Skateboarding

Skateboarding: A Multi-Faceted Action Sport

As an action sport, skateboarding involves performing an array of tricks using a skateboard. While the core of skateboarding is centred around diverse tricks, jumps, and grinds, it has also become a popular means of transport across urban landscapes.

There are three principal styles of skateboarding: park, vert, and street. Park skateboarding takes place predominantly in skate parks, featuring various specially-made obstacles. Vert skateboarding entails riding vertically on ramps or vert bowls, requiring greater speed compared to other styles. Street skateboarding makes use of everyday urban features such as rails and stairs to perform tricks.

For more detailed information on the different styles of skateboarding, see our guide Buying Skateboards for Intermediates.

The Benefits of Skateboarding

Skateboarding offers numerous advantages. It enhances your bodily coordination, as constant adjustment of body position is necessary for precise trick landings. Furthermore, it positively impacts your balance, not to mention providing a delightful full-body workout.

In addition, skateboarding is an excellent way to encounter new individuals with shared interests. Social interaction is effortless at skate parks, as people often engage in conversations, exchanging views on preferred tricks and skateboard brands. This sport also bolsters self-assurance, with the thrill of executing a trick perfectly for the first time being unmatched.

A Glimpse into Skateboarding's Origins

The modern history of skateboarding traces back to the 1940s on the US West Coast. Surfers began attaching wheels to plates, planks, and other makeshift decks when the waves were absent. Initially, skateboarding was termed “sidewalk surfing” due to its strong surfing influence.

In subsequent decades, the sport evolved. Skateboards were first retailed in shops during the 1960s, and by the 1970s, polyurethane wheels had replaced ceramic and metal ones. The 1980s marked the dawn of skateboarding’s golden era, witnessing a surge in skateboarder-led companies. Numerous skateboarding culture films were released during this period, achieving cult status.

Today, skateboarding stands as one of the world's most beloved action sports. Its status as a competitive sport was further solidified with its Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 games.