Just got your first Freebord? Hell yeah.
Now the real question is: how do you avoid struggling for the next 3 months?
Spoiler: follow these 3 steps and you’ll dodge 90% of the beginner mistakes.
I’m Quentin Streum, I’ve been riding for 13 years, and now I teach Freebord both online and in Reunion Island. I’ve seen hundreds of boards and riders over the years — and I’m here to help you build a solid foundation. Let’s go.
🔧 Step 1: Set up your board properly (like, really)
If your board is badly set up, you won’t get far — or worse, you’ll hurt yourself and never get the right feel.
Just this week, a rider from Lausanne sent me a pic of her setup: looked good… but the wheels were on backwards. 😅
👉 So let’s go back to basics:
- Bindings? Open wide, duck stance. Your foot needs to be locked in but still comfy.
- Center wheels? All the way in. Last hole. I know the rocker can be intimidating, but it’s literally the key to Freebord.
- The bigger your rocker, the more forgiveness you get. No rocker might feel stable, but it’s actually worse — you’ve got no room for error if your position is off. A big rocker is cool fro FB5 or FB5X in my opinion. It will help you understand better the mechanism and get more precise.
Step 2: Skip the hill at first
Don’t be that guy bombing a hill on day one thinking he’s in a team edit.
Trust me — bad idea.
👉 What I recommend: start on flat ground, smooth pavement, with a railing or post to hold onto. The goal is to understand how the board moves.
Here’s a simple drill (do it on repeat):
- Neutral position – floating on the center wheels
- Rotate your upper body (towards where you want to go)
- Push with your back foot
- Return to neutral
Do that over and over until your body gets it.
Freebord is muscle memory. Right now, you’re programming it.
Step 3: Find a mellow, traffic-free slope
Once you’re comfy on flat, look for a gentle hill, short and with no cars.
This isn’t about speed, it’s about control.
Start by riding 5 meters in neutral, then:
- Turn your shoulders (point with your hand if that helps)
- Push with your back foot
- Let the board slide into a controlled stop
Then repeat on the other side.
The goal is a clean, diagonal brake slide.
👉 You’ll be training both frontside and backside from the start.
Think of it like writing with both hands — the more balanced you are, the smoother your riding will be later.
The real secret? Stick with it
You’re gonna fall — that’s part of the game.
But every slam brings you closer to that magic feeling:
The perfect edge, the locked-in stance, and that smooth glide that feels just like snowboarding.
If you’re not sure about your setup, want me to check a video, or just wanna chat Freebord, hit me up on Insta @quentin_streum. Always happy to help.
🚀 I’m also dropping a new online coaching program in July – stay tuned on my instagram + here on my Freebord School page.
Welcome to the game. ✌️🔥
