Skateboarding Is A Better Workout Than You Think
Skateboarding is often thought of as an easygoing method of transportation for youth and adolescents — and we get why. According to skateboard and streetwear news blog Skate Delux, the skateboard was first developed in the 1950s by surfers who wanted to experience the feeling of riding waves on asphalt. In fact, it wasn't until around 1965 when the skateboard transformed from being a toy to an actual sport. Seeing as it started out as a toy, you may be surprised by how good of a workout skateboarding really is.
Michele Olson, a professor of exercise science at Auburn University in Alabama, explains via Men's Journal how skateboarding can be compared to jumping rope and spinning. Even without a Tony Hawk level of skill, skateboarding on a flat surface can, "accelerate your cardiovascular system and burn between eight and an impressive 12 calories per minute," Olson states.
For Tony Hawk, skateboarding was the only exercise he needed
Experts also state that skateboarding can help with muscle development. "Your abs have to work with your back to keep your spine aligned," Olson says via Men's Journal. Olsen adds that it also engages your hamstrings, glutes, quads, and lower back.
World champion skateboarder Tony Hawk shares how skateboarding was the only exercise he has ever needed. "I've never done gym sessions or things like that. But I sense that as I get older I might transition into doing things like that because I don't have the time to skate as much as I used to," admits Hawk to GQ. He adds, "But for now I am skating quite regularly and that is the best form of exercise that I've found in my life."
The skateboard has certainly come a long way from its laid-back toy origins. CNN shares that skateboarding has even become an Olympic sport. With such a transformation, the physical benefits of skateboarding should be known to everyone — even if we're too afraid to attempt a flip ourselves.