What Muscles Does Skateboarding Work?

Millions of people in the world have embraced skateboarding as a means of transportation and recreation. Not only is skateboarding fun, but it’s also a great way to get in shape. So, what muscles does skateboarding work?

Skateboarding works muscles such as your glutes, front quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves whether you skate vert or street. You also work your feet and ankles when skateboarding, especially if you do flip tricks. It’s possible to burn up to 700 calories per hour or more when skateboarding when you push frequently.

Learn to skate “switch” where you can push with either foot so that you build your legs equally. Engage your core as you skate so that you build your abs as much as possible. Follow along as we explore what muscles you use when skateboarding and highlight how you can get the best results.

Is Skateboarding Good Exercise?

Skateboarding is a great form of exercise. There are several styles of skateboarding, and they each have health benefits. For example, street skating is a great way to build your legs because you have to frequently push to stay in motion.

You also generally spend plenty of time walking when street skating which helps you get more exercise. Vert skating and transition skating don’t require much pushing, but they engage your core quite well.

How Many Calories Do You Burn Skateboarding?

You can burn up to 700 calories per hour when skateboarding. It ultimately depends on how vigorously your skate and what type of terrain you traverse. For example, you will burn more calories if you consistently push on flat ground than you would when skating downhill.

Casually cruising on a skateboard may only burn 240 calories or less. It helps to burn calories if you can skate in an area where you can hit high speeds and push as much as possible. You burn fewer calories when you skate bowls, however, because you don’t push. Luckily, bowls are still a great way to work your core.

If you are wondering about longboarding you may want to read “What Muscles Does Longboarding Work?” to learn more longboarding exercise information.

Does Skateboarding Build Muscle?

Skateboarding does build muscle, especially in your legs. However, skating works everything from your feet and ankles to your glutes. You need to continually push with your back leg to gain and maintain momentum when skateboarding. Switching your stance occasionally so that you push with each leg can help you get even results.

What Muscles Does Skateboarding Work?

Hamstrings

You primarily build the hamstring on the leg that you use to push with. I find that my right hamstring gets sore quickly when skating until I switch my stance to push with my left leg. You activate the hamstring on your pushing leg just as much as you engage your calves.

Quadriceps

Skateboarding specifically works your front quadriceps. You typically work the front quadricep on the leg that you keep on the board. That is because you need to balance on that leg while you push with your back foot. Alternate your stance and push with each leg at different times to work the front quadricep on each side.

Glutes

You can also work your glutes when skateboarding. Keep your back foot on the back truck or tail and your front foot right before your front truck’s bolts. Engage your core and keep your feet straight while shifting your weight down on the board.

This will engage your glutes as long as you maintain good posture. Lower your stance so that you are squatting and you will work your glutes even more. Extend your legs to rise back up occasionally to work your glutes evenly.

Calves

It’s no secret that skateboarding works your calves more than any other muscle. You will work your calve for each leg whether you keep it planted on the board or push with it. Skating bowls is a great way to work your calves, especially if the bowl is deep.

You have to pump and carve while shifting your weight when you skate a bowl. This requires you to balance your weight on your calves and it’s a great form of resistance training. Street skating is also a great way to work your calves, especially if you push often and do flip tricks.

Core

Skateboarding engages your core just as much as your legs. You will have a much easier time maintaining balance if you engage your core the whole time. This will increase how many calories you burn and it is a great way to build your abs.

You will engage your core whether you skate bowls or push in the street. However, skating in bowls requires the most core engagement of any type of skateboarding.

Feet and Ankles

You will undoubtedly work your feet and ankles when skateboarding. All of your weight sits on your feet and ankles when skateboarding. Perform flip tricks if you want to engage your ankles as much as possible.

Your feet will also get stronger from skateboarding. Don’t be alarmed if you develop callouses on your feet at first when you start skateboarding. This will pay off in the long run when your feet get less sore from skating because they are tougher.

Do You Work Your Arms Skateboarding?

Skateboarding isn’t the best way to work your arms, but it is possible. However, you can learn tricks such as street plants that engage your arms. Street plants require you to balance your weight on your arm while you hold your board with your feet still touching the deck.

Otherwise, all of your movement and balance rely on your legs. Vert skaters are more likely to build their arms performing tricks such as hand plants. Unfortunately, vert skating is less accessible for many people because not all parks have vert ramps. It’s worthwhile to seek out vert ramps if you want to learn a new style and build your arms while skateboarding.

Does Skateboarding Build Abs?

You can build abs with skateboarding if you stick to a good stance. Engage your abs by slightly squatting for a moment and then extending your legs every once in a while. This will engage your core and you will likely feel a satisfying burn before too long.

Skating bowls isn’t necessarily ideal for all beginners, but it’s a great way to build abs. Navigating a bowl is known as “carving” and it helps to engage your core during this. That way, you will feel more centered on your board and maintain balance.

Is Skateboarding Good for Losing Weight?

Skateboarding is a great way to lose weight because of how many calories you burn. You can lose over a pound per week if you burn 700 calories skateboarding each day. If you pair this with a great diet and other exercises, you will be able to quickly shed pounds.

Does Skateboarding Improve Mental Health?

The University of California published results from a study indicating that skateboarding can improve mental health. Skateboarding releases endorphins which are essential for feeling happy. You will also spend plenty of time in the sunlight when you skate, and that is shown to improve mental health as well.

Does Skateboarding Make One Leg Bigger?

Skateboarding can make one leg bigger if you only push with one foot. The difference isn’t usually too noticeable, however, as skateboarding engages both of your legs. However, the leg that you push with will typically get the most exercise.

You can offset this if you skate “switch”. Skating switch is when you alternate between “regular” and “goofy” stances. Regular stance is when your left foot is on the nose of the board, and goofy is when your right foot is on the nose of the board.

Should You Skateboard After Leg Day at the Gym?

Only skateboard after leg day at the gym if you aren’t too sore. Skateboarding relies directly on your legs, and you may strain your muscles if you worked them hard the day before. Overworking any muscle can hinder its growth, and that’s why rest days are important.

It’s worthwhile to take 2-3 days of rest after an intense leg day at the gym so that your muscles have time to repair. Otherwise, you can simply take it easy while skating and avoid pushing too much if your legs are still sore.

Is Skateboarding Hard on Your Body?

Skateboarding can be hard on your body, especially if you perform tricks or skate bowls and ramps. It’s difficult to avoid injuries when you start skating but don’t let that discourage you. Even seasoned skaters experience joint pains and the occasional wipeout that can be painful. Learning new tricks is also hard on your body because you engage the same muscles repeatedly.

For example, learning a 360 kickflip will leave you with tired calves, ankles, and feet. A long day of skating can also leave you quite sore and depleted of energy. That is half the fun, however, and recovering with a good meal to go back out the next day and keep practicing is quite rewarding. Let yourself recover from an injury or workout before skateboarding or it will be too hard on your body.

It is also important to wear the right shoes skateboarding to prevent injury and feel comfortable when riding. You can check out our Skate vs Running Shoes article for more information about shoes and skateboarding. If you want to know what you should wear skateboarding read this guide here.