Fat People Can Skateboard (With A Few Exceptions)

Even though it’s difficult for overweight people to skateboard, you shouldn’t let that stop you from giving it a shot.

Fat people can skateboard, but if you weigh more than 350 pounds, use caution. To account for their weight, overweight folks should choose wider skateboards with tougher bushings. Put on good protection gear and begin with the fundamentals. Although the majority of high-quality skateboards can support up to 350 lbs, you’re more likely to snap one if you’re overweight.

If you weigh more than 230 pounds, I advise obtaining a skateboard with a setup that is 8.25′′ or 8.5′′ wide. Over 280 LBS necessitates at least an 8.5′′ deck, and if you just want to cruise or skate bowl, much broader.

The most crucial factor is to be responsible and weigh the risks; occasionally, it’s preferable to reduce a few pounds first.

Fat Can People Skateboard?

Yes, obese individuals can skateboard. The difficulties that come with being overweight can be readily solved. Overweight persons can easily excel at skateboarding if they have the correct tools, the right support system, and enough time.

Most overweight people are discouraged from skating because of the societal pressure skateboarders feel to appear a certain way, although even thin skateboarders occasionally feel this kind of pressure.

If this worries you, you can choose to begin learning in an area where there aren’t many people.

Things To Consider As An Overweight Beginner Skateboarder

You need to conduct your research before getting on a skateboard if you’re obese and want to skateboard. Purchase firm bushings (the plastic components that cause the trucks to revolve) and a sturdy, broad deck. Check out my bushings weight table; if you weigh more than 275 lbs, you should normally use the toughest bushings (100A):

Think about decks like Powell Peralta Flight, Lithe Nex, or Santa Cruz VS. Compared to a typical 7-ply hardrock maple deck, they absorb impacts far better.

Choose The Right Board

Get a board that can sustain your weight; don’t buy something cheap off of Amazon. To find boards that offer more stability and support, look for ones with a wider deck and larger wheels.

Most boards have weight restrictions set, however I think this is done to protect brands from lawsuits as most boards are capable of supporting considerably greater weight. Avoid birch decks if you want a full board; instead, opt for a Birdhouse skateboard with a hardrock maple deck.

Wear Protective Gear

People who are overweight are more likely to sustain injuries, especially more serious ones. We advise that you invest in a helmet, knee pads, and elbow guards. Additionally, it’s crucial to learn how to fall, so you might as well protect yourself by donning some pads.

Start Slowly

It’s crucial to start skateboarding gently and have patience with yourself. Start by becoming proficient in pushing and balancing. As you gain skill and confidence, gradually work your way up to increasingly complex stunts.

Focus On Balance

You can try to work out even though it’s not necessary for skateboarding. My personal experience shows that going to the gym had a significant impact. I didn’t get much better at skating, but I can skate for a lot longer periods of time without feeling fatigued.

Second, maintaining your equilibrium is crucial. If you put a lot of effort into it, you might perform balance drills both on and off the board. Improve your balance and coordination by incorporating exercises like yoga, Pilates, or balance training into your workout program. You might design your own balance board as well.

Find A Supportive Community

It goes without saying that the ideal place to start is in a community that is supportive locally. You’ll advance much more quickly if you skateboard with others. A community like Chub Rollz deserves a recognition at this precise time.

Finally, search online for groups in your area and submit an application to join. Reddit has a few subreddits you should check out, such as /r/newskaters, where you may ask for assistance and tips.

How Much Weight Can a Skateboard Hold

The majority of overweight people shouldn’t worry too much about the parameters you frequently encounter when buying a skateboard, even though there is a skateboard weight limit. Skateboards are more prone to break when you’re not landing a trick close to the truck bolts than than simply riding or standing on them.

When you can hardly walk, it does become an issue, but in that case, you should give learning to skateboard some second thought.

Skateboard Weight Chart

This is a normal weight/size chart for skateboards that you frequently encounter, although I would treat it with caution. As long as you don’t do anything insane, skateboards can handle a lot of weight. Generally, you should purchase a broader board, and if deck cracking worries you, look through our assortment of skateboards with the toughest decks.

Skateboarding Learning Curve For Overweight Skateboarders

Several variables, like your degree of fitness, past experience with balance-based sports, and the right equipment, can affect how quickly you learn to skateboard if you’re overweight.

Obese persons who enter the sport face greater learning and performance challenges than average people do. Additionally, because you don’t want to rush anything, it requires additional time and effort.

Overweight skateboarders have a greater center of gravity, which makes it challenging to maintain balance and coordination, both of which are crucial. Overweight wannabe skateboarders may also face fatigue and injuries more frequently than others.

Although all of this may seem intimidating, nobody has ever said that skating is simple. You may improve your skateboarding with effort and practice. This is true for any beginner skater, but it’s harder if you’re overweight.

If you keep an eye on your calorie intake, skateboarding is an enjoyable and satisfying way to increase your fitness and, as a bonus, lose weight. It will be difficult at first, but try not to be too hard on yourself; learning to skateboard is not at all simple.

Consider A Cruiser or Longboard

Consider a longboard or cruiser if you simply want to learn how to ride and improve at simply cruising your neighborhood. They are a lot easier to ride and considerably more forgiving. Because the decks are broader and have a lower center of gravity, balancing is much easier.

You don’t have to push as frequently because to the larger wheels, which also make it easier to handle. It makes a significant difference if you quickly run out of breath.

Skateboard ‘Tricks’ For Overweight People

I would wait until you are really comfortable skating before you start doing tricks. Just practice balancing and cautious pushing before deciding to take a skateboard for a trip around the neighborhood.

It’s a lot of fun to do some cruising and carving; after a few weeks or months, a few manuals or curb hops should be possible. This depends on how frequently you practice, and some people simply advance more quickly than others.

Cruising

Cruising entails doing nothing particularly extreme and riding at a leisurely speed. Skateboarding can help you lose weight, and short commutes are a terrific way to exercise. For overweight skater who are new to this sport and want to concentrate on enhancing their balance and coordination, this is a wonderful place to start.

We advise you to practice cruising in your early days and gauge how long you can cruise for. Make sure the time goes up every day to observe the progress and gather inspiration.

Carving

You can switch to carving once you’ve mastered cruising. Smooth turns are made while riding the skateboard while carving. This easy-to-do trick is entertaining and a terrific way to spice up routine cruising.

Manual

You should move forward with a manual once you have mastered maneuvering and have gained control of your board. This maneuver involves riding the skateboard on its back wheels while keeping the front wheels off the ground.

Overweight Pro Skateboarders

More overweight persons need to be featured in skateboarding because the activity is frequently associated with sleek, athletic bodies. We were looking for some professional skateboarders that were overweight but nonetheless skated better than most skateboarders.

Steve Olson

Professional skateboarder Steve Olson is renowned for both his unique sense of style and attitude. Despite being obese, Olson is regarded as one of the sport’s pioneers and has been a mainstay in the skateboarding community for decades.

Kris Markovich

Since the late 1980s, Kris Markovich has been skating, and he is renowned for his strong skating technique and capacity to navigate difficult terrain. He has received sponsorship from a number of well-known companies and is well-known for the Kris Kross, a trick that most obese individuals might believe is inappropriate for them.

Tony Cox

Since the 1970s, Tony Cox has been skating and is renowned for his seamless technique and capacity to transition from one trick to another without letting his weight get in the way.

John Cardiel

Legendary skateboarder John Cardiel is renowned for his forceful and unafraid skating technique. Cardiel continues to serve as an example for skateboarders all around the world after sustaining a terrible injury that left him paraplegic from the waist down.

Andy Roy

Andy Roy is renowned for his distinctive style and capacity to make even the trickiest moves appear simple. In the majority of his tricks on the board, he has shown ferocity and lack of fear.

Last Words

The word “fat” is what people look for, so I initially tried to avoid using it. But you should know by now that overweight people can skateboard. The histories of the guys that appear in these videos are unknown to me. They may have skated previously or may not have. You can skateboard even if you just want to cruise around town, that’s the point.

After learning the fundamentals, bowl skating is a fantastic alternative. It’s a far safer workout than stair-flipping or hill-bombing and a ton of fun. To learn skateboarding more quickly, start out with a longboard or cuiser. Move on to basic skateboard tricks once you have the fundamentals down.