As a kid, professional skateboarder Rodney Mullen was one of my heroes. For those that don't know who Rodney is, he's responsible for creating almost every trick that's being done by kids today, as well as being credited with designing today's modern board shape (the double kick deck). He overcame an abusive childhood to be, in my opinion, the best skater to ever step on a board...he's certainly the most influential skater in history.
Rodney started skating at the age of 10, turned pro at the ripe old age of 13 (by beating the World Champion at the time), and in major pro competition he was 37-1 in freestyle over a 10 year period.
Rodney started skating at the age of 10, turned pro at the ripe old age of 13 (by beating the World Champion at the time), and in major pro competition he was 37-1 in freestyle over a 10 year period.
Rodney is still going strong today, creating new tricks and innovations for equipment. It's hard to believe by looking at him that he'll be 43 years old in August...doesn't look a day over 25. Keep that in mind as you watch the clip below. It's amazing to me that the mind of a human being can conceive these tricks, let alone do them with the consistency he does.
One of the coolest things about Rodney, IMHO, is he's never stopped progressing and pushing his limits. I read an article recently that stated he hasn't filmed much over the past two years because he's "training" to erase his stance, meaning he can do all of his tricks regardless of how he stands on the board. Most people in Rodney's line of work would have long since retired and yet this guy is still moving forward, working hard to progress to be the best he can be. Why? Because he loves what he's doing.
I've had people ask me why I bend steel etc. Always seemed like a silly question to me. Why else does anyone do what they do? Because they love it. After all, if you don't love what you're doing, then quit wasting your time and move on to something else.
I've included two interviews with Rodney at the bottom of this post. You can tell right away that the reason he is who he is and has achieved what he has (he's the Godfather of Modern Street Skating and is a millionaire) is because of his attitude and work ethic. He'll spend hours working on a trick, day after day, until he's got it mastered.
In alot of ways, Rodney reminds me of Slim the Hammer Man as far as his commitment and dedication, never giving up on a goal until it's achieved. It's very rare that you find people who have dedicated themselves to something as long as these two individuals have.
Enjoy:
One of the coolest things about Rodney, IMHO, is he's never stopped progressing and pushing his limits. I read an article recently that stated he hasn't filmed much over the past two years because he's "training" to erase his stance, meaning he can do all of his tricks regardless of how he stands on the board. Most people in Rodney's line of work would have long since retired and yet this guy is still moving forward, working hard to progress to be the best he can be. Why? Because he loves what he's doing.
I've had people ask me why I bend steel etc. Always seemed like a silly question to me. Why else does anyone do what they do? Because they love it. After all, if you don't love what you're doing, then quit wasting your time and move on to something else.
I've included two interviews with Rodney at the bottom of this post. You can tell right away that the reason he is who he is and has achieved what he has (he's the Godfather of Modern Street Skating and is a millionaire) is because of his attitude and work ethic. He'll spend hours working on a trick, day after day, until he's got it mastered.
In alot of ways, Rodney reminds me of Slim the Hammer Man as far as his commitment and dedication, never giving up on a goal until it's achieved. It's very rare that you find people who have dedicated themselves to something as long as these two individuals have.
Enjoy:
