Guest blog post by Luke from Ripped.me

Looking for some new ways to work out and stay in shape without going to the gym? Then you’re at the right place.

There are certainly numerous ways for getting shredded, but HIIT workouts do the job perfectly. Most people don’t even know what HIIT is, so let’s answer that question first.

HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training, and it has become a popular way to burn that excess fat, especially in the belly area. This type of training has been effective for most people, and fortunately, it can be applied to running, squatting, and even some fun activities like riding a skateboard, for example.

That’s right, and you can freely unleash that kid inside of you and start riding the board because that’ll be good for you and your body.

Why skateboarding and not something else?

The answer to that question is rather simple – because you’ll have fun! HIIT workouts can be tiring, and you know what makes you forget about the pain? Fun. Jogging and running offer numerous benefits, but they do not offer the same ones as riding a longboard or a skateboard, and they certainly don’t burn the fat like riding a board down the street does.

Have you ever seen skateboarders without smiles on their faces? That’s right; you haven’t. That’s because they’re all having fun while simultaneously working out and keeping their bodies in shape. Let’s take a good look at why skateboarding is actually a great HIIT workout.

Full body workout

While skateboarding, you’re moving your whole body. You’re moving your legs and feet, and you’re using your arms to balance yourself. You’re also twisting your body at all times. All these things are happening simultaneously, and that means that every part of your body is constantly working. If that’s not a definition of a good full body workout, nothing is.

Skateboarding helps develop hamstrings, abs, quads, glutes, and of course, lower leg muscles. No one will ever ask you if you have skipped a leg day if you start skateboarding right now.

Precision and coordination

Riding a skateboard is all but easy. Your brain and your body need to be in perfect sync. To do a trick perfectly or to simply avoid an obstacle on the road, you have to think quickly and you need to adjust your body accordingly in a split of a second.

You’ll most certainly fail and fail and fail to do that, but in time, you’ll learn how to control your body and you’ll develop all those muscles you did not even know you had.

Precision and coordination are used throughout your life, and you’ll hone this skills by driving a skateboard in no time. When riding, make sure to wear protective equipment to avoid injuring yourself. It’s better to destroy your skateboard than your body. After all, shopping for new and good skateboard hardware is much more painless than going to the doctor with a broken leg.

Stress

Working out and being physically active is incredibly useful for reducing stress, but skateboarding goes a step further. This activity will help you keep your mind off of things that are troubling you. Since you’ll have to be entirely concentrated not to fall, you simply won’t have the time to think about what’s troubling you. It will also allow you to feel like you’re in full control of what you’re doing, and it will make you feel more confident because of that.

Calorie burning

If you’re riding a skateboard the right way, you’ll burn those calories as quickly as Cersei burned the Great Sept of Baelor with wildfire. Depending on the intensity of your workout, you’ll burn 200-500 calories per hour.

HIIT is a type of workout during which you make an all-out effort, and that’s exactly why riding a skateboard is a perfect HIIT activity. Other HIIT activities don’t include your brain into the equation; they just make you push your body to the limits. By riding a board down the street, you’ll improve coordination, lose fat, shred those abs, and most importantly – you’ll do all that with a smile on your face.

Luke is a fitness and health blogger at Ripped.me and a great fan of the gym and a healthy diet. He follows the trends in fitness, gym and healthy life and loves to share his knowledge through useful and informative articles.

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