Most of us will have tried to skateboard at some point during our lives, and definitely during our childhoods. The trick with learning how to skateboard is having the right stance, balance and footing.
You may think that you look cool skateboarding, but if you are not doing it right, then you may be making life quite difficult for yourself, or even pushing it mongo style.
So what is mongo style, and why should you avoid it?
Pushing mongo style is one of the greatest debates around skateboarding. There are so many that say that this style of skateboarding is totally wrong, looks stupid, and has no place at a professional level.
However, many people can prefer to push their skateboard mongo style.
In particular, those new to the world of skateboarding can often find it much easier to learn to ride when pushing mongo style, much to the annoyance of more experienced and established skateboarders.
We are here to settle the debate, describe what exactly is mongo style, how you should be riding your skateboard, and why pushing your skateboard mongo style can be bad.
So, let’s start at the beginning, with how you really should be riding your skateboard.
How You Should Push Your Skateboard
When it comes to riding a skateboard, you may be surprised to find that it is not just a free for all and there is no technique to it. There are two proper ways to ride a skateboard, the regular way and the goofy way.
The regular way to ride a skateboard is by pushing with your right foot, and riding the board with your left foot forward.
This means that if you are riding properly, you will be pushing with your right foot, and balancing with your left foot on the skateboard.
If you are goofy, then you will be pushing your left foot, and skate with your right foot forward on the board.
If you are skateboarding mongo style, then you are using your front foot to skate, when you should be using your back foot.
Skateboarding in mongo style can be very disadvantageous, not to mention it looks a lot worse than skating normally.
What is Mongo Style?
Mongo style is the term used to describe skateboarders who are using the wrong foot to push on the skateboard.
For example, most skateboarders will use their front foot to stay on the board, and their back foot to push off the ground. If you are skateboarding mongo style, then you will be doing this in the opposite way.
Pushing a skateboard mongo style is most often referred to as bad practice, and bad forn, and if you get comfortable pushing in this way, many skateboarders will inform you that this is the absolute wrong way to ride a skateboard, and you will have to learn all over again.
There are so many reasons why you should not be skateboarding in mongo style, and why this is a habit you will want to squish immediately!
Why Pushing Your Skateboard Mongo Style Is Bad
One of the main reasons why mongo skateboarding is so frowned upon is because it is not the proper form or stance for skateboarding.
Mongo style simply does not look as good as proper skateboarding, and many pros will pick up on that.
In addition, when you skateboard mongo style, you are actually making things much harder for yourself.
For example, you will have to shuffle your feet around to find the right position for tricks, and it makes it much more difficult to steady your skateboard and keep your balance.
Furthermore, your weight distribution will be uneven, and you may even find it more difficult to skateboard properly without falling off frequently.
This is usually because when you ride mongo your feet will be further back on the skateboard, which makes it harder to stay on and in the right position and stance at all times.
When you push mongo style, you are also making it very hard to do technical tricks.
For instance, if you want to ollie, hop cracks, avoid obstacles or kickturn, you will need quick access to the tail of the board when pushing around.
If you are skating with the wrong foot, then quick access will be rather difficult for you, and you will slow your reaction time down, your performance, and will not be able to do real tricks with your board.
By pushing the skateboard regularly, you will find doing tricks and maneuvering the board so much easier! This is because it will take you much less time to get to the correct position.
You will only need to take your back foot off the tail, whereas skateboarding mongo style will mean that you have to take a few extra steps and reposition your feet a lot, which is much harder if you need to react to avoid an obstacle or do a jump.
Another reason that skateboarding mongo style is bad form, is that your center of gravity and weight distribution will be a little off.
When stationary, and balanced during mongo style, your back foot is between the middle of the board and the tail end of the board, which makes riding much more unstable, and more difficult at higher speeds.
You will also find it much harder to readjust your path or direction with your feet in this position. So try not to ride mongo style as you are just making everything much harder for yourself.
If you are beginning to skate, and you find yourself slipping into the routine of riding mongo style, then this is a practice that you will want to prevent.
Not only to save yourself a lot of grief from other skateboarders, but to improve your overall skateboarding performance. So, how do you stop pushing mongo style?
How To Stop Pushing Mongo Style
When you look at all of the cons of pushing mongo, it may be time to break the habit, before you get too used to it.
Many people begin to learn how to skateboard by pushing mongo style, but if you want to look professional and be a pro skater, then you will want to improve your stance and learn how to skateboard the proper way!
The best way to learn how to stop pushing mongo style is to force yourself. If you start to notice that bad habit creeping back in, then stop and start over.
Make sure you are using the accurate skateboarding stance at all times, and try to prevent yourself from old habits that you are used to.
If pushing mongo is deeply ingrained into your brain, it may be a little harder to change your ways. To stop pushing mongo, you may have to start over as if you are just learning how to skateboard.
First, try practicing to skateboard normally on just a smooth road or pavement, so that you do not have to turn or avoid many obstacles at first.
This way, it can be easier for you to focus on your footwork, rather than where you are heading.
The good news is that practice really does make perfect, so keep trying to maintain the proper stance and use the correct foot to push.
Another way you can stop yourself from pushing mongo style is to use a smooth pavement or sidewalk, and start pushing normally.
Then, use your hand (which hand depends on your stance) and lean on your knee, taking it very slow to ensure your balance is right.
Force yourself to use the correct foot to push, and if you feel yourself pushing mongo, then get off the board and start over. You may have to do this a few times before you crack it!
However, if you have been pushing mongo for a really long time, then it may be too late to change it up. If you are totally comfortable with pushing mongo, and you do not see an issue, or struggle to maneuver yourself, then why change?
You should not change just because other skateboarders tell you to, or tell you that you look stupid skateboarding.
In fact, there are actually many pro skateboarders that actually push mongo style. If it works for them, it can work for you!
Do Any Pro Skaters Push Mongo?
If you cannot seem to get out of the habit of pushing mongo, then try not to worry too much about it. Even some of the pros are used to pushing mongo, and would not be without it.
Some of the most well known and talented skaters started their careers by pushing mongo style. Many have since corrected their footing and stance for performing tricks and technical stunts, but pushing mongo is not all that embarrassing for them.
For example, Randy Colvin in Two World Industries Men, in 1990 clearly performed with his mongo pushing style.
Even when pushing mongo he managed to do some impressive and gnarly skateboarding, and all whilst being a mongo pusher.
In addition, Tom Penny was also a mongo pusher when he started skateboarding.
This goes to show that even the legends can struggle with proper footing, and started out mongo pushing, which means that it is never too late to correct your stance!
Even Bill Danforth is notorious for his mongo pushing style, as some people refer to mongo pushing as pushing Dan, which means you are not alone in your mongo pushing technique.
This goes to show that if you do not see a problem with mongo pushing style, and neither does many pro skaters, then you do not have to change your stance.
Try to avoid listening to naysayers who will make fun of your skating stance. Everyone is different, and everyone learns differently and at their own pace.
If you do find that riding becomes difficult, or keeping your balance and performing technical tricks is a little more of a challenge, then you can think about changing your skateboarding stance, but do not feel like you have to.
If professional skaters can push mongo, then so can you!
Summary
To sum up, pushing mongo style basically means that you are using the wrong foot to push your skateboard.
Pushing mongo style actually just means that you are pushing your skateboard using your front foot, and balancing with your back foot.
This actually affects the balance, stability and look of your skateboarding technique, and will make performing tricks much harder for you.
In addition, you will find it difficult to find the right stance, avoid obstacles, and react quickly on your board, as you will have to reposition your feet much more when pushing mongo style.
Luckily, mongo style is a habit that can be broken, and some of the finest and most impressive and accomplished professional skaters all started out by pushing mongo style. Yet, they went on to do great things.
Whilst pushing mongo style can have a lot of disadvantages, and can look a little abnormal, if you feel that it is easier to skate this way to practice and learn, then carry on!
Try not to listen to what others say, as if this method is for you, then just go with it.
You will have plenty of time to practice and learn to correct your stance if you want to learn new tricks or flips and work towards becoming a professional.
The important thing to remember is everyone is different, and everyone skates different.
Whilst pushing mongo is not the correct, accurate or most comfortable way to ride a skateboard, with time you can learn to overcome pushing mongo, and skate like a pro!