I was watching the X-Games superpark competition with my wife. While we were talking my wife expressed the opinion that I have the wrong build for skateboarding. For reference the competitors all seemed to be somewhat above average height (5' 10" - 6' 2" I would guess) and fairly light (under 170lbs maybe less). I am somewhat below average height 5' 7" and after 15 years of weightlifting a solid 220lbs. While there are some sports that ones body type clearly helps performance (basketball), I never really thought of skateboarding that way. What do you think?
Well, it's easier to ollie higher if you're kinda lightweight and definately easier on your knees if you wanna drop hammers. In pool there isn't much of a difference. There are many big body skaters out there, not even big as in buff, just fat, that ####### rips curbs, stairs, anything. Do what you can do man, don't mind what your body is like compared to other dudes.
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Skateboarding is the lineshaped block in my Tetris of love.
I am not going to stop skateboarding because of this I was just curious about other peoples take on it. Besides my goals are pretty humble, I just want to have fun (already done) and do a few cool tricks (working on it).
Thinking about it I can not name one well known skater that doesn't fall in to that lanky, somewhat above average height type. I guess Mike V is big for a skateboarder but I doubt he weighs over 175lbs.
Skateboarding would fall into the category of a skill sport vs. a strength or speed sport. Not to say that at some point it doesn't require athleticism but this is much less an issue than practice and muscle memory. It requires much less strength-weight advantage to ollie high if you've got a solid ollie...
Agility and flexability are probably the more dominant attributes for skating. And in some aspect, I think body makeup is a product of the sport itself. Think of all the calories burned off in a session. I was never a big kid (5'7" - 160 now) but when I was skating everyday as a kid, I was all of 115 lbs soaking wet. I think those with high metabolisms are drawn to the sport anyways. Not saying other folks don't try it, but those with the "hummingbird" metabolism find it easier to stick with it. It takes alot of energy.
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"There are few things in life, that a chainsaw cannot fix"
ha, I was watching the same thing with my girlfriend the other night. the commentator actually made the dumbass comment that some skater really skated with "that tall, lanky style". lol wtf is a tall lanky style.. it's a body type, pretty sure that's the only way dude COULD skate...
anyway I've got a pretty typical "skater build", but I skate with alot of bigger guys, and some smaller ones too. if anything, being shorter just gives you a lower center of gravity, which ought to be better for stability. I mean, there aren't too many lanky gymnasts, after all...
I skate a lot, and started skating when I was like 100lbs when i was about 12 yrs, I think. Im 180lbs, 27 yrs old and still skate as hard as i did back in the day, it just takes longer to recover when coming off an injury.
Most street skaters tend to have a lean build, due to the demands of the street skating disicpline. When your ollie'ing all the time, you want to have a slender build, just so you can jump higher.
Your right BuckWyld, Mike V is pretty big and ripped I've seen him in person. But if you see video's of him when he was younger (even 5 years ago), he was pretty skinny. When you see vids of him when he just started to skate, he's a toothpick. I think you just adapt to your body type as it changes.
As for me, i should've started drinking light beer at an early age, instead of budweisers. i could stand to lose 10-15 more lbs, as i feel like i would become a better athelete (skater).
I was watching the X-Games superpark competition with my wife. While we were talking my wife expressed the opinion that I have the wrong build for skateboarding. For reference the competitors all seemed to be somewhat above average height (5' 10" - 6' 2" I would guess) and fairly light (under 170lbs maybe less). I am somewhat below average height 5' 7" and after 15 years of weightlifting a solid 220lbs. While there are some sports that ones body type clearly helps performance (basketball), I never really thought of skateboarding that way. What do you think?
I always thought shorter/smaller guys had a little advantage. Lower center of gravity, not as far to the ground, lighter weight, etc. I've never seen them in person, but guys like Chris Miller and Christian Hosoi seem smaller framed, and thus have really smooth styles. I guess it's more about personality, because you have tall lanky guys who rip as well. I think body type dictates "style" more than whether you have the "right" or "wrong" build for skateboarding. It's more about practice and desire and skating for the fun of it.
if you do have any considerable amount of muscle, you wont for long, skating burns it all right off.
yeah i went form football to skating.....bai muscles. i still push long distances alot for me legs and am learning to pump for core. my arms are small now
Weight and Build
