You should practice skateboarding for 1-2 hours a day if you play skateboards for fun. If you want to become a professional skater, 4-6 hours a day will be a reasonable amount of time to practice skateboarding. You can practice more than that number of hours in a day if your body and mind are good.
If you want to get good, three to six hours a day is realistic…even more if you're not already drenched in sweat, or snap your legs off. Skating parks is usually a place you'll learn, growing the most.
If you want to learn the basics just enough to push yourself on a board, it could take you two weeks or so, depending on how much you practice. If you intend on learning some basic tricks, you'll need to practice for one to two months.
Like any other skill, the more time you put into, the better results you will see. If you skate every day for half an hour a day, you will get better sooner than if you practice for 5 hours once a week. By practicing frequently you are building muscle memory.
Skateboarding for 60 minutes can help you lose anywhere between 300-500 calories, depending on your body weight, metabolism rate etc. Skateboarding also has a number of other benefits for the body which contribute to having a fitter and healthier lifestyle.
Skateboarding also helps develop key muscles like hamstrings, glutes, quads, lower back, and yes, even abs. “Your abs have to work with your back to keep your spine aligned,” Olson says, which is key to maintaining balance on a skateboard.
Overweight people can still skateboard. Most boards are rated for well over 200 pounds. Wider boards can tolerate even heavier weights. However, if you are doing tricks then an overweight person will be more likely to break a board.
However, anyone who has ever tried pushing a skateboard will know what a tedious task it is, to make the board go. In fact, sports scientists have confirmed that skateboarding is a complete workout in itself. It not only works the cardiovascular system but also builds muscular strength.
Skateboarding is clearly faster than walking: Our observations at UC Davis found that skateboarders travel between 6 and 13 miles per hour, with an average of 9.7 miles per hour. At two- to four-times the speed of walking, skateboards can extend the range of destinations reachable under human power.
It Will Take Weeks Before You Skateboard Comfortably
Most of us aren't natural talents and start rocking the streets on day one. It will take several weeks before you feel how your skateboard reacts and handles. You need to get muscle memory and find your balance. This can only be done by practicing as much as you can.
Conclusion. Learning to skateboard by yourself can be a process of trial and error--but by taking it slow and practicing these basic steps, you'll be well on your way to mastering the board.
Skateboarding requires a mix of dexterity, coordination, and persistence to progress in the sport. It can also be incredibly unforgiving as failing often means slamming into concrete. Progression of even the simplest tricks often takes months for beginners as skateboarding has a very steep learning curve.
A skateboard commuter who respects traffic signs can typically travel 1 mile in about 8 minutes, amounting to a 7.5 mph average speed.
Get onto the deck, putting one foot on the end where the board touches the ground. Place your other foot on the board, then shift your weight to move the deck into a horizontal position. Balance like this on the board, using your arms to help you. You should be able to feel your abdominal muscles contracting.
Being able to control your movements, especially at high speeds, is the result of having exceptional core strength. The skater must also have a good body lean. By leaning properly, a skater is shrinking the angle from his/her body to the ice that in turn will create more speed.
You don't have enough time to skate during the day, you can only do it at night. Night skating can also be very calm and relaxing. Skateboarding at night is mellower and allows you to escape car traffic, crowded sidewalks, rushed cyclists etc.
According to research by Harvard Medical school, People who weigh 125, 155 and 185 pounds will burn 300, 372 and 444 calories, during a 1-hour skateboarding session. Now, this may be less effective than running or cycling, it sure is a fun way of burning calories.
Your quadriceps are worked heavily with skateboarding. The quadriceps include a group of four muscles that form the front of your thighs. These muscles extend your knee, and flex your hip joint. Skating moves such as the ollie involve knee extension and hip flexion.
The current heaviest professional skater is Danny Way, weighing in at 180lbs. Even being the heaviest pro, Danny Way has broken multiple skateboarding records including the highest air.
Final Thoughts. While there is no official weight limit for skateboarding, there is a greater risk for injury if you're over 220 lbs. Even if you're only doing ollies or kickflips, you run the risk of rolling your ankle and potentially doing irreparable damage.
Just getting out and skating engages several large muscles — the calves, hamstrings and quads — and even the arches in the feet, said Michele Olson, an exercise science professor at Auburn University Montgomery. “It may look dangerous to us, but it's just a motor learning skill that has a sequence to it.