This article needs attention from an expert on the subject. Please add a reason or a talk parameter to this template to explain the issue with the article. Consider associating this request with a WikiProject. (November 2008)

Riding a longboard downhill

Longboarding is the act of riding on a longboard.

Board[link]

A longboard generally can be as short or as long as the rider desires, no higher than the rider or this will cause loss of control; the most popular range is about 36 to 60 inches. As well as being usually longer than a trick deck skateboard, longboards may also be equipped with larger, softer wheels which afford a smoother ride. However, there are many different uses for longboards, as shown below. Since longboards use softer bushings than a typical tech skateboard, carving is generally easier. Some trucks use springs instead of bushings, such as Seismic trucks or Original trucks. Original trucks also feature a wave-cam mechanism to control the lean and turn of the truck. The truck can usually be slightly wider than the board but this is not always the case.

Transportation[link]

The most basic use of a longboard is travel. Commuter designs take many different shapes, including long, wide cruisers as well as shorter hybrid type boards. Their trucks are designed to be loose to allow for sharper turns. It is useful to have a kicktail on a commuting longboard in order to corner on sidewalks and to lift the front of the board when riding off curbs. Also, one may prefer a shorter board, around 24"-35" for commuting, as well as medium sized wheels (65mm-75mm) which help commuters maneuver bumps, cracks and other minor surface obstacles.

Example of longboarding

Slalom[link]

Slaloming is the act of weaving in and out of a line of obstacles. Riders often compete for the best time but pedestrian slalom (usually referred to as civilian slalom because of the alliteration) is a non-competitive form of this discipline in which riders simply swerve around whatever obstacles they find in their path while navigating from point A to B. Slalomers usually have very soft and grippy wheels in the back to grip through the turns, and slightly harder wheels in the front to reduce rolling resistance and reach higher speeds. Slalom riders propel themselves by carving and gyrating their bodies, a technique known as pumping.

Freeride[link]

Freeride decks are used in the style of freeriding in which the rider practices sliding on harder durometer wheels (usually 80a-90a) and other tricks such as early grabs (where one grips the side of the board while on the ground and thrusts upward to become airborne) at medium to high speeds. The decks often have kicktails on both sides that allow for flip tricks like shove-its and even ollies. These decks are typically in between 36-44 inches long and in between 8.5-10.5 inches wide. Most freeride decks utilize similar constructions to downhill boards. Refer to speedboarding to see such construction techniques. Examples of freeride decks include the Loaded Dervish, the Original Apex and Freeride, Bustin Ibach and the Rayne Vendetta. Companies such as Loaded and Original are now trying to make freeride decks that also do freestyle, like Loaded's Dervish Sama and the Original Apex 40. They make these hybrid boards by adding kicktails and striving to make the boards out of lighter materials. This allows freestyle riders to perform a larger variety of tricks, such as tailwhips and early grabs. The kicktails allow for freestyle tricks such as the tiger claw.

Downhill[link]

Downhill longboards, or speedboards, are used for riding down hills as fast as possible, and keeping the board under control. These boards are usually 95–110 cm (35 – 44 inches) long featuring wheel bases from 28-35 inches and very stiff to improve stability. It is also very common to use these boards for free-riding. The trucks are often at the far ends of the board to maximize the wheelbase, but sometimes closer together to allow for easier maneuvering on more technical roads. A longer distance between the front and rear wheels, known as the wheelbase, will increase stability, while a shorter wheelbase will increase the board's turning radius and decrease stability. In order to lower the center of gravity, downhill longboards sometimes feature a lowered platform. The deck may be mounted below the baseplate of the trucks (drop-through configuration), by the shape of the deck itself (dropped-deck) or both (double-drop). These styles of boards were first produced commercially by Jody Willcock and Ian Comishin (Kebbek Skateboards) of Kimberley, British Columbia, Canada, although skaters had been cutting drop-through holes in their decks long before.

Wider trucks with lower pivot angles (to increase stability at the expense of turning capability) may be used as well as axle bearings that rotate independently of wheel bearings to further increase top speed. (Note; this theory is disputed and many people believe that axle bearings are not beneficial to speed, but are beneficial in the rare case of bearing failure^{[citation needed]}). A new type of downhill truck was invented by Jim Ziemlanski of Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada that incorporates the use of a spherical bearing on the kingpin which allows the hanger to pivot on a precise axis without any of the slop caused by bushings compressing under the weight of the rider. Downhill longboarders sometimes use leather suits and streamlined helmets to protect themselves as well as reduce aerodynamic drag.

Variations of setups include:

Drop Decks are characterized by a riding platform that is lower than the mounting point of the trucks. This configuration is more stable (less susceptible to wobbling) and easier to control during a slide, but sacrifices traction and turning capabilities due to the board's lowered center of gravity and decreased leverage over the trucks. Examples of this style of board include: Landyachtz DH Race, Landyachtz Switch, Landyachtz Evo, Earthwing Roadkiller, the Rayne Nemesis, Jati Jiro

Drop-through Decks have holes machined between the truck mounting hardware so that the baseplate can be mounted to the top of the board. This is probably the most popular method of lowering a board^{[citation needed]}, and is used by many board manufacturers. Dropthrough speedboards have high stability while not retaining as much of the responsiveness of a topmount. They typically have better traction than drop decks but are less easily controlled in drifts. Ex.: Sayshun Polar, Rayne Hellcat, Landyacthz Drop Wedge, Drop Speed, Nine Two Five, Earthwing Supermodel.

Examples of a "Double-Dropped" board are the Rayne Demonseed, Landyachtz Switchblade, the Nelson Spin-Drift, and the Clutch Double-Tap.

Flushcut Decks, which are similar to dropthrough boards except that they also have a recessed area cut into the top of the board so that the trucks, when mounted from the top, are flush with the deck. This is basically the middle ground between a drop-through and a topmount. Ex. Kebbek Max Erwin Flushcut.

Topmount Speedboards typically feature trucks mounted on the bottom of the board and no major bends in the wood. With no dramatic angles, this style of board is more basic than other styles and simplest to produce. More stable than the other configurations, the higher center of gravity created by a tall riding platform increases leverage on the trucks making for an exceptionally responsive board. Topmount speedboards typically have a high level of traction but can be more predictable while drifting and less stable at high speeds. Ex. Earthwing Mystery Model, Rayne Avenger, and Kebbek Revenger.

Wedged Speedboards are Drop Decks that lower the standing platform by angling the truck mounts outward, similar to when trucks are mounted on the kicktails of a longboard. Not only does this lower the ride height, it also increases the pivot angle of the trucks which allows them to turn more tightly. Ex. Landyactz Evo, Clutch Deeznutz, Sayshun Rogue and Formula Gabby Velez.

Dancers[link]

Dancing is a resurgence of old-school tricks in longboarding that involves a variety of walking and spinning moves. Dancing originates from boardwalking in surfing, and has been recently popularized by innovators such as Adam Colton, and Adam "stoke-o" Stokowski. A board is usually considered a dancing board when it is around 45+ inches long and can be up to 12 inches wide, and although most of the tricks can be performed on smaller decks, a larger deck provides a more comfortable platform and takes more skill to maneuver.^{[citation needed]}

Shlongboards[link]

A shlongboard gets its name from being a shortboard (a street/park deck) that has been made into a longboard. The term shlongboard is a portmanteau of short and longboard, although the term shlongboard is not actually used to describe a short/smaller longboard. A Shlongboard is a standard street/park deck with its wheelbase extended by re-drilling new truck-mounting holes closer to the ends of the board. The trucks are often mounted on the kicktails as a method of dropping the board closer to the ground and wedging the trucks outward to increase their turning ability. They are often set up with wider trucks and larger wheels designed for longboarding. Shlongboards are normally self-made projects built to save money but still create the feeling of pop

Mini longboards (Cruisers)[link]

The length of a board is not the only thing that makes a longboard what it is. The trucks on a longboard are typically made for better turning ability than standard skateboard trucks, and the wheels are usually larger and softer than standard skateboard wheels to make for a smooth ride. Cruisers have these features but are the length of a normal skateboard (around 22-30 inches).

A mini longboard is typically shaped similairly to the retro-style skateboards of the early 80's. Some mini longboards have kicktails for jumping off curbs and lifting the board while commuting. Many skaters choose mini longboards for commuting as they are the ideal size to carry around or put in a locker.

HSPD Sliders[link]

Slide decks usually resemble typical skateboards in shape but are significantly wider and have different concave patterns. Most slide decks are between 8.5 inches and 10 inches in width. Slide decks are most commonly set up with conventional trucks like Independents and Trackers to minimize weight and ride height, but have wider hangers (150mm-200mm) to match the width of the deck. Sliding is when a boarder turns the board so it is horizontal to the road wilst losing traction of the wheels. Slides can be Heel side ( the side of the board your heel is on ) or Toe side (the side of the board your toes are on.)so a heel side slide would be leaning back so your heels would be closest to the ground. toes would be leaning forward so they are closest to the ground. A standup slide is when you do either of those things without putting your hands down. An example of a hand slide is a coleman slide. A coleman slide is a heel side slide with your front hand down and your back hand rotating across your body to control the slide. A regular toe side slide is when you put both of your hands down and slide the board around. Slides can be held out for a great number of feet and sucked back in (speed checks), or they can be complete 180's or complete 360's.

Hybrids[link]

A relatively recent^{[citation needed]} development in the longboarding world. Companies have been experimenting with unconventional wheeled-board designs, boards built from surfboard materials, modifying decks, trucks, and even the number of wheels on the board. These boards typically have improved downhill performance (control and/or turning radius) when compared to longboards, but are often slower or more hinder-some to push on flat surfaces.^{[citation needed]}

"Freeride Decks"

Common freestyle longboards include a kicktail, if not one on each side of the deck. They are used for doing tricks such as shovits and manuals. Examples of freestyle decks include the Loaded Tan Tien, the Original Apex 37, and the Bustin Sojourn. Some notable freestyle longboarders include Brian Bishop, Adam Colton and Brady Harvey.

Travel[link]

Longboards are now being used for travelling long distances. Any skateboard can be used for long distance journeys, however, decks designed specifically for long distance trips are typically lower to the ground than regular top mounted skateboards. The Rayne Demonseed or Longboard Larry Pusher are often used for this discipline.^[1] A tradition of combining these journeys with charitable fundraising has emerged (see Charitable distance skating).^[2][3][4][5]

Techniques[link]

Braking[link]

Before learning braking techniques, it is common for riders to jump off the moving board and 'run out' their speed, but this is safe only at low speeds. This technique is considered dangerous and is least accepted in the longboarding community. If the rider is traveling faster than the speed at which they can run, other techniques are required, for example footbraking or sliding. Footbraking is the method of he rider dragging his foot on the ground while moving to slow himself down. However, this wears away the soles of shoes, creating holes that are potentially dangerous to the feet. Thus, most riders use the method of sliding. Sliding is the method of pushing the edge of the board out so it is traveling sideways rather than forwards, and the wheels are sliding against the ground. The resulting friction slows the board down dramatically. However, the higher the board is from the ground the more difficult this is and the more speed is needed.

Land Paddling[link]

Land Paddling is the use of a long pole or stick while longboarding. The stick is used to propel the longboarder farther without pumping. The stick is also used to direct the longboarder in the direction they are trying to turn and can be used as a brake.^[6]

Sliding[link]

Sliding is the most effective braking technique for downhill skateboarders. It allows a skater to reduce his or her speed much more quickly than footbraking, but requires a wider area depending on his ability to control the slide. It has also evolved into its own discipline of skateboarding, with riders performing various tricks and rotations while sliding. Sliding requires the use of higher duro wheels, usually 83a and up, although its not unheard of using softer wheels. Slides can be done standing upright or with one or two hands placed on the road to allow the rider to execute technical slides in any number of positions. When performing hands-down slides, protective slide gloves must be worn. These gloves can be purchased or made at home. They are usually leather gloves with sliding pucks made of hard, low-friction plastics such as UHMWPE, Corian, or Delrin attached by velcro or glue. Sliding gloves can also be bought online or at local skate shops. Gloves are commonly made by companies such as Sector 9, Landyachtz, and Loaded. Slides can also be performed on banks and transitions in a skate park. When a skater slides to a complete stop, it is called a shutdown slide. A drift that reduces the rider's speed without bringing him to a complete stop is called a speed check. When the board rotates more than 90 degrees and then returns to its original position over the course of the slide it is called a pendulum. There are myriad more technical and challenging slides that can be done such as laybacks, pressure spins, 5-0 slides, and stand-up rotations. One of the most popular slide and most basic hands-down slide is called the Coleman. Made popular by Cliff Coleman, the Coleman slide is the most popular slide used to come to a complete stop, as you do a complete 180 degree turn with one hand on the ground.

Foot Breaking[link]

Foot braking involves putting one foot on the road while balancing on the board with the other foot. This technique can be used to reduce speed or come to a full stop. This is helpful in racing or in tight situations where the rider does not feel comfortable sliding, or when a rider only needs to lose a small amount of speed prior to entering a turn. However this method can be wasteful and tends to destroy shoes as the sole of the shoe is worn away and doesn't shed speed nearly as fast as sliding. While it may seem inconvenient it proves useful in tight situations.

Carving[link]

Carving is an effective way to control speed when traveling downhill. Instead of coming to a complete stop, the rider makes a continuous "S" path by leaning left and right. By making many turns speed can be controlled and maintained.

Boards with camber are specifically designed for carving. A camber board is usually made of a flexible wood like bamboo, and the center of the deck will be higher than the mounting point of the trucks creating an arc shape. When weight is applied the center will bend down, creating a reverse of the arc shape. This builds spring tension, that is released at the peak of every complete turn in the "S" pattern.

Pumping[link]

Pumping a skateboard is a technique used and perfected in slalom skateboarding. It is a technique used to maintain speed without the rider taking his or her feet off of the skateboard. The motion itself is somewhat unorthodox and it requires the rider to be very in sync with his center of gravity and skateboard. The act of pumping a longboard is the bending of ones knees in the direction of a turn to compensate for the gravitational forces in order to maintain speed. Skateboards made specifically for pumping usually consist of large longboard wheels which range anywhere from 60mm to 80mm. These wheels are normally soft to promote grip and have rebound urethane to maintain the resilience of the wheel. The trucks on the skateboard are also essential to how it will pump. Bennett Vectors are a very popular pumping truck and when mixed with the right durometer (measure of hardness) bushings experienced boarders can travel long distances without touching a foot to the ground. In a skateboarding world full of kick flips and 900’s, pumping had become virtually extinct. Now beginning to make its revival; along with many other aspects of the roots which originally drove skateboarding to such great heights

Early grabs[link]

Dancing is a resurgence of old-school tricks in longboarding that involve a variety of walking and spinning movements on the moving board. Dancing originates from boardwalking in surfing, and has been recently popularized by innovators such as Adam Colton and Adam Stokowski.^{[citation needed]} Dancing boards are typically longer in order to provide a larger platform for walking and turning tricks, sometimes in excess of 60 inches in length.

Air brake[link]

Air braking involves standing upright on your board as tall as possible with arms outstretched to catch as much wind resistance as possible. This is primarily done in speedboarding to reduce speed before a tight turn. It is not meant to stop the rider, but rather slow the rider to maintain control and stability. The effect is most noticeable at higher speeds and can be enhanced by deploying a Sporting-Sail, jacket or other article of clothing, forming a parachute. This can also be achieved by spreading you arms and standing up from your tuck.

Longboarding brands[link]

•[Jaseboards North Shore Hawaii • Loaded Boards • Landyachtz • Ehlers Longboards • Rayne • Sector 9 • Arbor • Gravity • Earthwing

• Others- Burn

Globe united by fate

See Also[link]

• Longboard
• Surfing
• Surfboard
• Freeboard

References[link]

External links[link]

• http://www.hitslongboarding.com/video/cabelera-in-tha-house-video_0a2304632.html - Video of Downhill longboard in Brazil.}}
• http://longboardreviews.org/ - Longboarding site with several longboard reviews for beginners
• http://www.kidsofthefutureskate.com/ - A Resource For Longboarding Videos
• Longboarding at the Open Directory Project
• http://outdoors.fanhouse.com/2008/12/09/no-water-needed-land-paddling-takes-off/
• http://www.mylongboardnation.com/

"Choose the right" is a saying or motto among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) that is taught to children and used by members of the church as a reminder to act righteously. The phrase is taken from an LDS hymn which has that title.

History[link]

The letters CTR, a reference to this phrase, are incorporated into a shield logo designed by Helen Alldredge,^[1] a Primary General Board member in the 1960s. In 1970, a church committee headed by Naomi W. Randall recommended that the shield be incorporated into official church material. Since then, both the phrase and symbol have been used in religious educational materials for LDS youth of Primary age.^[2] The symbol is also used in LDS culture by members of all ages, both as a reminder of the motto, as well as an indicator of religious affiliation. The CTR initials, displayed on the shield and in other forms, can be seen mainly on CTR rings as well as other types of jewelry, tee shirts, bookmarks and stationery.

According to the US Patent and Trademark Office, the LDS Church's stylized "CTR" abbreviation and shield with the CTR symbol are trademarked for use on finger ring jewelry by Intellectual Reserve.^[3][4] The phrase "Choose the Right," however, is not trademarked in the United States and may be used by anyone for commercial purposes.^{[citation needed]}

CTR ring[link]

A CTR ring, showing the escutcheon design

A ring with the letters "CTR" on is often worn by members of the LDS Church as a reminder of the "Choose the Right" motto, and as a symbol of their religious affiliation.

CTR rings were introduced at the same time as the CTR shield in 1970 by Primary general president LaVern W. Parmley after being recommended by a committee chaired by Naomi W. Randall.^[2] In connection with the children's Sunday School program, each LDS child in this age group is given an adjustable ring with a green escutcheon bearing the letters "CTR" in silver.

Over the years CTR rings have become popular with both children and adults in the LDS Church. They are now available in a variety of designs in over 30 languages.

See also[link]

• Joseph L. Townsend, author of the words for Choose the Right, hymn 239 in the 1985 LDS Hymnal
• Henry A. Tuckett, author of the music for Choose the Right, hymn 239 in the 1985 LDS Hymnal

• Christian ichthys symbol
• Purity ring
• What would Jesus do? (WWJD)

Notes[link]

References[link]

Phrase

• Monson, Thomas S. (November 1994), "Choose You This Day", Ensign, http://www.lds.org/ensign/2004/11/choose-you-this-day?lang=eng 
• Perry, L. Tom (November 1993), "Choose the Right", Ensign, http://www.lds.org/ensign/1993/11/choose-the-right?lang=eng 

Symbol and ring

• Anderson, Vern (May 31, 1997). "CTR ring grows into symbol of LDS culture". Deseret News. (AP). http://www.deseretnews.com/article/563527/CTR-ring-grows-into-symbol-of-LDS-culture.html. 
• Johnston, Jerry (February 10, 2001), "Putting T in CTR was right choice", Deseret News, http://www.deseretnews.com/article/824411/Putting-T-in-CTR-was-right-choice.html 
• McCloud, Susan Evans (July 14, 2010), "Fads, facts and fiction of CTR rings", Deseret News, http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705385084/Susan-Evans-McCloud-Fads-facts-and-fiction-of-CTR-rings.html 
• Ravitz, Jessica (November 4, 2006), "A familiar ring: Choose The Right rings adorn the fingers of kids the world over - but the history of the famous Mormon symbol is a little fuzzy", The Salt Lake Tribune, http://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=4596390&itype=NGPSID 
• "Creator of CTR ring dies at 91", Deseret News, July 10, 2008, http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700242122/-Creator-of-CTR-ring-dies-at-91.html 
• "Mormon children's rings big hit with all ages". Telegraph Herald. (AP): p. 10B. July 12, 1997. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DZVSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=h80MAAAAIBAJ&pg=2774,2490226. 

External links[link]

Look up CTR in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Media related to CTR rings at Wikimedia Commons
• "239: Choose the Right" - wording to hymn as found in the Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1985)
• "CTR Ring Varieties" - a large variety of CTR Rings available from Deseret Book bookstores.