Last Updated on by Eat Better Move More
Is Skateboarding Good Cardio
When we talk about a cardio workout, we usually talk about doing some running or jogging. Both of these exercises are the most efficient way to do cardio. However, they are almost always monotonous. It requires subjecting yourself to repeating laps or being stuck on a treadmill.
There is a way to break these monotonous routines. That is finding a new hobby, but at the same time, making it a replacement for your usual cardio. I can recommend you a new cardio hobby but at the same time being fun and exciting. And that is skateboarding.
There has been an increase in the popularity of skateboarding for these past few years. It is one of the most well-known street sports around. You might have seen some people showing each other some different skateboarding tricks they have learned and developed. But you might have noticed something. Most of them look fit and healthy. Sure there may be some overweight ones from time to time, but they aren’t many.
So what’s their secret to their fitness? What else, but of course, their love of skateboarding! That’s because skateboarding is a good cardio exercise. It is also a great way to improve your muscles as well. Here is how skateboarding can benefit your health.
Is Skateboarding Good Cardio? The Answer Is Yes
Any exercise that uses oxygen as energy and increases heart rate is considered cardio. So, in short, skateboarding is also cardio. And just like any cardio exercise, the benefits of cardio can also be applied to skateboarding. The benefits include strengthened cardiac muscles, better heart, improved lung capacity, and better rest. Cardio can also help avoid high blood pressure, heart diseases, and diabetes.
Skateboarding, though, is not as efficient as regular cardio exercises. For you to maximize the benefit of cardio, you need to increase the intensity and duration. You will have to dedicate a lot more time and effort compared to regular cardio exercise. But worry not, you will enjoy it a lot more than regular cardio.
Good For The Mood
Any form of physical exercise is good for your mental health, as proven by this study. Physical activity helps your mental wellness in different ways. This involves your brain releases some biochemical compounds, such as adrenaline and endorphins. Both of these biochemical compounds make you feel good after a workout.
Doing some physical activities in the morning will also help brighten the rest of the day. Performing some skateboarding in the morning is one goal achieved. This can help you lighten up your mood and encourage you to achieve another task. As a result, a domino effect happens. Making you want to achieve another task, and another, and another. If you hit the ground running, you gain the momentum for the rest of the day.
Unlike regular running and jogging, skateboarding is different. It involves a lot of different activities. There is a lot of freestyle, and you can pretty much do whatever you want. You can develop your own styles and techniques. The only limit is your imagination and how flexible you are in doing it.
A productive day will set your heart and mind at ease. You will appreciate that you have done something good for yourself.
Skateboarding Also Develop Muscles
Aside from skateboarding providing you a dose of cardio, it will also develop some muscles as well. Skateboarding is always about balance. You almost always have to engage your core muscles and gluteal muscles to keep yourself balanced.
Progressing through your skateboarding will develop your core and gluteal muscles. Not only will they get stronger, but their coordination improves also. This will not only benefit you today but also when you age as well. Developing those muscles will put less strain on your back, resulting in a stronger back even when you aged.
Is Skateboarding Good Cardio – Skateboarding also burn calories
Skateboarding for an hour can burn as much as 300-500 calories. This, however, depends on how consistent you are, your metabolic rate, and body weight.
If you are doing cardio for weight loss, then skateboarding is a nice change of pace. No more having to repeatedly lift those weights or getting stuck around laps or on a treadmill. Skateboarding is almost always freestyle. You are not stuck repeating the same thing over and over.
Maximize the calories burned by intensifying your skateboarding and by having a consistent pace. Coasting while skateboarding will not burn those calories and fat away, so avoid doing it as much as possible.
Safety
Skateboarding is not for those that give up easily. Just as learning to ride a bike takes time, skateboarding likewise is the same. If you are a beginner, start doing simple tasks first. Start by studying some tutorials on the internet, or better yet, ask a friend that knows how to do it to teach you.
Make sure that you have the right gear for skateboarding. Good shoes and a skateboard is what you only need for skateboarding. However, if you are a beginner, you will need a lot more than that. When starting skateboarding, you will fall a lot. So, consider getting some protective gear, this includes some gloves, helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads. Make safety a priority. Do not consider it lame when protecting yourself from injuries. Better safe than sorry.
Find yourself a wide-open space. You can try doing it in parks, parking lots, skateparks, or on a concrete driveway. Make sure that there aren’t any debris or potholes that can cause you to trip. If you are a beginner, try practicing on a carpet or a grass field. That way, falling won’t hurt as much.
Conclusion
Is skateboarding good cardio? Yes, it is! If you choose to do skateboarding over your regular cardio exercise. I assure you that it is a nice change of pace. You will have fun doing it. Once you master skateboarding, you can even make your own style and technique! No more those boring and monotonous cardio exercises!
