What do skateboarding and global health have in common?
gatesfoundation.org
What do skateboarding and global health have in common?
1–10 of 16 posts
Re: What do skateboarding and global health have in common?
#2[deleted]
Re: What do skateboarding and global health have in common?
#3I have such a deep love for skateboarding. I go through bouts of depression that seemingly nothing can pull me out of, but stepping on my board always parts the clouds.
But, it’s tricky. Partaking in it and becoming so wrapped up in its subculture can pull a kid, if left without proper mentors, into a very self-destructive world. At least that’s been my experience. It’s a world of extremes, both physically and behaviorally. I’ve seen the subculture (well, its negative sides) destroy a few people in my 25 years as a skateboarder.
I on the other hand, much like the article highlights for these kids, have no idea where I would be if not for skateboarding. I truly believe it saved me. It kept me active and pushing (pun!) towards a goal my entire adolescence, when academic pursuits meant nothing. Without it I likely would have fallen into something more destructive and anti-social.
That aside the lessons I see it imparting on kids are hard to find in team-based sports. Self-reliance, learning how to mute the fear and self-doubt in your inner monologue, persistence...these are hard lessons to get in one sitting, but they’re ever-present in skating.
Re: What do skateboarding and global health have in common?
#4I have such a deep love for skateboarding. I go through bouts of depression that seemingly nothing can pull me out of, but stepping on my board always parts the clouds. But, it’s tricky. Partaking in it and becoming so wrapped up in its subculture can pull a kid, if left without proper mentors, into a very self-destructive world. At least that’s been my experience. It’s a world of extremes, both physically and behavi…
I used to skateboard in my youth, and have moved on to roller skating for reasons of accessibility of locations and lining up with my children's interests. I love it, I look forward to it, it's embarrassing to admit it to people I know, but such is the level of enjoyment of it, the embarrassment is far outweighed by the desire to share my enthusiasm.
I recently stumbled across the documentary United Skates, which was both uplifting and depressing at the same time. It does a beautiful job of, amongst other things, demonstrating the value of a pastime that requires discipline in order to achieve the adrenaline-buzz payoff, and the way such a pastime can get in the way of less-socially-acceptable alternative life choices.
I'm too old for it to seem appropriate to say this, but I fucking love roller skating. Going to a rink for a session is like entering another world, and "normality" is paused and disappears into insignificance for the duration. It's wonderful.
(One of the things that put me off skateboarding at a certain period of my life was a 'skateboard nose strike to the gooch' upon attempting a kickflip. Coulda been worse, didn't want to risk it...)
Re: What do skateboarding and global health have in common?
#5I have such a deep love for skateboarding. I go through bouts of depression that seemingly nothing can pull me out of, but stepping on my board always parts the clouds. But, it’s tricky. Partaking in it and becoming so wrapped up in its subculture can pull a kid, if left without proper mentors, into a very self-destructive world. At least that’s been my experience. It’s a world of extremes, both physically and behavi…
Offtopic, I have a personal concern in this. Could you please email me? (See my profile)
Re: What do skateboarding and global health have in common?
#6It's a lot easier to go downhill than to go up.
Re: What do skateboarding and global health have in common?
#7I have such a deep love for skateboarding. I go through bouts of depression that seemingly nothing can pull me out of, but stepping on my board always parts the clouds. But, it’s tricky. Partaking in it and becoming so wrapped up in its subculture can pull a kid, if left without proper mentors, into a very self-destructive world. At least that’s been my experience. It’s a world of extremes, both physically and behavi…
I used to skateboard in my youth, and have moved on to roller skating for reasons of accessibility of locations and lining up with my children's interests. I love it, I look forward to it, it's embarrassing to admit it to people I know, but such is the level of enjoyment of it, the embarrassment is far outweighed by the desire to share my enthusiasm. I recently stumbled across the documentary United Skates, which was…
Which documentary?
A friend of mine is addicted to running. Says it gives him an actual "high". When I asked how long until it stopped being a painful activity (because for me it hurts to run) he said 2years! So, if commit to 2 years of pain, maybe, if my body reacts the same as his, running will turn from pain to pleasure. That's a hard pill to swallow.
Re: What do skateboarding and global health have in common?
#8I have such a deep love for skateboarding. I go through bouts of depression that seemingly nothing can pull me out of, but stepping on my board always parts the clouds. But, it’s tricky. Partaking in it and becoming so wrapped up in its subculture can pull a kid, if left without proper mentors, into a very self-destructive world. At least that’s been my experience. It’s a world of extremes, both physically and behavi…
> That aside the lessons I see it imparting on kids are hard to find in team-based sports. Self-reliance, learning how to mute the fear and self-doubt in your inner monologue, persistence...these are hard lessons to get in one sitting, but they’re ever-present in skating.
Well said, agree 100%.
Re: What do skateboarding and global health have in common?
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
I used to skateboard in my youth, and have moved on to roller skating for reasons of accessibility of locations and lining up with my children's interests. I love it, I look forward to it, it's embarrassing to admit it to people I know, but such is the level of enjoyment of it, the embarrassment is far outweighed by the desire to share my enthusiasm. I recently stumbled across the documentary United Skates, which was…
Which documentary? A friend of mine is addicted to running. Says it gives him an actual "high". When I asked how long until it stopped being a painful activity (because for me it hurts to run) he said 2years! So, if commit to 2 years of pain, maybe, if my body reacts the same as his, running will turn from pain to pleasure. That's a hard pill to swallow.
For me, it took about a year before I was surprised to discover I was looking forward to a run rather than dreading it.
35 years later, it's now a pleasant part of my day. (I don't run particularly far, fast or to exhaustion.) It has some consequences, like my feet are a bit deformed now (!) giving me problems with shoes, but it's an ok tradeoff. One day I'll be forced to quit, not looking forward to that.
Re: What do skateboarding and global health have in common?
#10I have such a deep love for skateboarding. I go through bouts of depression that seemingly nothing can pull me out of, but stepping on my board always parts the clouds. But, it’s tricky. Partaking in it and becoming so wrapped up in its subculture can pull a kid, if left without proper mentors, into a very self-destructive world. At least that’s been my experience. It’s a world of extremes, both physically and behavi…
As a middle aged man I use skateboarding solely for exercise and the dopamine rush. If I went to the gym I would be bored to tears. I go to the skate park and just pump around in the bowl as hard as I can for a few hours. It's great. I'm on the carve and grind program.