So, how do you drop in? Just commit? No. Of course, you will eventually have to commit, but understanding human psychology will not only help ease your fear but will also help you have fun learning it. In this video, I will explain how to drop in and how to overcome fear from a psychological perspective.
Summary
Drop-In Mechanics and Fear Management
Dropping in involves placing the tail on the coping, shifting weight forward, and pushing the nose down. Fear often leads to leaning back, so maintaining balance is key. "Exposure" and "Shaping" are psychological tools to combat fear. Exposure involves practicing simpler versions for safety, while Shaping uses smaller, rewarding steps to build confidence.
Exposure to Reduce Fear
Exposure gradually increases comfort through simplified exercises. These include getting used to skateboarding, powerslides with hands on the ground, rolling up and down banks, and exiting mid-transition. Even sliding down the transition on shoes or hip helps. These controlled experiences reduce fear.
Shaping for Progress and Confidence
Shaping motivates progress with rewards. Pumping high simulates the drop-in motion. Kickturns and manuals improve balance on transitions. Bunny hops offer lower-risk airtime. Each step builds accomplishment and reduces fear of the full drop-in.
Overall Steps
Foot Placement
Place the tail on this cylinder-looking object called "coping." Have the base of the tail touch the coping and stabilize it by stepping on it with the entire sole of your back foot.
Front foot and Eye Sight
While standing on the ramp, rest your front foot on top of it and move it onto your skateboard once you are ready. Keep your eyes on the front foot and gradually shift your center of gravity forward.
Body Axis
Keep your body axis perpendicular to the angle of the transition, and push down on the nose with your front foot. If you succeed, you will reach the flat bottom of the ramp.
Common Mistakes
Don't lean back
Theoretically, it seems quite simple. In many cases of falls, though, people tend to lean too far back due to fear and shoot their boards forward. The only thing you need to do is to keep the center of gravity above the board, but even if you know this in your head, it is difficult to put it into practice.
Quick Tips
Grab the nose
If you are scared, try grabbing the nose as you drop in. The biggest problem is that the weight stays on the tail side. So, by grabbing the nose, you can force the weight that tends to stay on the tail side to move toward the nose.
Grabbing the nose is not the goal
But, of course, your weight will stay on the tail side if you pull your hip while holding the nose. Note that what is essential is to shift your weight toward the nose, not to hold the nose itself.
Practicing with friends
Practicing with someone else is also a great emotional support. Drop-ins require a lot of commitment, but having a peer to cheer you on makes it easier to overcome the psychological barrier.
Psychological Terminology
Exposure and Shaping
With that said, also consider the following psychological concepts that could help you alleviate fear: "Exposure" and "Shaping." It is often said that baby steps are important when doing something difficult, and "Exposure" and "Shaping" are two of these concepts. Simply put, Exposure is to decrease what you cannot do, and Shaping is to increase what you can do.
Exposure
Definition - What is Exposure?
First, let's see "Exposure" as a psychological term that is an effective way to overcome fear. It is to try simplified versions of the ultimate goal to experience that it is safe.
Going Faster
For example, if you are afraid of dropping in, try going faster on your skateboard. While dropping in might be a milestone, the first priority is to get used to the feeling of riding a skateboard. Get comfortable pushing, tic-tacs, and turning on flat ground, and embrace the thrill of speed.
Powerslides with Both Hands
In another example, try doing some powerslides with both hands on the ground. You will fall while skateboarding, so it is also recommended to get used to the feeling of supporting your body with both hands. Doing power slides with both hands on the ground will help you get used to the feeling of that.
Roll-up to Fakie
Once you get used to the feeling on the powerslide, try rolling up a bank or transition and coming back Fakie. Try to keep your center of gravity in the center of the board.
Getting Off the Board
If you are afraid of coming back Fakie, try getting off the board in the middle of a transition. Once you get used to this feeling, you will see where and how to get off the board when you feel unsafe.
Roll-in on the bank
Now, let's also analyze why it is scary to drop in. One of the biggest factors that make dropping in scary is the sudden acceleration. While some people say you should drop in from a bank first, the same can be said even when doing so. Instead, try rolling in from the top of a bank, which will help you get used to the sensation of more gradual acceleration.
Slide Down with Shoes or on Hip
To further familiarize yourself with the feeling of transitions, try sliding down from the coping with your shoes or on your hip. In this way, you can get used to the feeling of sliding down the transition with your body when you fall without directly having to practice drop-ins.
Shaping
Definition - What is Shaping?
Shaping involves breaking down the final goal into small steps and then rewarding each step that is accomplished. For example, when teaching a baby to walk, you'd praise it when it can crawl, stand up, take a step forward, and so on.
Application in Skateboarding
In the case of skateboarding, no one praises you like a baby. Instead, it's dopamine that gives you a strong sense of pleasure and satisfaction when you accomplish something. It is also said to increase a person's motivation and concentration. So why not use this substance as a reward by breaking down a drop in into "easy and accomplishable steps?"
Pumping
Try pumping first. I will discuss the detailed physics of pumping in another video. For now, get used to the feeling of gaining speed by stretching your body. Once you can pump up higher than the ramp you are trying to drop in, you are virtually doing the same thing required in dropping in. All you have to do left is doing the same thing from the coping. Getting used to pumping higher definitely helps you build up your confidence.
Kick Turns
Practice kick turns along with pumping. Play with different weight distributions and learn how to maintain balance on the transition. In addition, it is also recommended to try mixing it with a manual. It is fun to stop for a longer period, and this movement will be the basis for more advanced tricks.
Bunny Hop
And lastly, try bunny hops. Even if you can't drop in, it doesn't mean you can't get off the ground. You can easily jump up with the following steps.
1. Ride up the transition while turning slightly frontside.
2. Grab the center of the board with your back hand.
3. Pull up the board
4. Kick down the tail with your back foot.
I believe it's one of the best ways to get used to transitions without risking falling so hard.
AI Form Analyzer
To help visualize whether your body is angled properly during a drop-in, Whythetrick has developed the AI Form Analyzer. Upload a video, and the AI will automatically analyze your body angle and display the results in your browser. This tool isn't just for drop-ins; you can also use it to practice Ollies and other tricks. Although I don't personally play it, I think it could also be beneficial for practice in sports like golf. Give it a try and see how it works for you.
Try Form Analyzer NOW
