Skating and Hockey / Drop in

It's sort of ironic, but one of the most intimidating tricks for beginner skateboarders is simply dropping in on a ramp. We've all been there! In fact, I can still remember the excitement I felt when I first learned how to drop in many, many moons ago. The feeling of vertigo can be real and it's one of the first tricks in skateboarding that you really can't bail. Honestly, you only have two options—commit or slam!

But fear not. With the right technique, a little practice and a lot of confidence, you can conquer the drop in with ease. Let me just say...your life will never be the same again! Amelia Brodka—Olympian, pro skateboarder and all-around ripper—is here to hook you up with some step-by-step instructions on how to drop in with confidence in the video above. And I'm here to add some personal context as well below. Man, I can hear the celebratory screams already! Let's get after it:

Step 1: Get Your Positioning and Stance Down
Figuring out your proper foot positioning and a comfortable stance is the first and most important step when it comes to dropping in. Actually, let's be honest—simply getting up on top of the ramp and preparing yourself for that first plunge is really the first step, but these are a few of the steps that will follow:

Place your board's tail on the coping at the top of the ramp you're about to drop in on and place your back foot on it nice and firm with your toes doing most of the work. Even this might feel a little scary, but at this point, you're already basically halfway there! (Let your heel hang off the edge a bit if needed.)
Keep your front foot parallel to your back foot and when you're ready, place your front foot on your board's front bolts for stability. This might sort of feel like a balancing act, but it's a great way to start getting a feel for your weight distribution. Okay, now you're really halfway there.

Step 2: Try Dropping In On a Bank (Optional)
Before we go any further, it's worth mentioning that if you're still in the early stages of building confidence (hey, no rush), it can helpful to practice dropping in on a bank instead of a quarter pipe. Banks are often flatter, less daunting and not nearly as fast as regular transition, making it easier to practice your technique and establish your foot positioning and stance. The best part is, you can typically start in the middle—or even the bottom—of a bank to ease into the process. Keep going until you get to the top! From there, well, that quarter pipe and/or steeper transition will be calling your name.

Step 3: Conquer Your Fears and Commit
Okay, back to the transition. Above all, dropping in requires commitment and confidence. It's sort of that simple, in an easier said than done kind of way. But to avoid fear and hesitation, it's absolutely crucial to drop-in with one fluid motion. If you follow these steps, you'll be a local legend at your hometown park in no time:

Stand at the top of the ramp and take a moment to mentally prepare yourself. I'd like to say take as much time as you need, but honestly...don't overthink it. Get up there knowing you're ready to take the plunge.
If it helps—count to three (or just take a big, deep breath), lean your front foot into your top bolts and shift your weight forward. This is the scary part, sure, but you'll soon learn that's really all it takes.
Remember, you want to push down pretty hard with your front foot, almost like you're squishing a bug on your board. And again, just lean your body forward.
Chances are you're going to need to lean further forward than you think is comfortable. Think about it? Your front wheels have quite a way to go before reaching the transition you're dropping into. So lean hard!
From there, try your best to keep your weight centered and avoid leaning too far back (or forward, although I know that might be confusing considering what I just said in Step 4), as this will cause you to lose balance. Trust me, you'll find your comfort zone pretty quickly! Just commit.

Step 4: Trust Yourself and Gradually Progress
The only thing left to do from there is go for it! You'll probably be surprised at how fast you start to progress after learning how to drop in. Skateparks will be way more fun, sessions will get way more heated and your bag of tricks will start getting deeper and deeper with every plunge you take. In time, start taking your drop in to bigger ramps and just use the same exact tips that helped you the first time. The fact that you'll already know your body has learned the necessary motions will be a game-changer, but I will say—the bigger the drop in, the bigger the risk. Just avoid hesitation as often as you can and trust in your abilities!

Let me just say—learning how to drop in is challenging. No reason to beat around the bush! It's scary up there and every skateboarder on the planet will deal with their own mental hurdles when learning how to do it. If it was easy, it wouldn't be nearly as rewarding! But once you conquer the drop in, everything changes. Just remember—trust the process and, most importantly, trust yourself and fully commit.

It's often one of those things that make you stop and think, "Wait...that was it?" But getting to that point takes some confidence and fearlessness. You gotta want it! That said, if you're here reading this, that means you do want it. Which means you're already one step closer to conquering this essential skateboarding trick and opening up a whole new world of possibilities.