It is a good work out. Doing tricks on a skateboard work your body out more, but it's really really hard to do tricks on a skateboard to try and work out, it requires months of training to do it. I've learned over 17 tricks on a skateboard, but it's harder to pull off. On a Waveboard (aka: Old Ripstik) you're moving, twisting your whole body. But you can also carve on a skateboard, they have longboards and shortboards that are for carving like that. To get carve like crazy on a skateboard they start at longboard, then shortboard, then slalom. But slalom gets really scary going about 20mph+ will get speed wobbles , Speed Skateboarding (Speedboarding or Luging) going about 40mph+ will get you speed wobbles unless you pay Hundreds of dollars for Professional parts, about $300 max, but can get you up to 160MPH spending at least $1300 on parts.. But a Ripstik works your abs, but not your legs as much since you don't have to push. Since it has 2 wheels and no soft parts, it requires at least 3mph of speed to stay balanced, the faster you go, the more stable it gets unless you lose self control. You can go about 60mph without difficulties, except balance.

I don't think anyone will be going 60mph on a Ripstik, but Speedboarding Records has rich professional skaters going 127mph. I've only done about 45mph before getting scared and having to brake. Oh, and you can't go faster than 20mph on a waveboard without having to stop, lean the board to one side and breaking your noseThe board scratches on the side when you get off.