Skateboarding and exercise have classically shared a relationship akin to oil and water. It isn’t easy to pinpoint exactly why, but in my own personal experience, it is rooted deep in the skate culture itself. Regardless of whether one prefers to call it a sport or not, it is an activity that requires immense technical capabilities and poses a serious risk for injury. Admittedly, the number of skateboarders I’ve personally trained is low, enough to count one hand, however, so too is the number of skateboarders that choose to train in the first place. Many skaters scoff at the idea of strength training for fear of being labeled a ‘meathead’ or hate the idea of calling themselves an ‘athlete.’ Others are genuinely fearful that strength training will make them too stiff or sore and ultimately disrupt their technical abilities. Whatever hesitancy a skater has with exercise, some reasons more justifiable than others, they should highly reconsider as it could majorly enhance their overall performance and longevity. In a sport or activity (whatever term you prefer) like skateboarding, major stress is placed on the bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments with every trick or flip performed. Fortunately, successful skaters like Shaun White have changed the narrative over the past decade or two and demonstrated that to perform at one’s best, they must train properly with many skaters are following suit.

Demands of Skateboarding

Hands down, technical skill is the number one most important factor in skateboarding. Some skaters will attain success without ever touching a weight or doing a workout their entire lives, demonstrating where exercise stands in their hierarchy of needs. This is a tough pill to swallow and even more difficult to admit as a strength coach. However, I am also a realist. I cannot argue that a skater is guaranteed to suffer in performance without lifting, but this is a foregone conclusion for football players. However, this does not mean that skateboarders should skip training, and the best way to think about it is comparable to stopping at a red light in your car. Sure, you can speed through a red light and there may never be another car in sight leaving you untouched. What happens though when you barrel into and smash another car? The same applies to strength training for skating, it provides the extra ‘look both ways’ or stop at the red light to lower the risk of someone smashing into your car or in this case getting injured from a trick gone wrong.

This is not to say that strength training provides invincibility to injury, but it certainly helps. Skateboarding requires a unique array of unilateral leg strength, core stability, lower body power, isometric strength, balance, eccentric strength (for landing), and mobility through several joints. It’s not hard to guess how one may improve all these things, strength training! I have a long list of movements that I use to train skateboarders but below are a few of my go-to exercises to stay healthy and improve overall performance.

Single-Leg Med Ball Rotational Toss

The single-leg medicine ball rotational toss targets single leg balance and rotational power, which are both critical components to skateboarding, whether performing a trick or simply trying to stay on the board. This exercise is key to keep the load light (~8-12lbs) and focusing on throwing the ball as forcefully as you can while under control.

90 Degree Rotational Depth Drop

The rotational depth drop is a great exercise for skateboarding because it trains the eccentric strength or ability to absorb force which is ever so critical in landing. Endless variations of this exercise can be programmed; however, it is critical to ensure that the skater is qualified to do this. Start by progressing through things like snap downs and lateral jumps first to ensure adequate force-generating capacity and then progress to this exercise when ready. Lastly, keep the box at an appropriate height, somewhere around ~12in to start progressing to ~16-18in if more advanced.

Supine KB Rotations

Skaters must be able to separate their upper and lower bodies while staying controlled through the core for much of the time they are skating. The supine kettlebell rotation is a go-to exercise for me in targeting just that. Make sure that you keep your low back glued to the ground, keep the knees up and pinched together, and follow the weight with your eyes by looking over your shoulder with each rotation.

Landmine Lateral Lunge

The landmine lateral lunge is a favorite of mine for skateboarding because it moves the skater through the frontal plane, where they spend a significant amount of time on the board. It is key to ensure that you keep a good neutral spine, feet flat to the ground, and chin in line with the bending knee when stepping out into the lunge.

1/2 Kneeling Ankle Dorsiflexion

Not everything in skateboarding is about building strength, some exercises are intended to improve and maintain joint health. The half-kneeling ankle dorsiflexion does just that, as ankle mobility and strength are of utmost importance for skaters. For this movement keep your front foot flat to the ground and keep a good upright chest as you lean forward with the knee tracking over the middle of the foot.

Sumo Squat and Reach

The sumo squat and reach hits everything a skater needs in terms of mobility. The ankles, hips, and thoracic spine are all on display here. Emphasize a flat foot, tall chest, and elbows inside the knees here when performing this exercise.

Wall Sit With Anterior Press

Skateboarding requires isometric leg strength to tuck and hold positions for various amounts of time. One exercise I like to use for this is the wall sit with an anterior press. Make sure that you keep your heels underneath your knees and back against the wall. Once you get more advanced you can progress to things like pausing back squats to build isometric strength further as well.

Wrap Up

While skateboarding may not be historically synonymous with strength training, it is a huge benefit for skaters to include in their weekly regimen. The key to success is in intelligent programming exercises that enhance performance, not detract from it. When properly executed, strength training can reduce the likelihood of injury and keep skaters doing what they love for longer. For those who are already technically proficient and highly skilled strength training may provide that last little boost to push them into the next level of high performance. If you’re a skater or just like strength training in general, give these exercises a try, film yourself, and tag me on Instagram at @pritchardperformance.