10 Health Benefits to Longboarding
Every sporting activity has its health benefits and longboarding is not an exception. Longboarding is one popular activity that is enjoyed by people globally. It is not just fun, it adventurous and thrilling.
Longboarding is a fun and flexible sport. The element of the fun of longboarding is what keeps longboarders motivated and engaged with its numerous activities. Almost anyone can participate in longboarding, regardless of the level of experience or age.
Apparently, most longboarders see the sport as a recreational activity and as a way to exercise and stay fit since it is characterized by outdoor activity. It also comes with its loads of health benefits which is why many longboarders stick to the sport and never let it go.
In longboarding, longboarders get to use the board to travel, cruise, race, and perform stunts on the streets, hills and slope spots.
Likewise, some people regard longboarding as their form of transportation day in and day out. Longboarding has several styles like cruising, sliding, carving and more. Each of these styles has significant health benefits apart from the thrill that comes with it.
If you want to go longboarding but would like to know its impact on your health, here are some of the health benefits of longboarding;
1. Support Cardio and Heart Health
Cardio is any form of exercise that increases your heart rate. This is one thing you get in longboarding. Cruising around on longboards requires general body movement to gain speed thereby increasing the heartbeat and making the cardiovascular system healthier and stronger.
The whole body tends to work harder as you paddle and kick your feet increasing cardio and engaging your muscles for an intense workout. At the same time, longboarding builds a stronger and healthier heart, improves lung function and increases stamina.
2. Weight Loss
Longboarding is an exciting way to burn fat. An hour of longboarding results in 300 or more calories lost. Losing weight is a very difficult and requires eating a balanced diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Through longboarding, you can increase your weight loss when pairing it with an overall health diet. All that is required is commitment and dedication.
3. Strengthen the Muscle
Longboarding aids in strengthening the muscles. The leg is the part of the body that does the most work in longboarding. It plays the most important role in pushing, kicking, braking and turning. This helps in strengthening the muscle. It also helps strengthen the core and firms the abs.
Longboarding is an exercise that can be done regularly. You can do this every day to work or school. Doing this alone or with friends keeps you fit and there will be no need to visit the gym. As far as longboarding is concerned, it is a great exercise for muscle fitness.
4. Enhances Flexibility
Longboarding enables you to burn about 8 calories every minute and helps improve flexibility. Having a flexible body will also help in reduce injuries on and off the longboard. As it is, most people do not look at the flexible part of an exercise. Whereas, being able to flex the muscles, core, and stretch is significant in longboarding. Through longboarding, your body is able to develop this flexibility.
5. Improve Balance
Improved balance is one major benefit in longboarding. This also helps improve coordination. Having good balance is a sign of good health and fitness. If you have trouble balancing and staying on one foot, this can be corrected with consistent longboarding.
6. Enhance Sound Sleep
Sound sleep is very important for good health and general wellbeing. Longboarding helps to enhance this. After stretching the muscles during longboarding, relaxation is next. If you have been unable to sleep soundly, it is time to give longboarding a try and see if the exercise makes a difference in your sleeping.
7. Refreshes the Mind and Relieves Stress
A healthy mind makes it easier to cope with everything life throws at you. Longboarding is a pleasurable recreational sport. It refreshes the mind, which is needed on a daily basis. A dose of this keeps you feeling better all day.
More so, longboarding is one those sports that is good for relieving stress. It helps keep the mind off unnecessary things and gives you the opportunity to do something good for yourself.
8. Improves Critical Thinking
Longboarding enables longboarders to stay conscious of the road and be aware of the things around them. This is vital. A longboarder has to think quickly as they are/may be prone to several dangers on the road and on the hills. Longboarding requires longboarders to think critically to adjust both speed and position in every place they find themselves. Exercising the nervous system helps overcome fears and increases confidence, this impacts the cognitive abilities of the performer.
9. Defines Body Shape
Athletes should be fit and have good body structure. Everyone wants an attractive body shape. This is very achievable with longboarding. You can kiss the gym a goodbye and embrace longboarding to get that attractive body shape. Participating in longboarding on a regular basis for an extended period of time will help you define the shape of your body without spending hours cooped up in the gym.
10. Reduces Cholesterol
Too much cholesterol is a cause for concern as it causes health complications. Too much cholesterol is the main cause of heart disease, stroke, and more. Longboarding is one effective sports that helps decrease cholesterol levels.
Looking at the above benefits, it is easy to say that longboarding is a great activity to improve fitness levels. It is very effective for overall health plus, it can be done every day and on regular basis. So, whatever your reason for engaging in this activity, you are doing your body a huge favor.
There are several health benefits of longboarding like increased stamina, stronger bones, increased self-esteem and much more. Whatever impact you want on your body, longboarding is sure to give you that.