--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I learned how to skate, I couldn't do the…" description: "\"I learned how to skate, I couldn't do the tricks, but I could certainly skate fast enough. I could keep up with anybody and I could bomb hills and I co..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/larry-clark-25877_behinds_i-learned-how-to-skate-i-couldn-t-do-the_892217.jpg" --- # I learned how to skate, I couldn't do the tricks, but I… ![“I learned how to skate, I couldn't do the tricks, but I could certainly skate fast enough. I could keep up with anybody and I could bomb hills and I could hide behind my camera.” quote by Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/larry-clark-25877_behinds_i-learned-how-to-skate-i-couldn-t-do-the_892217.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/larry-clark-25877_behinds_i-learned-how-to-skate-i-couldn-t-do-the_892217.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/larry-clark-25877_behinds_i-learned-how-to-skate-i-couldn-t-do-the_892217.jpg) > “I learned how to skate, I couldn't do the tricks, but I could certainly skate fast enough. I could keep up with anybody and I could bomb hills and I could hide behind my camera.” [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He acknowledges limited trick skill but highlights speed, endurance, and using his camera to capture moments, valuing persistence over perfection. **In simple terms:** Speed and perseverance matter more than tricks. Key Takeaway Focus on consistent effort and creativity. Themes perseverance speed creativity Mood motivational pragmatic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - learning new sport - filmmaking - team activities - overcoming limitations Key Concepts skill development self‑efficacy visual storytelling Questions to Reflect On - What can you improve while maintaining speed? - How does documenting your practice help growth? A Different Perspective May overlook the value of mastering fundamentals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bombs/) [Cameras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cameras/) [Hills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hills/) [Olympics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympics/) ## Related quotes > [If you're going to photograph skateboarders you can't run after them, you've got to learn how to skate. So at about 50 years old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/if-you-re-going-to-photograph-skateboarders-you-can-t-run-after-them/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) > [I couldn't skate, I couldn't shoot, and I wasn't very intelligent. But I was spectacular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-reardon/i-couldn-t-skate-i-couldn-t-shoot-and-i-wasn-t-very-intelligent-but-i/) Ken Reardon > [As a Canadian it's something you grow up with. Where I'm from in Canada the ground usually freezes in late October and the lake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerad-adams/as-a-canadian-it-s-something-you-grow-up-with-where-i-m-from-in/) [Gerad Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerad-adams/) > [A little boy was asked how he learned to skate. 'By getting up every time I fell down,' he answered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-seabury/a-little-boy-was-asked-how-he-learned-to-skate-by-getting-up-every/) [David Seabury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-seabury/) > [I learned to skate in our garage. We lived in the country in Florida, it was sort of farmish, and there was no cement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-mullen/i-learned-to-skate-in-our-garage-we-lived-in-the-country-in-florida/) [Rodney Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-mullen/) > [When I was younger, my mom worked at a roller rink, so I'd go all the time. I learned to skate pretty well. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickie-james/when-i-was-younger-my-mom-worked-at-a-roller-rink-so-i-d-go-all-the/) [Mickie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickie-james/) > [As a kid in British Columbia, going back a long way, I learned to skate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-yzerman/as-a-kid-in-british-columbia-going-back-a-long-way-i-learned-to-skate/) [Steve Yzerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-yzerman/) > [My two earliest memories - earning little buttons on our skates when we learned how to skate from one end of the ice to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-knight/my-two-earliest-memories-earning-little-buttons-on-our-skates-when-we/) [Hilary Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-knight/) > [I got a pair of roller skates for Christmas when I was 4 or 5 or something, so I had a pair as kid.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-got-a-pair-of-roller-skates-for-christmas-when-i-was-4-or-5-or/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [We are shut up in school and college recitation rooms for ten to fifteen years, and come out at last with a bellyful of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/we-are-shut-up-in-school-and-college-recitation-rooms-for-ten-to/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I didn't grow up in one of those restrictive Christian households where you couldn't do this or that. We were brought up with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yolanda-adams/i-didn-t-grow-up-in-one-of-those-restrictive-christian-households/) [Yolanda Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yolanda-adams/) > [Tomorrow, America's most famous hockey mom, Sarah Palin, will drop the ceremonial first puck at the Philadelphia Flyers game. Right afterwards, she'll get out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/tomorrow-america-s-most-famous-hockey-mom-sarah-palin-will-drop-the/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [He really is terribly heavy going. Like running up hill in roller skates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ayckbourn/he-really-is-terribly-heavy-going-like-running-up-hill-in-roller/) [Alan Ayckbourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ayckbourn/) > [When I was 3, my parents strapped on a pair of Playskool plastic roller skates to my feet, and that's where the story begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-celski/when-i-was-3-my-parents-strapped-on-a-pair-of-playskool-plastic/) [J. R. Celski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-celski/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) ## More by Larry Clark > [ \[Eugene Smith\] was always writing these diatribes about truth, and how he wanted to tell the truth, the truth, the truth. It was a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/eugene-smith-was-always-writing-these-diatribes-about-truth-and-how/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) > [I've always been interested in people that you wouldn't see otherwise. If you look back at my books, photographs, and films-and since I'm doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-people-that-you-wouldn-t-see-otherwise/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) > [I was over self-medicating back when I was a kid and didn't know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/i-was-over-self-medicating-back-when-i-was-a-kid-and-didn-t-know-it/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) > [I am a storyteller. I've never been interested in just taking the single image and moving on. I always like to stay with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/i-am-a-storyteller-i-ve-never-been-interested-in-just-taking-the/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) > [For me there are no rules. I think I learned that from artists-from painters and sculptors. It took photography a while to catch up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/for-me-there-are-no-rules-i-think-i-learned-that-from-artists-from/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) > [The work all comes from a psychological need. See the images that I make... It's really a psychological need. I'm just jerked around by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/the-work-all-comes-from-a-psychological-need-see-the-images-that-i/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) > [I tell people to frame the picture. Make the greatest, most perfect composition you can . . . and then take a step forward.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/i-tell-people-to-frame-the-picture-make-the-greatest-most-perfect/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) > [I think the reason why I never wanted to do a retrospective is because I was scared to go back and look at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/i-think-the-reason-why-i-never-wanted-to-do-a-retrospective-is/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) > [I just happened to have my camera and be photographing my friends. It was totally innocent; there was no purpose to the photographs. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/i-just-happened-to-have-my-camera-and-be-photographing-my-friends-it/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) > [If I want something I do everything to get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/if-i-want-something-i-do-everything-to-get-it/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) > [If you've seen my books through the years, I've always been a storyteller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/if-you-ve-seen-my-books-through-the-years-i-ve-always-been-a/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) > [I just happened to have my camera and be photographing my friends. It was totally innocent; there was no purpose to the photographs. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/i-just-happened-to-have-my-camera-and-be-photographing-my-friends-it-2/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) > [I've wanted to make a film about French youth since I went to Cannes with my first film 'Kids' in 1995 ... Scribe's screenplay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/i-ve-wanted-to-make-a-film-about-french-youth-since-i-went-to-cannes/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) > [I always felt that when I was photographing, I had a psychic need to see this, to photograph this. And I think if somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/i-always-felt-that-when-i-was-photographing-i-had-a-psychic-need-to/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) > [My greatest lesson in composition was looking at paintings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/my-greatest-lesson-in-composition-was-looking-at-paintings/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) [Explore all 22 Larry Clark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) ## More Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. With or without a record, with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-turner/i-m-really-thankful-to-god-man-like-now-i-m-really-making-a-real/) [Ike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-turner/) > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I learned how to skate, I couldn't do the tricks, but I could certainly skate fast enough. I could keep up with anybody and I could bomb hills and I could hide behind my camera.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Larry Clark" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/i-learned-how-to-skate-i-couldn-t-do-the-tricks-but-i-could-certainly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behinds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/i-learned-how-to-skate-i-couldn-t-do-the-tricks-but-i-could-certainly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/larry-clark-25877_behinds_i-learned-how-to-skate-i-couldn-t-do-the_892217.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/larry-clark-25877_behinds_i-learned-how-to-skate-i-couldn-t-do-the_892217.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/larry-clark-25877_behinds_i-learned-how-to-skate-i-couldn-t-do-the_892217.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I learned how to skate, I couldn't do the tricks, but I could certainly skate fast enough. I could keep up…” — Larry Clark", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Larry Clark", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I learned how to skate, I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/i-learned-how-to-skate-i-couldn-t-do-the-tricks-but-i-could-certainly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/i-learned-how-to-skate-i-couldn-t-do-the-tricks-but-i-could-certainly/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```