Embrace the Indoor Shred: Rainy Day Weekend Skateboarding When the clouds roll in and the rain starts pouring, the typical skateboarder might feel the urge to lock their deck away until the sun returns. Yet, rainy days present a unique opportunity to change up your routine, explore new environments, and hone technical skills that often get ignored during sunny, park-filled weekends. Embracing indoor or covered skateboarding isn’t just a way to avoid getting soaked; it’s a way to become a more creative and versatile skater. The weekend doesn’t have to end just because the weather says so; it simply requires a shift in perspective and a bit of ingenuity to find the perfect dry spot. Locating Hidden Covered Spots
The first step to a rainy weekend session is scouting out the best-covered locations in your city. Parking garages are the holy grail of rainy day skateboarding. Often overlooked by security or located in commercial areas that are quiet on weekends, a smooth, empty top-level or lower-level deck of a parking structure offers endless possibilities. These structures are not just about flatground; they frequently feature mellow slopes, perfect for practicing carving, and sometimes even unique banks or concrete barriers. Always keep an eye out for security and respect the property, but with a respectful attitude, many sessions can be enjoyed undisturbed.
Another option for rainy days is looking for underpasses or covered pedestrian walkways. Many urban areas have infrastructure that provides shelter, such as underpasses, bridges, and covered loading docks behind shopping centers. These spots are excellent for practicing flatground tricks like ollies, kickflips, and shuv-its, as the ground is generally smooth. The key is to find a spot with a smooth, non-slippery surface, as concrete can become treacherous if moisture seeps in from the surrounding weather. Focus on Technique and Technical Skills
Rainy days are the perfect time to slow down and focus on the mechanics of your tricks, rather than just landing them at high speed. Without the pressure of a crowded park or the distraction of learning big stairs, you can dedicate time to perfecting your manuals, balancing in nose manuals, or working on technical flip tricks in a small space. This is the ideal opportunity to refine your foot positioning, work on your pop, or finally understand the mechanics of a hardflip.
Furthermore, indoor sessions are ideal for improving your finesse and control. Because you are often working with a smaller, confined area, you’ll naturally develop more precision in your movements. Trying to land a trick in a narrow, dry patch forces you to concentrate on your board control, which in turn makes you a better skater overall. Take this time to work on those tricks that you’ve been putting off, or to experiment with new, technical combinations that you wouldn’t normally try when skating fast and loose outdoors. Building Your Own Rainy Day Skate Session
If you cannot find a suitable, dry, and legal spot, you can bring the session home. Garage skating is a classic, but if you don’t have a garage, a basement, a shed, or even a long, carpet-free hallway can become your temporary skate spot. This is the moment to get creative. A piece of plywood on the floor can turn any flat area into a functional, non-damaging skate spot for perfecting your stationary tricks.
For those who have a bit more space, constructing a small, DIY manual pad or a low, grindable curb from leftover materials can transform your rainy weekend into a productive, technical session. A small ramp or a simple box, built with basic tools, can offer hours of entertainment. This is also a great time to work on board maintenance: changing grip tape, replacing bearings, or swapping out wheels. A well-maintained board is essential for a good session, and taking the time to care for it on a rainy day is a sign of a true skater.
Rainy days don’t have to mean the end of your skateboarding week. By thinking creatively, scouting out covered locations, and focusing on technical skills, you can turn a wet weekend into a highly productive and enjoyable time on your board. Whether it’s mastering a manual, landing a new flip trick, or exploring a quiet parking garage, these sessions build patience and precision, ensuring you return to the dry, sunny streets a more capable skater.
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