Fingerboard: what is it and how to use it?

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

Fingerboard - in fact, it is miniature skateboard, the dimensions of which have been reduced by at least 8 times. Of course, such a small skateboard is not suitable for riding on your feet, so the main purpose of this device is to roll your fingers and perform a variety of tricks along the way.

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

This finger skateboard has the same look and feel as its older brother - non-slip board, four wheels and a powerful shock absorption system. Today there are even professional fingerboard competitions.

Fingerboards are sometimes also referred to as finger skates, 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 in detail its main parts, as well as additional components.

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

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

Fingerboard boards are now 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 beginner skateboarders and fingerboarders are well aware that the surface of the board itself must be non-slip. Otherwise, riding on it is very traumatic and difficult.

It is precisely to create a non-slip surface that the so-called sandpaper is used. There are 2 main types of this coating.

• Neoprene product. This coverage is also called a rip-tape. As a rule, it is only used on professional wooden boards. The material itself is delicate and soft to the touch, durable, long lasting.

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

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

• Plastic products... More budgetary, simpler and have no bearing. Usually they are characterized by fragility, strong noise while driving. It is also worth remembering that with strong jumps or sudden landings, the wheels, as a rule, burst and become unusable.

• Polyurethane casters are more modern and durable. They are flexible, durable, do not emit unnecessary noise while driving and do not deform even under strong impacts.

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

• Suspension platform.
• The main bolt is called the kingpin.
• Shock absorbers. Depending on the level of severity and severity, they can be light, heavy, or moderate.
• Suspension pads.
• 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, there are several varieties of it.

• Ramp - a figure in the form of a semicircle. Designed to perform tricks such as rolling out and rolling.

• Park figure. These include a variety of fanboxes, overclocks, quarterpipes, and other items.

• Pools or pools.

• Various concrete figures. These can be trees or cars.

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

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

So, all existing fingerboards are divided into 2 groups. Several devices are considered the best models among plastic devices.

• Tech Deck Is one of the most popular mini skateboard manufacturers. All models are made of heavy-duty, safe and durable plastic, which allows them to be used for a very long time. It is the fingerboards of this brand that even professionals choose.

• No rule. A world-renowned manufacturer, while it is extremely difficult to find his fingerboards on sale. 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 iconic chewing gum. By the way, the fingerboards of this brand can be sold either with it as a set or completely separately. Their only drawback is that the skin is too thin, which wears off rather quickly.

You can also find ordinary Chinese skateboards on sale. They do not have any identification marks and belong to the category of simple souvenirs. You shouldn't use them to learn the real art of fingerboarding. 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 firms.

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

• 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 than models from other brands. But in operation they are more durable, convenient and safe. It is rather difficult to acquire them.

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

• You should start training with small warm-ups of the fingers themselves. For example, their squeezing and unclenching, a fan, or just wiggling in different directions.
• You shouldn't try to perform any complicated tricks right away. It is important to remember about consistency and slowness.
• During training, it should be remembered that it is not speed that is important, but the quality and correctness of the performance of this or that maneuver.

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

Then you can start learning a basic trick called Ollie:

• the index finger is placed exactly in the center of the board, while the middle finger is placed closer to the edge of the tail;
• then press sharply on the so-called tail and 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 it is at this moment that the fingers on it must overcome obstacles. It is better to start with those that have a minimum height.

Once Ollie is perfectly mastered, you can start learning the sliding technique.... In the case of the fingerboard, it is better to see how professionals do it once than to read it a hundred times.

For information on how to learn how to do tricks on a fingerboard, see the next video.