Fingerboard: what is it and how to use it?

Fans of extreme sports and just outdoor activities regularly come up with new and diverse devices for spending their leisure time. It is to such devices that fingerboard belongs. We will talk about what it represents, how to use it correctly, in this article.

Fingerboard - in fact, it is miniature skateboard, the dimensions of which are reduced at least 8 times. Of course, such a small skateboard is not suitable for riding on legs, so the main purpose of this device is to ride your fingers and simultaneously perform a variety of tricks.

Simply put, a fingerboard is a hand skateboard, his younger brother. This device was invented by a professional skateboarder Stephen Asher 21 years ago. But only today the fingerboard has gained its true popularity.

This finger skateboard has the same appearance as his older brother - board with non-slip surface, four wheels and a powerful shock absorption system. Today, professional competitions are held among fingerboarders.

Fingerboards are sometimes also called fingerboards, and today they are produced by a wide variety of manufacturers. Only 4 of their details remain unchanged:

• the board itself;
• wheels
• suspension;
• skin.

In order to more thoroughly understand the device of the device itself, it is necessary to study its main parts in detail, as well as additional components.

It can be wooden or plastic. The first option is considered more reliable, strong and durable. The second type of boards is cheaper, it is better for beginners.

The size of the board may also vary depending on the series and manufacturer. Usually, its width ranges from 25 to 35 mm, and the length is from 90 to 115 mm.

Fingerboard boards are today produced by both domestic and foreign manufacturers. At the same time, professionals say that there is practically no significant difference in quality between them.

Even novice skateboarders and fingerboarders are well aware that the surface of the board itself should be non-slip. Otherwise, riding on it is very traumatic and difficult.

It is for creating a non-slip surface that the so-called skin is used. There are 2 main types of this coating.

• Neoprene product. This coating is also called ripe tap. As a rule, it is used only on wooden professional boards. The material itself is delicate and soft to the touch, durable, not washable for a long time.

• Sandpaper - This is an option of the most budget coverage. The surface is rough and rather rough. Professional skaters say that sandpaper is not suitable for performing tricks, as the surface itself is quickly erased, fingers are also rubbed and nails are rubbed.

They are an integral part of the fingerboard. Today on sale you can find 2 of their varieties.

• Plastic products. More budget, simple and do not have a bearing. Usually they are characterized by fragility, strong noise during movement. It is worth remembering that with strong jumps or sharp landings, the wheels, as a rule, burst and become unusable.

• Polyurethane castors are more modern and durable. They are flexible, durable, do not emit excessive noise while riding and do not deform even with strong impacts.

Convenience and safety of operation, durability and even the appearance of the fingerboard will depend on its quality and in particular on the quality of the assembly. The suspension itself, in turn, consists of several parts.

• Suspension platform.
• The main bolt called kingpin.
• Shock absorbers. Depending on the severity and stiffness, they can be light, heavy or medium.
• Gaskets for suspension.
• Bolts and nuts for fastening.

This is no longer an integral part of the device itself, but an important addition to it. In fact, these are devices designed to perform a variety of tricks on the fingerboard itself. Today, several of its varieties are distinguished.

• Ramp - a semicircular figure. Designed to perform tricks such as rolling out and rolling up.

• Park figures. These include a variety of fanboxes, boosts, quarterpipes and other items.

• Pools or pools.

• A variety of concrete figures. It can be trees or cars.

• Street figures presented in the form of railings, boxes, garages and so on.

Many fingerboard models come with a special soft case. But if necessary, it can be purchased separately.

So, all fingerboards existing today are divided into 2 groups. The best models among plastic devices are several devices.

• Tech deck - one of the most popular manufacturers of mini-roller boards. All models are made of heavy-duty, safe and durable plastic, which allows them to operate for a very long time. It is the fingerboards of this brand that are chosen even by professionals.

• No rule. A world-famous manufacturer, while finding his fingerboards on sale is extremely difficult. They differ from the classic models of other brands in their absolutely flat shape.

• Stimorol. This manufacturer is known to the world as the creator of the cult chewing gum. By the way, fingerboards of this brand can be implemented both with it in the kit, and completely separately. Their only minus is the skin that is too thin, which erases rather quickly.

On sale, you can also find ordinary Chinese skateboards. They do not have any identification marks and belong to the category of simple souvenir products. In order to learn the real art of fingerboarding, you should not use them. They are short-lived, traumatic and quickly fail.

But, in addition to plastic devices, there are also wooden ones. The best manufacturers of such models are several companies.

• Turbo is a popular brand whose fingerbrods are both high-quality and inexpensive. They are recommended to those who already know how to ride well, and those who are just learning. Indeed, thanks to the pronounced deep grooves, good stability and safety are provided.

• Berlinwood. It is the fingerboards of this brand that are considered one of the best and most reliable in the world. They cost an order of magnitude more expensive than models of other brands. But in operation they are more durable, convenient and safe. It’s quite difficult to get them.

Fingerboarding is an exciting activity that helps to develop fine motor skills and strengthen your fingers, and most importantly, spend time with interest. However, before starting classes, It’s important to remember some rules.

• Workouts should begin with small workouts of the fingers themselves. For example, squeezing and unclenching them, a fan or just moving in different directions.
• Do not try to immediately perform some difficult tricks. It is important to remember the sequence and leisurely.
• During training, it should be remembered that it is not speed that matters, but the quality and correctness of the execution of a maneuver.

Now let's talk about tricks. Before proceeding with their implementation, it is very important to learn how to stand on the board smoothly and confidently. To do this, during the first days you just need to ride on a flat surface.

Next, you can begin to study the basic trick called Ollie:

• the index finger is placed exactly in the center of the board, while the middle one is set closer to the edge of the tail;
• then sharply push on the so-called tail and make a click;
• at the same time, the index finger moves towards the nose of the board.

If everything is done correctly, then the fingerboard should come off the surface for a few seconds. And precisely at this moment, the fingers on it must overcome obstacles. It is better to start with those that have a minimum height.

Once Ollie is mastered perfectly, you can begin to study the technique of gliding. It is in the case of a fingerboard that it is better to see how professionals do it once than to read a hundred times.

See how to learn how to do fingerboard tricks in the next video.