How Stretching Before Skateboarding Improved My Sessions

Why Stretching Before Skating Matters

You certainly don’t need me to tell you that skateboarding puts unique demands on your body. The impact we endure alone is pretty gnarly, but a lot of tricks require unnatural body movements that are hard on muscles and joints all the same.

A little bit of stretching can genuinely prepare your body for all the wear and tear that comes with skateboarding, and most importantly, helps your body feel ready to roll before you hop on your board.

Once I started adding a simple stretching routine to my mornings, the differences were undeniable.

These days, my body constantly feels looser and way more responsive after even a few minutes of stretching. Tricks that often felt a little stiff or difficult—even basics like kickflips and heelflips—started to feel natural again. I just felt better. Simple as that.

Stretching also helped combat my lower back pain and tight hamstrings, which for me personally, would always bug me after a day of skating. Doing some simple stretches that focused on my hips, quads, and calves made a huge difference!

In time, these stretches simply became a part of my routine. A few leg swings here, some torso twists there … you’ll feel like a new person before, during and after each session.

Also, I just have to say, that I feel like stretching before I skate helps boost my overall energy, too. Just in general. I feel lighter and stronger, which means I feel more confident. And we all know confidence is key when it comes to skateboarding! I don’t feel overly drained after sessions (well, most … there are always exceptions). But the point is, I just feel better.

My Typical Stretching Routine

Keep in mind that stretching doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. In fact, I strongly believe it shouldn’t be. Everyone is different, of course, but a few stretches I swear by are: leg swings, torso twists, hip flexor stretches, quad stretches and calf stretches. Maybe you’re familiar with these, maybe you’re not, but I bet you’ve all done these common stretches a handful of times in your lives. The key is to keep it consistent and make it part of your routine!

Stretching Also Provides Mental Benefits

Skateboarding is super mental. Again, you don’t need me to tell you that. But just know, stretching isn’t just physical—it can also put you in a good place mentally. Taking a few minutes to stretch gives me time to focus, which is just a bonus. It’s a simple way to shift your mindset from whatever else is going on in your day and focus on the sesh!

And although I’m not going to say that stretching will prevent injuries—you’re going to fall, it’s going to hurt, you’re going to get up and keep ripping!—it does help with things like posture and alignment, which can come in handy with random overuse injuries, among other common skate injuries. Yeah, there’s a lot of them.

All Skateboarders Should Stretch!

I hope I’m not here sounding like some broken old man—the beauty is, I feel exactly the opposite of that thanks to stretching!—but whether you’re a street skater jumping down huge sets and handrails, a hometown hero at your local park, a casual weekend warrior, beginner, or consider yourself a big dawg, stretching before you skate is an absolute game-changer. 

Skateboarding is certainly way different today than it was 10–15 years ago as well. And I'm only saying that because I know stretching is a bit more common these days than it was when I was a kid.

I mean, we're dealing with athletes these days, right? Right. Say what you want, but I think if there's a page to take out of their book, that's the one. Stretch! 

Anyways… I’m super thankful for my friends who kept pushing me to stretch and stoked I found out about Old Friends Fitness all the same. It’s helped with everything in my life, too. Running, hiking, sleeping … the list goes on. So if you’ve ever been on the fence about adding stretching to your daily routine, jump off! (Just make sure you stretch first.) 

Trust me, your body will thank you. Oh, and your board will, too. 

**Be sure to check out our friends at Old Friends Fitness (by Dr. Kyle Brown and Walker Ryan) for more skateboarding-inspired stretching, fitness and rehab routines by real skateboarders!