How Stunt Scooter Riding Keeps You Fit

Whether you’re a pro or beginner, you probably understand how physically demanding a session on your stunt scooter is. Riding through the street or in the skate park can be a great way to keep fit and lean and we’ve seen some amazing feats achieved by top-level riders, so we wondered how stunt scooter riding builds muscle and these guys are athletes in their own right. Did you wonder this too? Well, you’re in the right place. If you regularly hit the reccy, bowl and street spot, this is how you’re keeping your body in tip top condition.

Which Muscle Groups are Exercised?

Riding a stunt scooter gets your whole body involved, working those muscles hard for balance, coordination, and strength. Check out the main muscle groups doing the heavy lifting:

Legs: Think strong quads, hammies, calves, and glutes. They're the powerhouse for pushing off the ground, keeping steady, and pulling off sick jumps and landings.

Core: Your abs, obliques, and lower back muscles are in on the action, keeping you stable and in control as you ride. They're the secret sauce for keeping that sweet posture and balance, even when you're pulling off tricky moves.

Arms and Shoulders: Your guns—biceps, triceps, and deltoids—are doing double duty for steering, controlling your ride, and nailing those cool tricks that involve lifting or hanging onto the scooter. Shoulders help keep your upper bod steady, too.

Back: Upper and lower back muscles are the unsung heroes, supporting your spine and keeping your posture on point. They're your shock absorbers for those big jumps and landings, keeping you stable and safe.

Forearms and Grip Strength: Grabbing those handlebars ain't no joke! Your forearms and hands need to be tough to keep a solid grip while you're busting out moves and holding on tight.

Hip Flexors: These bad boys are key for getting those legs moving, especially during jumps and spins. They're like the engine behind your coolest tricks!
So, next time you're shredding on your scooter, remember—it's not just your legs getting a workout. Your whole body's in on the action, making every ride a full-body blast!

Building Muscle with Scooter Tricks

Different tricks in stunt scooter riding can engage various muscle groups depending on their complexity and the movements involved. Here are some examples:

Bunny Hop: When you jump with both wheels off the ground, you're mainly using your leg muscles like your thighs, hamstrings, and calves for that explosive power.

Manual: Ever balance on just the back wheel while scooting forward? That's working your core, especially your abs and lower back, to keep steady. More manual means more six pack!

Tailwhip: This one's all about kicking your scooter's deck around while you're airborne. You're using your legs and core to coordinate that kick and keep control.

Barspin: Spinning the handlebars mid-air is a real arm and shoulder workout, plus your wrists get in on the action to keep things spinning smoothly.

Grinds: Riding along a rail and grinding your deck or wheels engages your legs for balance, and your arms and core to stay in control.

Whip: Similar to the tailwhip but kicking the scooter in the opposite direction. Same muscle groups, just a different coordination challenge.

360° Spin: Doing a full spin in mid-air? That's a full-body workout, especially your core muscles to get that spin going and stay balanced.

Manual Variations (like Nose Manual): Balancing on the front wheel instead of the back works similar muscles but with a bit of a different feel.

Handplant: Using your hands to support your weight while your feet leave the scooter gives your upper body a good workout - your arms, shoulders, and chest all pitch in.

How Many Calories Do You Burn?

It depends on how intense your session is and how much you're pushing yourself. On average, though, you could be looking at burning anywhere from 300 to 600 calories in an hour. That's like a decent-sized snack or a small meal's worth…like a Tesco meal deal or something, so if you're looking to stay active and have fun at the same time, stunt scooter riding's a pretty good way to do it.

What’s interesting is that whether you’re a skateboarder BMX rider, aggressive inline skater, you will most likely burn the same number of calories for the same duration of activity. These sports all involve dynamic movements, balance, and coordination, leading to a significant calorie expenditure during a session. The exact calorie burn will vary based on factors like intensity, duration, and individual fitness levels, but they provide a good frame of reference for comparing the energy expenditure of stunt scooter riding.

So, if you want to stay fit and lean, getting a stunt scooter is a good start! You’ll find it surprisingly physically demanding. Just remember to warm up and don’t strain yourself when going in for a sesh…oh and make sure you wear proper protection like helmets, knee pads and elbow pads. The rest is up to you!