Stay Fit: Skateboard

Lose weight, tone muscles, improve balance, find flexibility and love every minute of it. 

Uptown Skate School is an advocate for enriching Physical Education by introducing skateboarding and other alternative athletic activities that kids identify with; a philosophy often referred to as “The New Physical Education”.

So many parents can relate to their kids struggle as they grow up through the emotional difficulties of competitive school life.  Raising a healthy balanced child is already complicated, but with video games and the internet it can be almost impossible to divert their interest to something physically active.  This is especially true when their child is not particularly good or interested in the traditional team sports programs offered by schools.

The Downside to Traditional Athletic Programs 

• Any sport or activity that promotes interest, camaraderie and physical endurance is an asset to athletic programs, however only a limited number of activities are available to most students.   The downside is that the lack of diversity creates a large number of confidence casualties.
• Gym Exercise can be defeating, frustrating and boring even as adults.  Running Push ups, chin ups, and weight lifting are activities immediately single out the ‘strong’ and ‘fast’ participants from the ‘weak’ and ‘slow’.
• Dodgeball and Team sports promote only the athletes who have the skills and desire to participate in them and often create a combative environment that humiliates those who really don’t care do not pursue it.
• Team sports generally require at least some students to sit out during play and are not continuously active

Skateboarding for fitness – "The New Physical Education"

• It is important to note that skateboarding is only one alternative. The benefits, however can be applied to many other independent and regional activities such as inline skating, skiing/snowboarding, dance, and yoga.
• Emphasizes knowledge and skills for a lifetime of enjoyment and physical activity
• Offers an independent, cooperative as well as competitive source of learning
• Every student in class is physically active
• Encourages students to be active outside school
• Actively teaches awareness of space and environment, cooperation, and responsible participation  
• Develops student self-confidence
• Reduces practices that humiliate students by having to choose sides
• Teaches self-motivation, setting boundaries, and self-monitoring;
• Helps promote the transition to a physically active adult lifestyle;
• Promotes individuality and style

Schools in 10 states have adopted skateboarding