Is it better to have upper body strength or legs?

My upper body is strong but i lack leg strength...

so do some leg exercises...chics dont like chicken legs

just trying to figure out if its all about upper body strength or leg strength???

its about both

Upper body will help with doing tricks. lower body strength will help prevent you from blowing out your knees or busting an ankle. You don't wanna look like a body builder, huge yoked arms and tiny little legs.

I'd say legs if you had to choose one. It really needs to be balanced though. like JR said, chicks don't like chicken legs. Any training you do though, go for less weight and more reps. It will give you strength without getting you bulky and not as agile. If you really want to concentrate on something strengthen your core first.

Core but mostly upper body. Strong legs may prevent injury some but aren't going to help your riding as much as upper body strength.

Nothing has helped my riding more than back and arm strength. It makes spins much easier plus you can ride for much longer with stronger forearms, biceps, back, etc. My back and arms get tired long before I'm winded or my legs are too tired to ride.

Well the main reason I say legs after core is that I dislocated my hip last August, with more leg strength it probably wouldn't have happened. Not going to happen to me again this year.

cluck like a chicken....


I think an even mix makes a good riders.

It's not "all about upper body strenght or leg strenght".
A good resistence training program coupled with cardio will put you in the right shape for learning proper form and technique. After that, the best workout for riding is.......riding.
Get in shape, go get a lesson or two and enjoy!!!!summer is coming!!!!!!

I'd say both are even. You need to be strong with your upper body for using the handle properly and the stronger your legs are, the bigger you can go and make it look clean. For legs i go on hikes in the hills with a 50 lb backpack full of sand. That way my body is use to being heavier

You have to build a foundation first before ya build the house!

Try a work out routine called cross fit, great all body work out. Every day they post a new routine www.crossfit.com

The summer I did a triathalon was my best riding summer ever. I say legs and cardio. The biking and swimming especially, I hate running!

if you ride cable, your upper body better be like a friggin rock.......
i rode it for 3 hours and i couldnt raise my arms over my head for 3 days.
i always get in shape just by riding everyday over the summer

Get your core strong, then everything else will fall into place.

Core?? is that abds, back?

Yeah, essentially. Abs, back, the trunk of your body per se. Swimming would be a good cardio, and probably the best one you could do, especially for wakeboarding. The last thing that anyone really needs is to wear down their knees more running to get in better shape for a sport where if your knees aren't strong, they're in a lot of danger...

Balance is the key to almost any sport. Second has to be conditioning to hang on to the rope long enough to keep trying new tricks.

If I were you I would get really bulky and strong in the upper body and dont do anything for your legs. Then go join the circus and tour the country

Obviously you don't need that much upper body strength. Have you seen Adam Errington, Tino or Shane. I think the heaviest thing they have lifted is a fork and they all ride great.

What pro riders

Lately I have been working out with a trainer who has me standing on one of the giant excersize balls, it is freaking Killer! Probably the most painful thing that I have ever done. ITs almost impossible to balance

Andy those med/exercise ball workouts are insane. all core and stabilizing strength

size and strength are all relative...all of those guys (that you mentioned hoosierairboy) are TINY...but i bet they can all handle their own body weight with no problems (e.g. pull ups, sit ups, etc...)

The balance ball doesn't allow you to "cheat" you have to do your exercise properly. Also a side benefit is the working of "stabilizer's/small muscles" which are very helpful with injury prevention.

i use the med/exercise ball in about 80% of my workout routine...KILLER

I agree jr. Those guys are skinny but they aren't throwing around that much body weight either. Having a strong back and arms will greatly improve your spinning IMO.

Honestly, this is really a ridiculous post. I think you need to do some reading to gain some basic knowledge of fitness and exercise. Unless you plan on walking on your hands wherever you go, I suggest you start worrying about your lower body, etc. GO crossfit!

I'm with jr, anytime I am standing on two feet I use the 1/2 exercise ball or the bubble discs. I do it for rows, squats, all my shoulder work, everything. Anytime you unbalance yourself and train your stabilizing muscles to fire without thinking, you are doing a good thing. I lift 4 days a week and play racquetball 2 days. The racquetball is cool because you do all kinds of different motions and its very explosive. Plus you smack blue balls around, what could be better?

Damn Big Heavy, I should be in awesome shape. I'm married so I'm smacking blue balls around all the time.

(Message edited by dudeman on January 09, 2008)