react in easily to
any problems and correct them
But the most important thine is
dun t panic (f you feel as tl you re
Martin^ to lose control you
should turn so that you start
heading across the stairs Then
yet down to your knee puds as las!
is possible And pray pray that
you i will- to a stop '
Both cms res ■ immend that you
start out ndine no more than
three of lour steps at a lime them
slowly add’ stairs to develop the
skills and tunlrderxe you II need
to cet down longer lights the,
also recommend you wear lull
protection cloves wfist knee
and elbow guards I
In t losing here s a sobeftnc
final word Irian MtXomb who has
often seen the messy work pave
mem can make of careless
skaters "for those people out
•
mush ! y*oess you should wear a
helmet although it is a personal
choice what you wear ' Although
the pro thence McComb doesn t
wear a helmet much he s still
alive as of this writing