Skateboarding is one of those sports that looks cool. You don’t really know why, but there’s just something about it that makes you want to jump on a board and hit the streets – or at least that’s what going on through our heads as we watch someone else grind a rail. At THE SKATEROOM, the most common staff trick would be the “deck-shove butt-to-floor” grind. Haven’t heard it? You will soon enough!
Tricks aside though, there are genuine benefits to skateboarding as well. Here’s a few that we think you should hear out before saying “no” to going with the flow!
1 - It’s healthy!
Yes, after all those hours of fun and pushing yourself, you’re literally burning through calories and strengthening your core and legs. Feel guilty about that pizza binge from last night? No prob, grab your board, and work it off!
2 - Learning resilience
How fast you learn really comes down to how quickly you’re willing to get up when you hit the ground. Through hard work, commitment, and stubborn refusal to accept failure, you develop the resilience to succeed on and off the deck.
3 - A great way to make friends
Skateboarding is a great way to develop your skills as an individual, but it’s so much more. Taking up a board and hitting up your local park means making new friends and becoming a part of an international community of people who “just get it”! Who wouldn’t want a group of people to cheer you on everytime you land a trick?
4 - Everyday is skateboard day
Skateboarding is a sport that you can practice just about anywhere. If it’s a beautiful and sunny day, then you hit the sidewalk with some friends for a couple of hours and maybe even get a tan. When it rains or it’s cold, you can hit up an indoor park or find a spot that’s covered. No heavy machines needed, just you and your board, and that’s all you need.
5 - Working on mental health
As we find out more and more from our NGO partners, skateboarding has been proven to help with mental health, including dealing with issues like trauma. That’s right, scientific experiments have actually researched how the sport is effective in dealing with mental health, and hands-down proves why skateboarding is one of the best sports ever.
Enough said. Now, go shred!
