Using a longboard to skateboard provides stability but the tradeoff is less agility. Learning how to longboard doesn't require much equipment, aside from a longboard, a helmet, pads, and some shoes. But before you begin, you should know the difference between longboarding and shortboarding. Each is a type of skateboard with a deck made of wood or composite material and wheels attached using squat T-shaped mounts called trucks. The primary difference, apart from length, is that longboards are used for cruising streets and carving hills, whereas shortboards also are used for jumps, kicks, and tricks on the halfpipe. Longboards are typically 42 inches long, though they may be as short as 34 inches for a kid's board or 50 inches for a tall rider. Width varies from 7 to 10 inches, depending on a rider's shoe size, but 8.5 inches is common. Shortboards, by comparison, are usually 30 to 33 inches long and 8 inches wide. Unlike shortboards, which usually have a symmetrical head and tail, longboards are available in different shapes for different riding styles. Whatever board you choose, you'll want to buy a good safety helmet and wear flat-bottomed shoes for stability.

01 of 07 Types of Longboards Sigrid Gombert/Getty Images The longer a longboard is, the more stable it will be. But longer boards are less agile; they don't turn as quickly or as easily as shorter ones. Before you buy a longboard, think about the kind of riding you want to do. Cruising. If you're primarily using your board for commuting, you'll want a cruiser or pintail board. Cruisers have a gently pointed nose and slightly rounded tail. The nose on a pintail is more sharply rounded, and its tail tapers to a defined point. Freestyling or freeriding. If you're into technical downhill riding or like to use your longboard for dancing (showing off a range of skills), you'll want a dropdown or dropthrough board, both of which have narrow, symmetrical heads and tails with blunt ends. Downhill longboarding. If you have a need for speed, you'll want a stiff cruiser deck, a topmount, or a speed deck. Speedboards resemble dropthroughs but with asymmetrical heads and tails. Topmounts have symmetrical heads and tails. Wheels for longboards are wider than for shortboards to allow for a smoother ride and are usually made of urethane. Wheel edges may be square (best for cruising flat surfaces or smooth, straight hills), beveled (good for twisty roads), or rounded (great for carving and sliding).

02 of 07 Goofy or Regular Stance janzgrossetkino / Getty Images You can use two different kinds of stances when riding a longboard: regular (left foot forward) and goofy (right foot forward). The foot that's at the head of the board is your balancing foot. It's the one you'll lean on as you're accelerating or turning. Your rear foot is your kicking foot. It's the one you'll use to propel yourself forward by pushing against the pavement. If you skateboard, snowboard, surf, or wakeboard, then go with the stance you already use. Otherwise, you'll need to figure out which stance is your natural one. To do this, stand at the base of a staircase and take a step up. The foot you extend first will be your back foot on the longboard. Just remember that there's no right way to ride a longboard. If a goofy stance is more comfortable than a regular one, then go with what feels best.

03 of 07 Finding Your Footing Jamie Garbutt / Getty Images The next step is to practice your stance, preferably on a smooth, flat surface that's free of traffic. Stand on the center of your board to get a feel for how springy it is. Bend your knees and crouch down, then stand back up. Get used to shuffling and moving your feet along the deck without stepping off. Foot placement depends on how you're riding. Most of the time you'll want to keep your feet between the trucks at a little wider than shoulder width, with your front foot pointed diagonally at about a 45-degree angle and your back foot pointed out slightly a few degrees. For bombing hills (longboarding down hills fast), try spreading your feet wider. If you want more speed, try pointing your feet downhill. Remember to put a good amount of weight on the front foot when hill bombing to remain in control.

04 of 07 Pushing Off vaquey / Getty Images Take your back foot off of the longboard and put it on the ground. To get moving, simply push off with this foot. You can push a few times if you want to get more speed quickly or just make one big push. Once you get the board moving, put your foot back on the longboard. If it feels more comfortable to push with your front foot, that's fine, too. That technique is called "pushing Mongo." Once you're comfortable with getting yourself moving on a flat surface, practice riding down a hill. Find a slight slope—not a steep drop—and get on your longboard. Don't push the first few times you try; let gravity pull you down. Next, try pushing once and riding down. Increase your speed as you feel comfortable.

05 of 07 Stopping on a Longboard FatCamera / Getty Images Getting your longboard going is important, but so is stopping. If you're just learning how to longboard, the easiest method is footbreaking (dragging your foot). Take the foot you push with and drag it on the pavement until you come to a gentle stop. Keep the bottom of your foot flat on the ground as you drag it. Once you've practiced this, you can try more advanced means of stopping, like the ​Coleman slide. If you end up going too fast and getting out of control, you'll probably have to bail by jumping off. Although it sounds reckless, it isn't. The idea is to leap off the board and hit the ground running so that you remain on your feet. The sensation is a little like hopping off a moving sidewalk. To practice, find a flat area where you can get moving without going too quickly, preferably adjacent to a grassy area you can leap to and not hurt yourself if you stumble. Once you start rolling, just jump off the board and try remaining upright. This will take practice, so wear your pads and go slowly.

06 of 07 Simple Carving and Cruising wundervisuals / Getty Images After you've learned how to start and stop your longboard, you need to learn how to turn or carve. Shifting your weight to one side or another as you ride causes the board to turn in the same direction that you lean toward. You can carve on your heel edge or your toe edge, and the deeper you carve, the more extreme of a turn you will make. Try carving gently down the slope where you've been practicing. Begin by getting some forward momentum, then gently lean to one side to begin turning. Carving slows you down, so you may need to give yourself a stronger push. Try moderating your speed by carving from side to side as you cruise. Your speed will increase the more you crouch down and your center of gravity is lower. Beginners commonly watch their feet as they practice cruising and carving, but you should keep your gaze fixed on the horizon or slightly downhill. Your board goes where your eyes go.