Ever since we saw Marty McFly use his hoverboard in Back to the Future II, we have been dreaming of owning one and hovering around like pros. We couldn’t wait for 2015 and hoped that scientists and inventors will come up with a hoverboard just like Marty’s. To our immense regret, we didn’t get the hovering skateboard we were dreaming about, but we got the next best thing: the skateboard-segway combo called hoverboard. Not only has it become the hottest gift in the last few holiday seasons, but people have discovered that it offers a number of health benefits too.
Even though it is a gentle exercise, riding a hoverboard is a great way to burn some extra calories. By going on a half an hour ride you will burn nearly 300 calories, but keep in mind that differently shaped hoverboards give different results. The most efficient board for exercising and burning calories is an S-shape hoverboard: when you ride it for half an hour, you get the same results as if you have been running for an entire hour. This is a great way to turn a fun activity into a vigorous exercise.
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Makes you focused
As funny as they may look, hoverboards can reach the speed of 10 mph. Perhaps this does not seem like much to you at the moment, but once you try it, you will realize that it requires a lot of concentration if you’re hoping to stay safe. You will be enhancing your concentration as well as your eyesight: staying focused on the ever-changing surrounding while trying to keep your balance does require a lot of effort, but it will also give great results. Instead of sitting on the couch all day long and staring at the TV or a smartphone, hop on your hoverboard and start working out.
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Gives you quicker reflexes
By riding a hoverboard, you will significantly increase your balance as well as your reflexibility. For those who are not too enthusiastic about riding a board where they have to move back and forth in order to operate it, there is also a self-balancing scooter which you can control by moving only your feet a little bit. There are also hoverboards run by gyroscope systems, which require a rider to constantly move back and forth in order to accelerate, decelerate, and brake.
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Straightens you up
People who ride motorcycles and bikes are constantly hunched forward, which can result in forming a humpback; not to mention that a lot of cyclists suffer from lower back pain because of their hunched riding position. When you ride a hoverboard, you need to stand with your back straight which straightens your back and improves your posture. At the same time, your shoulders, arms, legs, feet, as well as wrists get the full workout, and you will not feel too exhausted. Your muscles move all the time, even if only slightly, and your body will switch between an active and relaxed state.
Even though hoverboards are so much fun, not everyone will be able to enjoy them: they do require a lot of balance and core abdominal strength, so it’s best if the elderly avoided them. When you start practicing, you will soon learn what you can and cannot do with the board, and you should avoid using it among large crowds of people until you become comfortable with it.
Updated: 16 April 2019
