Street — Glossary

Every Street term explained in plain language: technique, equipment, rules and slang – with tips on avoiding the classic mistakes.

Bail & Slam (Slang)
A bail is the deliberate abort: you step off before the trick goes wrong. A slam is the uncontrolled crash you failed to bail out of in time.
Drop-In (Rule)
In surfing, the right-of-way violation of taking off on a wave someone is already riding. In skateboarding, dropping into a ramp from the coping.
Durometer (Wheel Hardness) (Equipment)
Wheel hardness on the A scale, e.g. 84A. Higher means harder, faster and louder; lower means softer and grippier.
Goofy & Regular (Slang)
Your stance on the board: regular rides left foot forward, goofy right foot forward. Neither is better.
Grind & Slide (Movement)
In a grind the trucks — the metal axles — slide along the edge; in a slide it is the underside of the deck. The 50-50, both trucks on the ledge, is the entry point.
Pop (Movement)
The explosive snap of the tail that triggers every jumping trick. The board only leaves the ground once the front foot slides forward in the same instant. Measured thrust: roughly 2.2 times body weight.
Railstand (Primo) (Movement)
The board balances on one of its long edges while you stand with your feet on the wheels and the deck edge. Toeside is the easier version — most people learn it first.
Skate Stopper (Rule)
Small metal studs fitted to ledges, benches and handrails that kill any grind on contact. They are the owner's unmistakable no — which means: find another spot.
Skate Wax (Cheat code)
A block of wax rubbed along a ledge or rail makes the edge slippery. Without it, trucks and deck catch abruptly — the most common cause of falls when grinding.

General

Terms from training theory that apply in every sport.

1RM (One-Repetition Maximum) (Rule)
The maximum weight you can move for exactly one clean repetition. The reference value behind almost every training plan.
BMR & TDEE (Rule)
BMR is your basal metabolic rate at complete rest; TDEE is total daily expenditure including everyday movement and training. Nutrition targets always work off TDEE.
Cadence (Movement)
Steps per minute when running, or pedal revolutions when cycling. For most runners, 170–180 steps per minute sits in the sweet spot.
Core Tension (Movement)
Active stabilisation of abdomen, back and pelvis — the bridge that lets force travel between legs and arms at all.
Deload (Cheat code)
A deliberately lighter week with volume or intensity clearly reduced, so adaptation can catch up.
DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) (Cheat code)
Delayed muscle soreness 12–72 hours after unfamiliar load. Not a measure of training quality.
Knee Valgus (Movement)
The knees collapsing inward during squats, jumps and landings. One of the key risk markers in technique analysis.
Progressive Overload (Cheat code)
The one principle no training works without long-term: the stimulus has to grow over time, otherwise adaptation stops.
RIR (Reps in Reserve) (Rule)
How many clean reps you had left at the end of a set. RIR 2 means two more were available.
RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) (Rule)
A scale for perceived effort. In strength training it usually runs 1–10, where RPE 8 means you had two more reps in the tank.
Zone 2 (Aerobic Base) (Cheat code)
The easy endurance zone where you can still hold a conversation in full sentences. The base of almost every endurance plan.