Skateboarding in the winter (what to do when you can’t skateboard)

Winter is a time of year when skateboarding becomes out-of-bound for many people, due to harsh weather conditions. Freezing temperatures and large amounts of ice and snow make it difficult and even dangerous to skateboard.

But there are a few ways how you can spend the off time with benefits. In this guide, I’ll share some tips on skateboarding in the winter and what to do when you can’t skateboard.

1. Find an Indoor Skatepark

The indoor skatepark is the ultimate remedy for the winter months. It is warm, dry, and light inside. You can basically skateboard all year round in the indoor skatepark.

There are roughly 2,800 public skateparks in the USA, and some of them are indoors. Usually, they have a bathroom and a place to rest. And just like any outdoor skatepark, you’ll find a lot of features to ride on and practice tricks.

If you have an indoor skatepark in your area this should be your number-one choice for when to skateboard in the winter.

2. Practice in a Covered Space

If you can’t find an indoor skatepark, you can practice in a covered space like a parking garage or warehouse. Of course, skating in public areas is frowned upon, but you still can manage to skateboard there.

Usually, the pavement is nice and smooth concrete, which is perfect for skateboarding. Also, it is dry most of the time and has some lights, so you can spend more time there.

The downside is that some parking places and other spots can prohibit skateboarding, so it’s not a 100% solution to a winter skateboarding spot.

3. Find an Outdoor Skatepark

If the winter is not that bad in your region and the weather conditions are moderate you can also find an outdoor skatepark.

You might want to clean it up a bit if no one else has already done it. Like swipe off the leaves or any dirt that might be there. If the weather was rainy you’ll have to dry up the spot with a mop or a special brush.

Sometimes the outdoor skateparks have a cover. Usually, they’re located under a bridge or under a building. So if you have one in your area you’re good to go.

4. Take a Break and Focus on Other Activities

While you might want to resume skateboarding during the winter time, you might want to consider taking a short break. There are several reasons why it can be beneficial to take a break from skateboarding during the winter:

1. Avoiding injury: Skating on slippery surfaces in cold weather can increase the risk of injuries like sprains and fractures. Thus it can reduce the likelihood of getting injured.
2. Rest and recovery: Skateboarding can be physically demanding, and taking a break from it can provide much-needed rest and recovery time for the body. This can help prevent burnout and allow you to come back stronger and refreshed when spring arrives.
3. Mental break: Skateboarding can also be mentally taxing, and taking a break from it can provide a mental break and help prevent burnout. This can allow skateboarders to return to the sport with renewed motivation and focus.
4. Cross-training opportunities: Taking a break provides an opportunity to try other activities that can help improve balance, coordination, and overall fitness. For example, snowboarding or skiing can be great options for skateboarders during the winter months. More in the following section.

Overall, taking a break from skateboarding during the winter can be beneficial for the body and mind, allowing skateboarders to come back stronger and more motivated when the weather improves.

5. Do Indoor Training and Workouts

Finally, if none of the above options are available to you during the winter, you can spend your time working out and improving your balance and coordination.

As mentioned earlier, skateboarding can be physically demanding, and if you spend the winter doing nothing, you’ll simply become out of shape. That’s why you should dedicate time (at least three days a week) to exercise. You can do simple bodyweight exercises that will keep your body in shape and prepare you for the next time you go skateboarding.

In addition to exercising, you can train your balance and coordination on a balance board. This is a great piece of equipment to practice with at home when weather conditions are bad. Besides improving balance, the balance board has a number of other benefits, such as maintaining overall fitness while making it fun.

Conclusion

Even though the winter is not the best time of year to go skateboard (especially for some regions), there are quite a few ways how you can continue to keep on grinding. Most likely it will be indoor spots.

However if you can’t go and actually skateboard in your area during the winter season for some reason, there are still ways to be active and stay in shape. Remember to constantly work out and practice balance and coordination, it will help you a lot when the weather becomes better and you go for a ride. You can always turn on your favorite skateboard video on YouTube and just exercise while watching it.