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People - usually guys - don't perform street / urban sports to get fit.
They perform them to look cool, to sign up to a particular lifestyle and
to develop skills beyond that of a 'normal' person.
Yet the fitness benefits of street sports should not be ignored. Activities
like skateboarding, roller blading, street basketball etc have added benefits
that exceed just looking good.
Skateboarding
Skateboarding may be a solo pastime in essence. But in reality, boarders
usually hang around in small groups, performing stunts, runs etc.
Skateboarding itself is a skill. We aren't born with the skill it takes
to skate around on a board with four small wheels. The coordination it takes
to apply balance and grace to skateboarding is vast. The strength of joints
and the stability of ligaments around the knees and ankles develops as a
direct result of running, boarding and stunt performance.Again, blading seems an individual pastime. Yet many who use roller
blades do so within the context of sport i.e. Trick performance or roller
hockey.
The same skills that apply to skateboarding apply to roller blading. Grace,
poise, coordination and leg strength are all developed when roller blading
is taken up. Not only that, but the fitness levels and general stamina it
needs to propel ourselves around on blades means that this form of exercise
aids weight loss and body shape management.
Roller blading for 30 mins burns as many calories as cycling, rowing
and swimming.Now more than ever in the UK, children and young adults have mass
exposure to the delights of basketball. Not only is it on our TV screens,
but a vast government initiative means that may inner cities and towns now
include basketball courts and other such facilities.
Like most ball sports basketball promotes hand - eye coordination, as well
as fitness, stamina, strength and fun.
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