Skateboarding is a dynamic and physically demanding sport that requires a mix of balance, coordination, strength, and flexibility. As with any sport, it’s important to ensure that you are in the best physical condition to not only perform at your best but also to reduce the risk of injury. A question that many skaters and fitness enthusiasts often ask is: Should you work out before or after skateboarding?
In this article, we’ll explore the benefits and potential drawbacks of both approaches. We’ll also examine how to structure your workout routine around your skateboarding sessions to optimize performance and prevent injury.
Understanding The Demands of Skateboarding
Before deciding whether to work out before or after skateboarding, it’s essential to understand the physical demands of the sport.
Skateboarding can be broken down into various types: street, vert, downhill, and freestyle, each requiring different skills and physical attributes.
Balance and Coordination: Skateboarding requires constant adjustments in body posture and movement, especially when performing tricks or navigating through obstacles. This challenges both the core and the lower body.
Leg Strength: From pushing off the ground to performing ollies and kickflips, skateboarding requires significant leg power, particularly in the quads, calves, and hamstrings.
Endurance and Agility: Long skateboarding sessions demand cardiovascular endurance, especially when pushing around for extended periods or during intense trick attempts.
Core Stability: A stable core is essential for keeping balance, controlling the board, and absorbing shocks when landing.
Considering these physical demands, both your pre-skateboarding workout and post-skateboarding recovery can impact how well you perform.
The Benefits of Working Out Before Skateboarding
1. Pre-Workout Stimulation
Doing some light-to-moderate exercise before skateboarding can prime your muscles and joints, improving your performance. For example, a 10-15 minute dynamic warm-up (e.g., leg swings, arm circles, hip rotations) can enhance blood flow to the muscles, which can increase flexibility and responsiveness when you skate.
2. Injury Prevention
A pre-workout session helps to activate the muscles you’ll be using on the skateboard, reducing the chances of injury. Stretching and strengthening exercises that target your legs, hips, and core can help prevent strains, sprains, or overuse injuries, especially if you’re about to engage in an intense skateboarding session.
3. Mental Preparation
Skateboarding requires mental focus, whether you are attempting complex tricks or simply trying to cruise down a hill. A workout before skating can serve as a mental warm-up. Engaging in light exercise can improve your mood, increase focus, and make you more alert, preparing you for the challenges of skating.
4. Improved Performance
Warming up and getting your body moving before skating can enhance your overall performance. If you engage in a quick workout session that focuses on strength training, especially leg and core exercises, you might notice more stability and power while skating, particularly when performing tricks or going downhill.
The Benefits of Working Out After Skateboarding
1. Post-Exercise Recovery
Skateboarding, particularly when doing tricks, involves a lot of dynamic movements and shocks on the body. After a session, your muscles will have been put to the test, and recovery is important to prevent muscle soreness and fatigue. This is where working out after skateboarding, in the form of stretching or low-intensity exercise, can be beneficial.
2. Flexibility and Mobility
After skateboarding, your muscles are warmed up, and this is an optimal time to focus on flexibility training. Stretching your hip flexors, hamstrings, calves, and lower back muscles will help you maintain and even improve mobility. Stretching after skating can also aid in alleviating muscle tightness that can result from repetitive movements.
3. Enhanced Strength Recovery
If you’ve been skateboarding for an extended period, your body may be slightly fatigued. A post-skateboarding workout, such as bodyweight exercises or resistance training, can help build strength and assist in recovery.
This type of workout can reduce muscle stiffness and ensure you’re ready for your next skateboarding session.
4. Injury Prevention
Even though you may have worked out before skating, a post-skateboarding workout that focuses on recovery can help prevent long-term injuries. Stretching, foam rolling, and even light cardio can assist in reducing muscle tightness and ensure your body isn’t in a state of prolonged stress, which could lead to injuries.
The Drawbacks of Working Out Before Skateboarding
1. Muscle Fatigue
Excessive pre-skateboarding workouts, especially if done intensely, can lead to muscle fatigue, which could impair your skateboarding performance. For example, doing a heavy leg workout before hitting the skateboard can leave your legs too tired to perform at your best, especially during tricks or long sessions.
2. Increased Risk of Injury
If you do high-intensity exercises before skateboarding, there’s a risk of overworking your muscles or joints, making them more vulnerable to injury during your skating session. You should always avoid pushing your body too hard in the gym before skating.
3. Decreased Energy for Skating
Some people might feel drained after a pre-skateboarding workout, leaving them with less energy and focus for skateboarding. If the workout is too intense or if you’re not allowing enough time between exercise and skating, your performance may suffer.
The Drawbacks of Working Out After Skateboarding
1. Increased Risk of Fatigue
If you’ve had an intense skateboarding session, your muscles may already be fatigued. A post-skateboarding workout could further exhaust your body, making it harder to recover quickly. If you’re performing high-intensity workouts after skating, you could be overworking yourself.
2. Limited Strength and Power
Skating uses a lot of energy, particularly in your legs and core. If you plan to do strength training or other high-intensity exercises immediately after skateboarding, your performance might be less than optimal because your muscles are already tired.
3. Potential Overtraining
If you work out after skateboarding too frequently or intensely, you risk overtraining. Overtraining can lead to burnout, injury, and even hinder your skating performance. It’s essential to listen to your body and give yourself enough time for recovery between skateboarding and workouts.
How to Structure Your Workout Around Skateboarding
To maximize performance and reduce the risk of injury, it’s important to structure your workout routine based on your individual needs and goals. Here are some tips:
Warm-Up Before Skateboarding
If you choose to work out before skateboarding, focus on a light warm-up. You can do dynamic stretches such as lunges, leg swings, and arm rotations. These movements will help activate the muscles without tiring them out.
Focus on Core and Leg Strength
Whether you’re working out before or after skateboarding, your workout should prioritize strengthening muscles that are heavily involved in skateboarding. Focus on your core, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves.
Exercises such as squats, lunges, planks, and deadlifts will build the necessary strength for skateboarding.
Use a Recovery Workout After Skateboarding
If you decide to work out after skating, keep it light and recovery-focused. Stretching, yoga, foam rolling, or light cardio (like walking or cycling) can aid in muscle recovery and flexibility. Avoid high-intensity exercises immediately after skateboarding, especially if your body feels fatigued.
Conclusion
Deciding whether to work out before or after skateboarding ultimately depends on your individual goals, fitness level, and the type of skateboarding session you’re planning. Generally, a light warm-up and stretching before skating can help you prepare for the physical demands, while recovery workouts after skating are crucial for reducing muscle tightness and improving flexibility.
Related topics:
