Originally posted by GunsForBucks:

Xp is gained per "action"

each swim stroke
each hit with the ax or pickax <multiple numbers show = multiple hits = multiple xp>
each jump
running I assume with each step
bow skill is hit with arrow

Amount of damage does not matter

a "hit" is something that does damage... a 0 will not progress skills. <it used to but they stopped that so people wouldn't stand there hitting rocks all day>

My bad, wasn’t sure if that had been taken out as I’ve never really used it. Another interesting strategy to gain skills if you have two players online is you turn your PVP on while their PVP is off and hit them with any weapon, those weapon skills will increase.