Yes, skateboarding is good exercise. In fact, if you use proper skating posture, I think it is an AMAZING cardio workout that burns calories, tones muscles, & even works your core. I might be a tad biased but I think it is the MOST fun and exciting way to lose weight, burn fat and stay in peak physical shape.
Skateboarding works almost all of your muscles, from your lower back and abs all the way down to your feet, making it a beneficial form of exercise. Your core, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves will all be toned. The pushing motion (or “kicking” as it is actually termed in skateboarding) resembles (and feels like) your doing a lunge…over and over again.
Skateboarding has been shown to reduce the risk of ligament issues in athletes and to prevent ankle and knee re-injury. It also improves coordination, flexibility, and balance. It’s also being researched for broader application to increase mobility and reduce the risk of accidents.
Please read on to find out more about skateboarding benefits as a good exercise.
Table of Contents
How is Skateboarding Good for You?
There are many benefits of skateboarding; here are just a few:
Increases Your Flexibility
Because it makes your legs and core more flexible, skateboarding can be a good form of exercise. To control the board while skateboarding on the pavement or a ramp, the entire body must remain flexible. A person will find it challenging to skate if they are anxious or tense. Even in everyday life, it is useful to learn to relax and be flexible.
Provides a Chance to Learn Precision
A person benefits from precise body movement in all facets of life. You have the opportunity to learn precision while having fun skateboarding. A vital component of the sport is switching up your timing, changing your speed, and placing your feet in different places on the board.
Kids love skateboarding, and we’ve reviewed the best skateboards for kids on our website; you’ll love the options! Reflexes and muscles are very simple to develop when a person is younger. Your child will benefit from playing this healthy sport, which keeps them both physically and mentally fit.
Promotes Your Physique
They all have attractive physiques with slim but muscular frames if you look at professional skaters in the world today. Due to the need for quick, light movements as well as sufficient strength for complete body control, skateboarding is the reason. Skateboarding will undoubtedly help you develop a similar physique if you include it in your physical fitness routine.
A Complete Body Workout
Many people believe that skateboarding is only effective on legs. But that is not true. For skateboarding, you have to have good coordination of your upper and lower body to maintain balance. Skateboarding requires excellent body control, which will greatly strengthen your abs and core muscles.
Enhances Physical Endurance
Skateboarding is just like any other activity in that it will help you become more physically fit. If you’re a beginner, you might be surprised at how difficult it is to maintain body balance while moving forward. Just try including skating on your list of activities and watch how much your endurance grows!
You’ve probably been questioned about ‘is skateboarding a sport?’, and we’ve all cringed at the phrases ‘action sport’ or ‘extreme sport’, especially when they’ve been thrown around by people who don’t know skateboarding. Read it here!
How to Skateboard?
- To move forward, lean on your lower body’s strength. Tilt the vehicle to one side or the other to steer. Both exercises call for strength and control of the muscles.
- Skateboard for 150 minutes a week to get a good amount of exercise. More positive effects on your health, such as better fitness and more energy, are felt the longer you skateboard.
- Skate faster to work your muscles harder and increase the amount of energy your body uses. Skateboarding vigorously can support your fitness goals if you’re trying to lose weight or keep it off. A healthy lifestyle is completed by following a balanced diet and doing separate strength-training exercises.
- If you are a skilled skateboarder, you can perform difficult tricks that demand advanced physical fitness, like complex midair maneuvers and high jumps. Even though novice skateboarders shouldn’t try challenging tricks, advanced skateboarders can burn a lot of calories when traveling at high speeds.
- If you are an experienced skater, practice in a hilly area to intensify the workout. Since pushing the skateboard up an incline is harder than coasting, you will burn more calories and get more benefit from the aerobic exercise.
Could You Get ABS From Skateboarding?
You can, but I doubt you’d make that kind of progress with just skateboarding for a few hours a week. Don’t get me wrong, using proper skating posture and form will strengthen your core and work your abs, but I don’t think it will instantly give you completely ripped abs.
Even though I skate for a lot of hours each week, I wouldn’t say I have ripped abs (maybe it’s that layer of fat holding me back, but I digress). Skateboarding is undoubtedly more of a lower body workout, but you’ll likely notice that your core muscles are getting more defined. Simply put, in my opinion, it isn’t worthy of a magazine cover.
Could I Lose Weight Skateboarding?
Skateboarding is just like any other form of exercise in that it helps you burn calories and fat, but because it’s so fun, you won’t mind doing it. This might be a great new exercise for you if you’re tired of FML gym workouts.
You must take your diet into consideration if losing weight through skateboarding is important to you. While you’re skateboarding, you don’t have free reign to eat whatever you want. The number of calories you consume must be kept in check. how many calories you’ll burn (calories out) while skateboarding. I highly recommend using this FREE printable food & exercise log + their detailed instructions to help you calculate all the numbers behind weight loss.
Calories That Skateboarding Burn
An hour of skating typically burns 400–600 calories. The precise figure is determined by variables such as your weight and metabolism, as well as how hard you are pushing or kicking your board.
I’ll use myself as an example. According to my Apple Watch (see screenshot below), I burn about 550 calories overall when I skateboard for an hour. I’m pushing myself pretty hard for a good workout because my heart rate is in the 160-160 range. I definitely perspire when I exercise!
Let’s Skateboarding Right Now
Most importantly, skateboarding is a totally rad way to get your daily calorie burn. Every time you take a ride, you learn something new and advance your skills, so even the learning phase is awesome.
When you first start skateboarding, you’ll be concentrating on the fundamentals, such as balance and pushing (without falling off, of course). You’ll begin cruising and turning as you advance. A kickflip or an ollie may be the next small trick you progress to. You’ll probably soon feel the urge to take your first bow at the nearby skatepark.
My point is…you build skills and there is a next level and a next level….and another level after that. Maintaining and improving your skill set is really exciting. The fun and excitement of skateboarding keep you interested.
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