Saturday 27 December 2014

pop it



I know I am progressing its hard but you got to work on it.
G

Tuesday 16 December 2014

vert



This is some old footage from a session I had at Creation in 2013 it's good to see the progression I have made since this time.

Sunday 14 December 2014

Skate-spergers

Recently I have begun to learn to skate my local vert ramp. This has been a big commitment of making a fifty mile round trip and practicing for two hours every week. It has made a difference to my overall confidence and board control on a big ramp, but more than this it has helped me understand how my aspergers can be a barrier when doing a brand new activity on my skateboard.

I find all kinds of problems that have nothing to do with the act of skateboarding, such as distractions caused by other users and their suggestions about how I should approach learning to ride the ramp. After all we all need encouragement to improve, but I will let some of the comments play on my mind well after the session has finished. Then  for days on end I will daydream through hundreds of scenarios that involve me attempting a new move. I will be obsessive about these daydreams and it will leave me being very insular when around others or unable to relax and be at peace in my free time.

This is known as a maladaptive-daydream. I found that as soon as I skated the ramp again I was focused and they stopped and so far in the past three sessions have yet too return. It is good to be able to visualize what you do on a skateboard but not at the expense of living your life. The compulsive nature of Aspergers has helped me develop my skills for pumping the vert and gives me the determination to keep going and learn new moves. Things like an early grab, drop in or pop out will be the way to progress in the future as my control reaches its best level. For now skating within my abilities is the best way to have fun and understand the fear that needs to be controlled when faced with a ramp that feels too big.

G.