Drifting is becoming more and more popular by the minute. Wherever we see, on the street and in the shops, the drift is on fire. Since drifting became mainstream with the help of Hollywood movies and with the rise of adrift fans, the wave of desire to learn how to drift, as you see in the movies, has grown rapidly.

Drifting sure looks easy, just drive really fast and put your car on its side and smoke the rear tires. But as you’d know if you’ve already tried drifting, it’s not as easy as they make it sound on the big screen.

Here is a short drift lesson for beginners. The basics of drift. First, this is what you need:

1. You need a car, preferably with rear wheel drive.

2. It should be a manual because preferably. Automatic ones are more difficult to deflect, but not impossible.

3. You need to practice in an open area where it is legal and safe. Drift days are the place to go.

4. You will need some spare tires. Obviously.

Now this is what you should do:

1. You want to practice making circles or donuts in a place on the donut pad or in a flat open area around a pylon / cone. DO NOT go straight onto the track trying to skid around corners the first time you try to skid.

Make donuts to the right, then switch and circle to the left. Start with small circles and then make them bigger.

2. Once you’ve mastered the donuts, you can start using the parking brake and try some 180-degree turns. Place 2 drumsticks about 100 feet apart and go up and back doing 180 handbrake turns.

You shouldn’t try to get out of the curves just yet, just get used to your handbrake and feel the skid of your car. Once you can make it nice and smooth, you can try getting off the slide.

NOTE: Keep the parking brake on for more than a fraction of a second. Slide it with the parking brake until you are facing where you want to go and then you can turn it off.

3. Keeping the 2 drumsticks where they are, you can now try the figure 8 drifting around the drumsticks. Just like we’re doing the 180-degree turns, use the handbrake to slide it to the right and then come straight out, lining up for the other side of the pylon at the other end. Repeat and try to get as close to the pylons with your ront bumper as you can, touching the cutoff point, just like professional drift drivers!

Try these beginner drift tips before hitting the track and totalizing your car. As with any sport, practice makes perfect and proper drift training will keep you and your car safe so you can live to drift another day.