Skateboarding
Discover the top physical and mental benefits of skateboarding, from improving balance and coordination to boosting creativity and reducing stress.
Anyone who's ever spent time skateboarding around their city streets or carving up their local skatepark knows it's a thrill like nothing else. It’s a thrill that keeps legends like Tony Hawk going day in and day out.
“If I can stand on two feet, then I can ride on a skateboard,” Hawk mused in an interview about his time on the Red Bull No Rewind project.
Sure, skateboarding is fun — but that’s just the beginning. You might not realize your favorite hobby comes with a host of other amazing benefits.
01
It's Great for Relieving Stress
It's no surprise that so many people grab their skateboard when the pressures of their daily life get them down. When you're focusing on skateboarding, you can't dwell on any other worries. Some people say skateboarding even puts them in a meditative state, so it's the perfect activity for relieving stress.
It’s a notable enough connection that it’s been studied several times since the 2010s. The first study of its kind was published in 2010 by the University of Southern California’s Pullias Center uncovered a positive link between skating and mental health.
02
It'll Strengthen Your Abs, Glutes, And Other Muscles
If you’re wondering if skateboarding is great for your abs, the answer is yes. Skateboarding uses virtually every muscle in the body, so it's a great way to build up your strength. You'll engage your core as you work to keep your balance, especially on uneven surfaces. As you crouch down to lower your center of gravity, you're giving your hamstring a workout. When you stand up again, you're working your gluteus maximus.
Ollies are an excellent exercise for working the quads. As you work out all those muscles regularly on your board, you will benefit by getting in great shape.
03
It's Really Social
It’s one of the least surprising skateboarding benefits, but one worth mentioning. When you grab your board, you join a huge community that won't stop growing any time soon. Skateboarding brings together people from all walks of life, so it can be a great way to meet like-minded people and expand your social circle.
Many skateboarders claim the sport has benefited them by making friends for life. Without skateboarding, these mates may never have crossed paths. This connection was also discovered in the same 2020 study that found correlation between mental health and skateboarding.
04
It’s An Inclusive Sport
People from all backgrounds find their way to the skatepark. Plenty of initiatives help those with disabilities skate their way to happiness alongside able-bodied people. From blind skaters like Dan Mancina and Anthony Ferraro to adaptive skateboarder Jon Comer, newcomers are breaking barriers and redefining what it means to skate.
Several initiatives in the sport promote the inclusion of people from all walks of life. Groups like Skate Like A Girl promote women’s inclusion in the sport, while Black skaters find representation and voice in groups like Black Skaters Matter. This is yet another connection uncovered in the 2020 study conducted by USC, which found that the vast majority of those surveyed said that they felt safe and not judged by their race or gender while skating.
05
It's an Affordable Hobby
Skateboarding is also a really affordable hobby, with some of the best skateboards for beginners costing $100 or less. New entry-level skateboards start from around $24 from toy shops. If money's tight, you can find a secondhand board for even less. A new board should last between two and four years, so you're getting plenty of value for your dollar.
It's smart to skate with a helmet and pads, at least while you're learning, but you can get away without them if you're really on a budget (as long as you're in a safe environment). Many skateboarders also learn basic tricks like ollies from online guides or other skaters, so they don't need to fork out for official lessons.
06
It's a Great Way to Get Around
Skateboarding is a perfect transportation benefit. Jump on your board and you'll get where you need to go faster than walking or jogging. Skateboarding also doesn't require any fuel other than your own energy, so it's a great green alternative to driving. A skateboard also isn't as bulky as a bike, so you can easily stash it under a desk or even carry it around once you reach your destination. Many people benefit from skateboarding to school or the office every day to save money, keep fit, and have fun.
Channel your inner skater. Listen to Zion Wright's skating playlist.
07
It's a Great Cardio Workout
Skateboarding is a sport that gets your heart and blood pumping, so it's a fantastic way to improve your conditioning. Since you'll usually go from pacing to explosive bursts of energy when you're doing tricks, skateboarding works your heart in a similar way to a high-intensity workout (HIIT) or a spin class. Even pushing around a board on flat ground boosts the cardiovascular system and burns between eight and 12 calories a minute, according to Michele Olson, Ph. D., a professor of exercise science at Alabama's Auburn University.
08
It Can Help Make You More Coordinated
Skateboarders' arms, legs, feet, and eyes all work together to keep them upright and master new tricks. If you've always felt a little clumsier than the average person, skateboarding can benefit you by helping you improve your precision and coordination. The learning curve can be steep, but in the long run, your improved coordination can help you with multitasking, driving, other sports, and daily activities in general.
09
It'll Teach You How to Fall Safely
Many people get nervous about the dangers skateboarding might bring with it, but skateboarding is safer than you might think. In a widespread study of sporting injuries, skateboarding falls or accidents accounted for just 2% of recorded injuries. That's probably because skateboarders quickly learn how to fall safely to prevent injuries. This skill can help boarders reduce their risk of fall injuries throughout their lives, and in fact, one of the benefits of skateboarding is improving your balance, which can help combat the fall risk as well. It's also really important for many other physical activities such as skiing, snowboarding, and rollerblading.
Learning how to fall reduces the risk of serious injury, but wipeouts can still hurt. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Skateboarders quickly learn to dust themselves off and try again when they fall. Skateboarders learn to tolerate pain and build resilience as they try to master tricks. As an added bonus, they quickly learn what to do to keep themselves from facing the same accident again.
10
It Improves Patience
Performing gravity-defying tricks doesn't just happen. It takes perseverance and determination to master the kind of moves you see in top skateboarding competitions like the Red Bull World Skateboarding Tour. As you work toward nailing those moves, you'll learn to become more patient. The patience you learn in the skate park can serve you well in your professional and personal life.
11
It Sparks Creativity
Skateboarding culture is all about self-expression. Time spent in the skatepark or on the sidewalk offers ways to explore new ways to strut your stuff, through new tricks and creating your own style of riding on the board. This gets even more obvious when you have to examine the environment around you and find the most creative ways to make it work. These exercises in mental creativity contribute to problem-solving and skills development in your everyday life when you’re not practicing new tricks.
Skateboarding Benefits Don’t Stop Here
If you've never gotten on a board, now is your chance. Discover how these skateboarding benefits transform your everyday life, or discover something new about yourself. Check out our guide to easy skateboarding tricks and start enjoying the real benefits of skateboarding.
