Learning how to drop in on a skateboard is one of the most intimidating and exciting things you’ll learn in the early stages of your skateboarding. I still remember the butterflies I felt dropping in on the tiniest quarter pipe at my local skatepark, and the adrenaline high I felt dropping in the deep end of my first bowl. It’s a feeling that sticks with you and marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in your skateboarding.
If you want to skate mini ramps, quarter pipes, or shred your local bowl, dropping in is one of the most essential skills to have. With it, you gain momentum far faster than trying to pump from the bottom of a transition. This momentum leads you into more speed through corners in the bowl, requires less effort for coping tricks, and just makes skating transition a lot more enjoyable.
So whether you’ve tried to drop in before or you’re just starting to consider the idea of it, let’s break down exactly how to do it.
Is It Hard To Drop In?
Dropping in on a skateboard is not hard as long as you fully commit and lean forward into the quarter pipe. The most common reason people are scared of dropping in is that they slip out backward or lose control once they get to the bottom of the transition. Although it’s certainly easier said than done, anyone who feels comfortable skating down a steep bank can in theory drop in a quarter pipe. The same weight transfer and balance are required for both, it’s just that a steep quarter pipe is far more intimidating.
So as long as you feel comfortable riding your skateboard, dropping in is easily attainable for any beginner skater. The key is to start small and work your way up into taller and steeper drop-in points. Although the motion is the same, the commitment level jumps up exponentially as you work your way into bigger bowls.
That’s why it’s a great idea to start with a small or medium-sized quarter pipe (4-6ft tall) when practicing dropping in for the first time. Besides the fact it’s less intimidating, a smaller quarter pipe is typically less steep, meaning you don’t have to lean as far forward to successfully drop in.
Getting these small wins early on with a few successful drop-ins is crucial in ensuring you have a positive experience with it and stay motivated for bigger quarter pipes!
How To Drop In On A Skateboard – Step By Step
Step 1: Identify Where You’re Going After Dropping In
Once you have figured out where you want to drop in from, take a moment to consider where you’re going to travel after dropping in. I’ve seen it happen plenty of times where people are so wrapped up in the actual drop-in, that they end up bailing at the bottom because they didn’t consider what happens next.
If you’re dropping into a bowl, consider the line (aka path) you’re going to take after dropping in. Take note of any bumps or dips in the bowl that you’ll have to avoid or absorb when you roll over them.
If you’re dropping into a mini ramp or halfpipe, think about how you’ll travel up the other side of the ramp. Perhaps it would be a good idea to practice kick turns on the quarter pipe if you haven’t done so already.
Lastly, if you’re dropping in on a stand-alone quarter pipe (a great option to first drop in from), think about where you’re going to roll and make note of anybody coming your way before dropping in.
Step 2: Place Your Tail On The Coping
With your line chosen, place the tail of your skateboard on the coping with your wheels pressed against the edge of the ramp. Having your wheels touching the ramp helps to keep your board more stable when dropping in and prevents your board from unexpectedly shifting.
Once your tail is placed, take a moment to get comfortable standing there, and don’t let yourself get psyched out.
Step 3: Place Your Front Foot Over The Front Trucks
With your weight primarily on your back foot, place your front foot over or near the front bolts of your skateboard. This is the sweet spot for dropping in since you have a wider stance for easier balancing, and it’s slightly harder to slip out this way.
Aim to position your foot in a comfortable position for riding since it’s how your foot will remain placed once you actually drop in.
Step 4: Quickly Stomp Down The Front Of Your Board & Lean Forward
Now that your front foot is placed, bend your knees, and stomp the front of your skateboard down while leaning forward into the quarter pipe. When I was learning, a tip that helped me with commitment was trying to slap my front wheels against the quarter pipe as hard as I could. That naturally forces you to press hard on the front of your board and lean into it fully.
The most important part of this step is to press down and lean in one quick movement. The faster you do this, the smoother the drop-in will be.
Step 5: Look Where You Want To Go
The moment you start rolling down the quarter pipe, keep your eyes up and look where you want to travel. The saying of “look where you want to go” could not be more true and is extremely helpful in ensuring you don’t lose control.
After you’ve dropped in, keep your knees bent and ready to absorb the next transition you’re about to go up if you’re in a bowl or halfpipe.
With these five steps, you’re guaranteed to set yourself up for success when learning how to drop in. Just remember that the absolute most important thing in this process is to commit to leaning forward. When people try to bail out partway down is when they usually wash out and slam. If you fully commit to riding it out until the bottom, you can nail your drop-in first try!
How Long Does It Take To Learn How To Drop In?
On average, it takes most people I’ve seen 1-7 days of consistent practice to get comfortable dropping in on small and medium quarter pipes. On your first day, you might drop in a small quarter pipe that’s only one or two feet tall, while the other days are dedicated to repetition and moving onto bigger features.
Of course, this assumes that you are already comfortable riding your skateboard. If you are still uneasy rolling fast or even doing basic tricks like manuals, dropping in will feel a lot more intimidating. What matters most is that you progress at a speed that feels comfortable to you. Don’t push yourself way out of your comfort zone if you don’t feel ready.
The unique thing about dropping is that you can technically be “learning” for quite some time. Even once you feel comfortable dropping in the deep end of the bowl, there are still vert ramps to drop in from. I’ve been skating for over a decade and vert ramps still give me the spooks when I go to drop in. Even once you feel like it’s easy, there are bigger things out there to challenge yourself with!
How To Get Over The Fear Of Dropping In On A Skateboard
We’ve all felt a bit weak in the knees when learning how to drop in for the first time. I still remember those anxious butterflies I felt back in the day. If you’re in that position right now, here are a few easy things to help mitigate your fear.
1. Start Small
The number one thing to help with your fear of dropping in is to build your confidence. The best way to do this is by starting small and getting good at dropping into small features consistently.
If even the smallest quarter pipe at your local park feels too big, try dropping into a bank instead. This still offers a similar movement and level of commitment that will give you some confidence to move onto a real quarter pipe.
I dropped into the same 2-foot tall ramp for days until it felt effortless when I was learning. Eventually, I moved up to a larger ramp that was around twice the size and repeated the process. As I gradually felt more and more comfortable on the smaller ramps, going up in size didn’t feel as intimidating.
Think of it like progressing up a set of stairs; although the starting and endpoint of the stairs are far apart, each gradual step makes the change feel minimal. By treating each slightly larger quarter pipe as another “step” in your progression, you’ll be dropping into the bigger ramps before you know it!
2. Practice Frequently
Building off of the last point, practicing frequently is the secret ingredient to feeling comfortable with dropping in. The more practice you have, the more data points your brain gets for thinking “ya I can do this.”
To me, practicing frequently is dedicating at least a couple of days of the week to skateboarding, with a few minutes of every session dedicated to dropping in. If you only skateboard once every few weeks, you’ll naturally progress slower as you’ll feel less confident as time goes on without practicing. To quickly feel dialed in, the simple answer is to drop in more and more often.
3. Skate Quarter Pipes & Mini Ramps
This may sound counterintuitive but skating back and forth in a mini ramp, or practicing kick turns on a quarter pipe is a great way to build your confidence with dropping in. This builds your confidence because you’re simply spending more time on transition. That way you get comfortable with the feeling of riding up and down a ramp, pumping, and even looking where you want to go. These little skills will help you feel less intimidated when it comes time to drop in since quarter pipes are something you’re already familiar with.
4. Try Wearing Pads
A technique that I always call on when dropping into something that scares me is to wear pads. A helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist pads feel like a suit of armor that keeps you feeling a lot more confident as you place your board on the coping. Knowing that if you do fall, it won’t hurt nearly as much works wonders for how well you commit. I’ve seen it work for myself and many of my friends over the years.
5. If You Fall, Try Again
Lastly, the most important thing to do when learning to drop-in is to not let falling deter you from trying again. If you slip out or don’t commit, get back up and try again right away. The reason for this is many skaters will have a bad experience with something, then avoid it for weeks or months afterward. This ends up creating fear for dropping in and will make you feel more nervous than you did initially. By getting up and trying again until you get it, you end off your experience on a positive so you feel more confident the next time you try dropping in.
And with dropping in, confidence in yourself is one of the most important things to have!
So with these five steps, you can confidently head to your nearest quarter pipe and start trying to drop in for yourself. If you don’t get it right away, keep practicing, and just remember to commit to leaning forward!
Happy Shredding!
Brendan 🙂
