I remember back in the day when I was 8 or 9 I was at the store and I got a Nash Night-Mare skateboard.  This was back before people were cramming pads and other safety gear down your throat.  I was terrible at it.  I remember the day I learned how to go down off the curb without slowing down.  Then I quickly learned the same method doesn’t work going up curbs.  I never got very good.