Are you serious about skateboarding and your health? If so, you should know what muscles does skateboarding work.
If you know what muscles do skateboarding work, you can better prepare your body for the demands of skateboarding and avoid injury. Also, if you’re looking to get a good workout from skateboarding, understanding which muscles are utilized will help you target those muscle groups specifically.
Hence, let’s see all the muscles that are worked when you go skateboarding along with related benefits like does skateboarding build muscle and is skateboarding a good workout.

Table of Contents
What Muscles Does Skateboarding Work?
Here are all the muscles that do skateboarding work:
- Core
- Lower back
- Arms
- Glutes
- Quads
- Hamstrings
- Calves
- Tendons / Ligaments
While skating, you might don’t know, but your body is working hard using all these muscles. And the good news is that skateboarding is a good workout that helps in muscle building and toning.
Now let’s understand and see all these muscles one by one and find out how skateboarding helps in their development.
Previously, we wrote about am I too old to start skateboarding. If you’re confused, check it out as well.
Core
You might not know, but your entire core is engaged when you skate. While skating, your abs, obliques, and lower back work in sync to keep you balanced and upright on the board.
Skateboarding is an excellent way to develop a strong and stable core. A strong core is important not only for skateboarders but for everyone. A strong core helps you in everyday activities and prevents injuries.
Lower Back
The lower back is another muscle group that is worked when you skate. The lower back is responsible for keeping you balanced and upright on the board.
Skateboarding is an excellent way to develop a strong lower back. A strong lower back helps both the skateboarders perform better and also helps in everyday activities, and prevents injuries.
Arms
The arms are worked when you push the skateboard. The pushing motion of the arms helps develop the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Pushing the skateboard also helps in the development of the cardiovascular system. This is because the pushing motion of the arms increases the heart rate and gets the blood flowing.
Glutes
If you don’t know, glutes are the scientific name for butt. The glutes are made up of 3 muscles: the gluteus Maximus (the largest muscle in your body), gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus.
These muscles work to move your legs out to the side, as well as extend and rotate your hips. When you’re skateboarding, these muscles work hard to keep you balanced on your board, as well as push you forward.
Quadriceps
The quadriceps are the large muscles at the front of the thighs. These muscles work to straighten your legs, as well as help you move from a sitting to a standing position. Skateboarding requires a lot of legwork, so your quadriceps constantly work as you push off the ground and move forward.
Calves
The calves are the muscles on the back of the lower leg. These muscles work to point your toes, as well as help you push off the ground and move forward. Skateboarding requires a lot of calf work as you constantly push off the ground to move your board.
If you’re having pain in your feet, read our guide with a clear answer to why do my feet hurt when I skateboard.
Tendons/Ligaments
Tendons are the tissues that connect muscles to bones, while ligaments connect bones to other bones. When you skateboard, your tendons and ligaments work hard to keep your joints stable as you move. This helps to prevent injury as you ride.
These are just some of the major muscles that are worked when you skateboard. Skateboarding is a great workout for your whole body and can help to improve your balance, coordination, and strength. So get out there and enjoy the ride!
Yes, skateboarding can give you muscle if you’re consistent with it and skateboard regularly.
Yes, you can get abs from skateboarding. Skateboarding works your core muscles, which will help you develop abs. However, this requires regular skating and consistency to see results.
Yes, skateboarding will work your calf muscles. Skateboarding is a great way to get muscular calves.
Skateboarding uses the cerebellum, which is responsible for coordination and balance. Skateboarding also uses the motor cortex, which is responsible for movement.
Conclusion
So far, you’ve learned what muscles does skateboarding work. Skateboarding is a great workout for your whole body, especially your core and leg muscles.
Skateboarding is a great option if you’re looking for a fun and challenging way to get in shape. Just be sure to stay safe and have fun!

I am James Buckridge, the founder of skateboardidea.com. Skateboarding is my passion, and I have years of teaching experience in this field. Our vision and mission is to provide you with accurate information on everything related to skateboarding. Catch me on Twitter & Pinterest.