Warming up is really important to make sure you don’t pull anything, it definitely helps prevent a lot of injuries.
Nick Dompierre
the warm-up.
A proper warm-up for skateboarding should increase your body temperature and blood flow and prepare your body for the movements it's about to make when skating. The warm-up is split up into 3 sections in the following order: joint lubing, some kind of cardio (don't let that word freak you out, just skating can often be enough) and dynamic stretching (maybe not stretching as you're used to it) and can be blasted out in about 10 minutes.
If you're going for a skate close by then you can just razz the warm-up before leaving the house, but if you've got to travel to the spot and are going to be sitting down for 45 minutes before you get there, there's no point doing it beforehand as the effects will just wear off by the time you're skating.
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For each exercise repeat for both sides.
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joint lubing.
ankle rotations
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Slowly trace a circle with your toes (slower than in the animation), first clockwise and then anti clockwise.
​- If you prefer, you can keep the tips of your toes connected to the floor and circle around them instead.
toe flexor
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Standing on your left foot, place the tips of the toes of your right foot on the floor.
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Push your right foot down until the ball of your foot connects with the ground and you feel a stretch on the bottom of your toes.
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Do this motion back and forth a few times.
2. cardio / movement that gets your tackle throbbing.
Now your joints are moist you want to warm them up, along with the rest of you. Scientists recommend that an increase in rectal temperature by 1-2 °C is a good measure of whether you're sufficiently warm, but if you don't want to get your thermometer dirty, feeling warmer and light sweating are good measurements as well. Conveniently, skating alone can do this. This part of the warm-up also improves your blood flow which in turn improves your flexibility and muscle performance. If where you live is super cold it's a good idea to spend a little bit more time on this part. This will probably be the least favourite part of the warm-up for most people but it's arguably the most important part so don't skip it.
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5 minutes of movement that gets your heart rate up
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A valid option is actually simply skating to the spot/skatepark. Don't take it easy though - tank it! Take some big pushes and if you can push switch a bit of the time as well.
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If you've got to travel in a car or bus to the spot, you can just bomb around for 5 mins when you get there.
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Other options are things like jogging (moving/on the spot), jump rope, etc.
cardio.
3. dynamic stretching.
Now you're all warm and moist it's time to prepare your muscles for the movements they're about to go through whilst you're skating. 99% of the time I see skaters warming up, I only see them doing a few static stretches and like I've already said, this type of stretching lowers the strength, performance and response time of your muscles - the last thing you want before you start skating. If really love static stretching you can slip some in before the dynamic stretching but don't hold each stretch for longer than 15 seconds*. Also if Click the follow link for the best static stretches for skateboarding.
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On the other hand dynamic stretching has been shown to increase strength and muscle performance amongst other things. Unlike static stretching where you just hold a specific position, dynamic stretching uses movement to stretch a muscle. If the dynamic stretches you do are similar to the movements you'll be doing when you skate, you'll actually be preparing your muscles to respond faster and maybe you'll be able to pop a little smidgelet higher.
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When doing dynamic stretches you can either do them on the spot or whilst moving.
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Check your body's starting position and make sure you start each repetition of each stretch from the same position.
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Do about 10-20 repetitions per stretch starting easy and increasing the intensity as you go.
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Don't jump/bounce into positions and force yourself to stretch further than you can.
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Use a wall or your board to keep you balanced.
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*Static stretching might also be beneficial if you have really poor range of motion and it helps you get into better positions when you're skating. And obviously if you've been told to do it by a someone like a physio, then keep at it.
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dynamic stretching.
hip flexor flexing
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Take a big step back with your right foot and keep it relatively straight whilst bending your left knee a little.
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Keeping your upper body and pelvis straight sink down to the ground putting most of your weight on your right leg. You should feel a stretch on the front of your right hip.
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Rise up a little bit and back down again in a bouncy kinda way.
hamstring stretch
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Stand upright with your left foot about 1-2 feet in front of your right. Keep your left leg straight and slightly bend your right.
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Bend forwards over your left leg and reach your hands towards your left foot.
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Move up and down trying to stretch further as you go.
- When bending forwards try to extend and keep your lower back as flat as possible.
tuck knee
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Standing on your right leg swing your left knee up in front of you.
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Grab around your knee/shin with both hands and pull it towards your chest.
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Lower your foot back to the ground and repeat.
- Try and keep your back straight.
quad stretch
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Stand on your right leg and swing your left foot behind you.
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Grab your ankle and pull your heel up towards your ass.
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Lower your foot back to the ground and repeat.
- Try and keep your back straight and try not to bend forwards.
inner thigh (adductor) stretch
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Take a wide stance with each foot pointing outwards at about 45°.
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Keep your right leg straight, bend your left and lower down into a kind of half squat position whilst keeping your back as straight as possible.
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Keeping your feet in the same position alternate to the other leg.
- When lowering yourself down try and go straight down and almost sit back a little bit as opposed to leaning over your bent knee.
leg swinger
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Standing on ​your right leg swing your left leg straight forward up in front of you as high as you can and then back behind you. You should feel a stretch on the front & back of your thigh depending on which way you're swinging.
- Try to keep the leg you're moving relatively straight.
- Keep your back straight and try to keep your pelvis in a neutral position.
hip opener
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Stand on ​your right leg with your knee straight.
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Lift your left knee up in front of you and let your foot hang down.
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Swing your left leg across your right one as far as you can and then back to the other side as far as you can, opening up your hip.
- Keep your back straight and your pelvis as still as possible.
- You should feel a stretch on the outside and inside of the hip.
calf stretch
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​Lift your right leg up and out the way and stand on your left foot on the middle of your truck/the edge of a step/ledge with half your foot hanging off the back.
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Keeping your leg straight drop down so your heel is below the step and then bob up and down. You should feel a stretch in your calf.
- Lean over your foot to increase the intensity.
side stretch
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Stand upright with your feet about shoulder-width apart, raise your arms behind your head, reach across and grab each arm anywhere between your elbows and hands.
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With your body straight bend at the hip to your left side and pull your upper body to the right.
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Come back to a neutral position and repeat on the other side.
side rotator
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Stand upright with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your arms at 90° in front of your chest.
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Twist your upper body from left to right looking in the direction that you're turning.
- Make sure you twist at the upper body, not the hips.
crouching tiger
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Stand with your feet a little bit wider than shoulder width apart and angled in whichever way feels most comfortable.
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Lower yourself down as far as you can go into a squat position.
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Rise back up about 1 foot and sit back down into the squat.
- Try and elongate your back.
- Hold your arms out in front of you if you need help balancing.
ankle sprainer
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Standing on both feet roll over onto the sides of your feet into the dreaded sprained ankle position
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Do one foot at a time if it's more comfortable.
- Go slow and don't push it, you just need to feel a stretch in your foot.
foot bender
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Standing on your right foot lift up your left foot and place the tops of your toes on the ground.
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Push downwards until you feel a stretch in the top of your foot.
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Move back and forth in this position.
- Angle your foot in different ways to stretch different parts of the foot.
jump
To finish things off jump up and down on the spot.
4. skate.
Now, you can play with your friends. Bomb around popping basic tricks and gradually working your way into the session. Starting off with basic tricks will mean you start your session off landing stuff and with little wins. This is gunna result in you having a much better session than going straight for your hardest trick and bailing 50 times.
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Do this warm up before every session and those never ending, achy warm-ups should hopefully fade away.
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Click this link for post skateboarding stretches and what to do after you skate.
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