How do you learn to switch push (alternate or push with both legs?)

Footbraking is sliding your foot to slow down. It wears your shoes down, but alternately is much better than the knee injuries you get from reverse pushing/slapping your feet to slow down.

Watch this video to learn how to resole your shoes, or convert them for interchangeable soles (and where to get the materials cheap). I'de be glad to help you out if you DM me.

While sliding is cool, foot braking is necessary in traffic and so many situations where you need to safely stop without deviations,  so you might as well learn to resole your shoes on the cheap.​

What Longboard Setup Should a Beginner Pusher Get?

Things to look for in a beginner longboard if you want to get into pushing.

• Look for something low!

• Beginners find low setups easier to push on, easier to learn to stop, easier to slide, and more stable at speed. Terms to know for a beginner looking at low longboards.

• Drop throughs: A deck where the truck goes through the deck, mounted on the opposite side than typical, lowering the deck.

• Dropped decks: Boards with a lowered standing platform.

• Most distance boards have one, or both (double drop), of these features.

Look for something longer!

• Longer setups give you more space, very helpful as you learn foot placement. Don't step on a wheel!

• Longer boards are more stable, helpful for learning to ride faster, safely.

Big soft wheels!

• A sweet spot for pushing wheels ranges from 75-90mm for beginners. Lightweight and lower than some of the bigger pushing race wheels.

• A bigger wheel eats bumps while a soft wheel will help smooth vibrations and be more predictable if you lose traction.

 You get what you pay for. The more you spend the more likely you are to enjoy the sport, but there is a diminishing return. 

• ​My sponsor Pantheon Longboards is my first recommendation, of course, I help develop products with them, and they are really the best company out there in terms of making a perfect product and customer service, instead of focusing on a profit, but I understand if you can't afford that.

• Feel free to message me for other recommendations (adambrproject@gmail.com or @blueridgeproject of instagram).

Blueridge Project Info

Who is Blueridge Project / About Us

What is the "Project"

The Blueridge Longboard Project is the embodiment of the goal to increase accessibility and awareness of distance longboarding. Community is what makes a sport and I want to keep that alive.

I've believed for awhile that to grow and maintain the sport we need these three things:

• Media to excite people doing the sport currently and show why it's compelling to those outside of skating.

• Athletic feats to bring in racers from other sports, get headlines, and grow credibility.

• Develop community and educational material to lower the barrier of entry to what is a relatively higher risk sport.

Most of what we do is centered around these 3 ideas.

What's Your Day Job

​I (Adam) am going back to grad school for my PhD as a research assistant after working as a state hydrogeologist. I have a masters in hydrogeology, a form of environmental engineering for water quality and contamination.  Here's some of my work.

I don't make money on training, racing, and videos, so I am hoping to someday make a little skate store and videos that help make skating something I can continue doing at a high level.