Mushroom Blading: The Art Of Skateboarding

what is mushroom blading

Mushroom blading is a style of rollerblading that involves doing little creative tricks while aggressive skating. The style is often associated with Joey and Todd, two of the top inline skaters in the world, who are known for their unique skating and filmmaking style. The name mushroom blading comes from the way their skating looks, and their YouTube channel, How To Be Unpopular, has a large amount of content showcasing their style. The Canadian rollerblading scene, known for its creativity, has embraced mushroom blading, with skaters like Leon Basin taking it to new levels by mixing cone skating with aggressive skating and developing specialised UFS frames.

Characteristics Values
Description Mushroom blading is a style of rollerblading that involves doing little creative tricks while aggressive skating.
Founders Joey and Todd
Related terms Wizard skating, wizard setup, wizard frame
Related people Joey McGary/McGarry, Leon Basin, Shawn, Dustin Latimer
Related groups Beer, Basin, Unwin, and the Task crew
Related channels How To Be Unpopular, Mushroom Blading
Related companies Mushroom Blading Wheel Company

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Mushroom blading is a style of rollerblading that originated in Canada and became popular in 2008. It involves performing creative tricks while aggressive skating. The style is associated with Joey and Todd, two inline skaters from the aggressive skating world who had their own unique style of skating and filmography. They are based in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, and their style of skating became known as "mushroom blading" due to the way it looked.

The Canadian scene is tight-knit, and Joey and Todd are closely connected to other prominent skaters such as Beer, Basin, and Unwin. They have one of the best YouTube channels, with a wealth of content dating back several years. Their videos provide a great history lesson on the development of mushroom blading and its unique style.

The style of mushroom blading was further developed by Leon Basin and his friends, who created a UFS frame called the Wizard frame. They mixed cone skating with aggressive skating, taking mushroom blading to new levels and creating extremely creative videos.

While the exact origins of the term "mushroom blading" are unclear, it likely comes from the unique style of skating that Joey and Todd popularized, which involved a lot of creative tricks and a distinct look. Their influence on the Canadian rollerblading scene and their popular YouTube channel helped spread the style of mushroom blading, making it popular in 2008.

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Founders: Two aggressive skaters, Joey and Todd, who had their own unique style

Founders Joey and Todd are two aggressive skaters with their own distinct style. Their approach to skating and cinematography, known for its unique look, served as the inspiration for their moniker. The pair hail from Canada and are closely connected with other prominent figures in the Canadian scene, including Beer, Basin, and Unwin.

Joey and Todd are known for their YouTube channel, which features a wealth of content, including watch-alongs and commentary, providing a valuable resource for those interested in the history of rollerblading. Their style of skating involves performing small creative tricks while aggressive skating. This style has been popularized by Canadian skaters like Dustin Latimer, who showcases it in videos like "Feet."

The duo is part of a broader movement known as "Mushroom Blading," which promotes the Wizard Skates brand through various skating disciplines, including aggressive, semi-aggressive, and flow/freeride styles. Any moves resulting from a wizard setup are considered "wizarding." Joey and Todd's contribution to the movement is significant, and they have collaborated with Leon, the master of "wizard skating," to develop the wizard platform.

The Mushroom Blading community also has a podcast, catering to those interested in hearing about rollerblading from a 40-year-old's perspective. The group's mission statement reflects their lighthearted approach: "If you enjoy listening to 40-year-old men drone on and on about rollerblading, you've come to the right place."

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Style: Performing creative tricks while rollerblading aggressively

Performing creative tricks while rollerblading aggressively is a complex and interesting sport. Aggressive inline skating consists of many tricks, including grinds, airs, and alley-oops. Grinds are performed by sliding and doing tricks while riding on handrails or cement. Airs are performed when you are flying, usually after a jump, and staying in the air for a while. Alley-oops are tricks done in the opposite direction or backward.

There are many other tricks that can be performed while rollerblading aggressively. A 180 involves jumping and landing while facing the opposite direction. A 360 is a full spin, where you jump, spin around, and land back facing the direction you started in. A 540 is like a 360 with an extra 180-degree spin.

The type of rollerblade wheels and their profiles can impact the type of tricks performed. Smaller wheels (around 58mm) offer more stability for jumping and landing tricks, while larger wheels (60mm-62mm) provide better turning ability and faster skating but less stability. Anti-rockers, which replace the two middle frame wheels with plastic ones, help lock in tricks and prevent foot slippage.

Soul plates are essential for aggressive skating as they provide a surface to grind on. They come in various pieces and are made of different plastics that affect how well the skate slides on soul grinds. Different skates have differently fitting soul plates, and their designs determine how soul and groove grinds lock when the skater leans into the grind.

The lemon drop technique is a beginner trick that helps skaters explore riding on the edges of their rollerblade wheels. It involves smooth, controlled inward and outward leg motions and is a foundational movement for many other tricks.

Mushroom Trips: A Magical Experience

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Equipment: Specific wheels, frames, and protective gear are used

Mushroom blading is a style of aggressive skating that involves doing creative tricks. It was popularised by Joey and Todd, two inline skaters from Canada with their own unique style of skating and filmography.

When it comes to equipment, mushroom blading requires specific wheels, frames, and protective gear to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Here are the key components:

Wheels: Mushroom blading wheels are typically smaller and harder, designed for aggressive skating and trick execution. They provide a good balance between speed and manoeuvrability. The hardness of the wheels, measured in the 'A' scale, is usually in the range of 88A to 93A, with higher numbers indicating harder wheels.

Frames: The frames used in mushroom blading are often UFS (Universal Frame System) compatible, allowing for a variety of wheel setups and rockering options. This provides skaters with the ability to customise their frame setup to suit their skating style and trick preferences.

Protective Gear: Protective gear is crucial for mushroom blading due to the aggressive nature of the discipline. This includes helmets, wrist guards, elbow pads, and knee pads. These safety measures help prevent injuries from falls or collisions, which are common occurrences in aggressive skating.

Additionally, mushroom bladers often wear specialised inline skating shoes, which provide a good balance between support and flexibility. Insoles and socks designed specifically for skating can also enhance comfort and performance.

It is important to note that the equipment used in mushroom blading may vary depending on personal preferences and skating styles. Skaters may experiment with different setups to find what works best for their individual needs and skating disciplines.

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Community: A tight-knit group with a podcast, YouTube channel, and online forums

Community

Mushroom blading has a dedicated community with a presence on various online platforms, including a podcast, YouTube channel, and online forums. The community is tight-knit and passionate about rollerblading and skating.

Podcast

The Mushroom Hour Podcast is a dedicated podcast for the mushroom blading community. It features interviews with interesting guests who share their expertise and experiences related to rollerblading, mushrooms, wellness, and various other topics. For instance, one episode features Terri Smith, the CEO of Wake Jamaica, who discusses her work in empowering rural and underserved communities through mushroom cultivation. Another episode includes mycological cultivator and community creator Olga Tzogas, who shares her knowledge of wild mushroom identification, medicinal mushrooms, and mushroom biology. The podcast also ventures into related topics such as soil health and regenerative living, featuring guests like author and educator Matt Powers.

YouTube Channel

The Mushroom Blading community also operates a YouTube channel called "How To Be Unpopular." The channel is based in Kamloops, BC, Canada, and its creators describe themselves as "a couple of mediocre rollerbladers." The channel provides a visual medium for the community to showcase their rollerblading skills, share tips and tricks, and connect with their audience through comments and messages.

Online Forums

In addition to the podcast and YouTube channel, the Mushroom Blading community engages through various online forums and social media platforms. They interact on platforms like Patreon, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. These platforms provide spaces for community members to discuss their passion for rollerblading, share experiences, ask questions, and connect with each other.

Frequently asked questions

Mushroom blading is a style of rollerblading that involves doing little creative tricks while aggressive skating.

Joey and Todd, two guys from the aggressive skating world, developed their own style of skating and filmography, which became known as mushroom blading.

The term "mushroom blading" was likely coined based on how the skating style looked, resembling the shape of a mushroom.

Yes, the Mushroom Blading Wheel Company manufactures high-quality wheels for all styles of rollerblading, including mushroom blading.

Joey and Todd, the creators of mushroom blading, have a popular YouTube channel called "How To Be Unpopular," which features an extensive amount of content on the topic.

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