Can Tall People Skateboard? Yes And Here Are The Tips
Can tall people skateboard? The answer is yes, of course! It would not be wise to give up on something you like because people say your height is not suitable for it.
Being tall brings you some disadvantages while skateboarding, but that does not mean you cannot skateboard at all. Instead, there are just a few things skateboarders need to pay attention to when participating in this leisure activity.
Can tall people skateboard?
There will always be problems arising when we start playing a new sport. So, your height should not be a big deal! In this article today, we will look into the effects of height when skateboarding and how to skateboard safely when you are tall!
How Does Height Affect Skateboarding?
People keep asking: can tall people skate for a reason. The shorter you are, the lower the center of gravity you have, which is equivalent to safety, and you will not fall off easily.
Meanwhile, it is hard for your center of gravity to assist you with balance when you are too tall. This means when skateboarding on bumpy roads, doing technical tricks, or making sharp turns, your body will lose balance easier and fall. As a result, you can get bruises, scratches, or even break a bone!
However, those are only the worst situations that can happen. If you know your weakness and work hard to improve it, your skateboarding experience will be no different from normal people.
How Does Height Affect Skateboarding
Safety Tips For Tall Skaters
Even though tall people can skateboard, they are more likely to get hurt compared to people of regular size. Below are some safety tips tall people can follow to have a safe skating experience.
Use Larger And Wider Board
Some tall skateboarders stated that using larger boards with a wider deck does the trick. The deck size can compensate for your higher center of gravity and the amount of work required to propel them ahead.
The longboards are amazing for learning and riding down the street, but smaller boards are optimal for ramping, riding, or doing tricks. So, keep that in mind when you want to go down that path.
Along with this tip, strengthening your core muscles is also a great idea. Strong core muscles will help stabilize yourself with ease, even if you have more body mass due to your height.
Use Larger And Wider Board
Wear Protective Gear
Due to their greater height, tall skaters have a higher chance of falling, and they get hurt more than shorter people. The best way to solve this problem is to always be cautious and wear protective gear.
Make sure to wear the full set of protective gear in those first days of skateboarding – including elbow pads, wrist guards, knee pads, and helmets.
Once you are more comfortable with being on the skateboard, you will find the protective gear a bit annoying. You sweat like crazy while skateboarding and want to throw away the gear because it makes you feel hotter and smelly.
Moreover, it does not look cool when putting on protective gear. In movies, pictures, or streets, people are imaged doing tricks and riding skateboards without any protective gear. It is understandable if you want to look cool like them and take off the gear.
Nonetheless, remember that you have a different height compared to those with average levels. Your height requires you to pay more attention to safety if you do not want to get hurt or get into accidents.
If you want to look nice and cool for pictures, then at least wear your helmet when doing even the basic skateboard tricks. Hurting your arms or legs is one thing, but damaging your head is another thing to consider.
Broken arms or legs can be treated and healed, but brain injuries can go with you for the rest of your life!
Practice Hard
Last but not least, you should practice hard. If you are a tall skateboarder, the only way to improve is to always practice more to compensate for your higher center of gravity. No outside factors will work if you are lazy and don’t want to improve your skills.
Practicing advances your skills strengthens your muscles, and helps you get used to the feeling of being on the board. This is the best solution to overcome your height problem in skateboarding at the end of the day.
Practice Hard
Conclusion
So, can tall people skateboard? We’re sure you got the answer. In general, nothing, including your height, should stop you from pursuing something you like.
Nevertheless, as we mentioned above, there are several things taller skaters should do to keep themselves safe and unharmed while skating, like choosing a longer board or wearing a full set of protective gear.
And do not forget to practice hard as this is the most effective way to level up your skillset and avoid getting hurt. Hopefully, this article can help tall skateboarders to be more confident and enjoy skateboarding without any worry.
