Longboarding is the sport of riding a longboard, a skateboard variant related to a surfboard or snowboard. I use it for transport and cruising but can also employ it for downhill racing, slalom racing and sliding. I find it very addictive, simply because the element of fun that longboarding provides keep its participants engaged and motivated, even if you don’t hold a bag full of tricks on the modality. This is a key ingredient to long-term success with any fitness regimen. In fact, enjoying your workout makes it far more likely that you will stick with it. In addition to simply being enjoyable, longboarding is a challenging form of exercise, and it has many health benefits.
Cardiovascular conditioning is one of the most prominent health benefits of longboarding. As cardio sports, boards sports are a good way to get a regular dose of aerobic activity, strengthening your heart and increasing your lung capacity. Skaters who push themselves around on a longboard, across flat terrain or up steep hills, get an excellent cardiovascular workout. Longboarding regularly can help you build impressive levels of stamina. Flexibility also can improve significantly from longboarding. Many people overlook the flexibility aspect of exercise; it is often overshadowed by cardiovascular conditioning and muscle strength training. But the ability to dynamically stretch and flex muscles helps you move more efficiently and powerfully. Longboarding, with its bursts of intense exercise interspersed with periods of more moderate exertion, helps you develop this dynamic flexibility and power. Not being enough, it will boost body balance and timing – all of which are important for the sport, as well as for overall fitness.
- Agility
- Cardio
- Flexibility
- Strength