Rollerblading made a serious comeback during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, but despite it being a trend, many people stuck with it. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s great exercise, so why not?
Learning how to rollerblade isn’t as easy as it looks. You might get discouraged the first time that you fall and scrape a knee.
We’re here with a few quick “rollerblading for beginners” suggestions to help you get started. Read on for our rollerblading tips!
First: Find the Right Rollerblades
The “right” rollerblades will vary from person to person. When you first start rollerblading, you might want t buy rollerblades from a secondhand shop or borrow rollerblades from a friend who skates. This way, you’ll get a good idea of sizing, and you won’t waste money on something that you end up never using.
Sizing is important for safety, so make sure that you read reviews if you’re buying rollerblades online to see whether the skates are true to size.
Check out a review of some of the best rollerblades of the year here: https://www.rollerskatedad.com/best-rollerblades/.
Prioritize Safety
Rollerblading is relatively safe for beginners (after all, even small children can rollerblade), but you should never skip safety precautions, especially when you’re first starting out.
All good rollerbladers wear helmets. Helmets are cool because they keep your head safe. You’re never going to be too advanced to protect your skull.
Even if you’re great at rollerblading, accidents can happen. You can trip over something, someone else could crash into you, or you can just fall seemingly without cause. If you fall and hit your head, you could end up with a concussion (or worse).
Aside from a helmet, it’s also a good idea to have knee and elbow pads as a beginner. We also recommend getting a pair of wrist guards (as you may fall on your hands).
For people who are nervous about their backs, invest in a pad for your bottom. You might feel silly, but your tailbone will thank you.
Find a Flat Surface
When you start skating, you might be tempted to hit the skate park right away. Resist this urge and find a place with a flat surface instead. Make sure that you’re allowed to be there, and avoid places with a lot of people.
Large outdoor basketball courts and paved park running trails are perfect for newbie skaters. If there’s a bench and some grass nearby, that’s even better.
Grass will help you get on your feet before you’re ready for a slick surface.
Try to avoid places with a lot of rocks or cracks. When you’re a stronger skater, these things won’t be a problem. When you first start out, be safe rather than sorry.
Don’t Underestimate the Challenge of Standing Up
So you’ve got your skates on, you’re sitting on the bench (or ground), and you’re ready to start skating. Don’t get up too quickly! You might be in for an unpleasant surprise.
Plan to have difficulty. If you end up being fine, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. If you start on shaky legs, you’ll be prepared.
If you start on the ground, move slowly. Stand on one knee and put the other skate on the ground and make sure that you have solid footing.
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Make sure that your ankles aren’t wobbling and that your toes are pointed forward. You want your center of gravity to be somewhat low, so bend your knees a bit, so you’re in a shallow squat.
Walking to Gliding
When you first start skating, you’re going to walk. This is going to feel unnatural, but it’s the first step toward actual skating (and good skaters walk all the time).
When you walk, pick one foot up off of the ground and place it in front of you (just as you would if you weren’t wearing skates). You’ll be tempted to keep your skates on the ground, but this makes you less secure.
As you get better, you can start to glide. Instead of putting your moving foot back down, use it to push yourself forward. You still need to lift your feet, but only a small amount.
Move on to Steering
Your skates going to go where your feet and body go. Shift your weight to control your direction. If you want to turn right, lean your body to the right.
If you’re struggling, you can also pick up your feet to pivot. Point your toe that’s on the side that you want to turn toward the turn. Pick up your other foot and turn it in that direction.
Learn How to Stop and Fall
Stopping and falling are almost more important than learning how to skate. If you can’t stop, gravity will do the work for you.
When you first start, you can roll onto nearby grass to stop. This is cheating, kind of, but it’s effective, and if you’re panicking it might be your best bet.
The plow stop might be the easiest option for those who don’t want to rely on the brakes on the inline skates. Some skates don’t even have brakes. To do a plow stop, spread your legs out wider and then point your toes in. Make sure that you’re in a squat position and flex your muscles to stop yourself from falling forward.
When it comes to falling, don’t be afraid. As a matter of fact, you should fall intentionally. As long as you’re wearing safety gear, you should be fine.
Avoid falling on your wrists. You’ll want to put your hands in front of you when you sense a fall coming, but resist that urge!
Try to fall forward. Land with one knee on the ground and bring the other one down if you’re unable to regain your balance. If you started in a squatting position, this shouldn’t hurt.
Rollerblading for Beginners: Are You Ready?
Don’t move straight to rollerblading tricks! Use this quick rollerblading for beginners guide to find your footing and create a strong foundation for your future skating hobby.
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