The Inline Skates are an evolution of roller skates and other traditional skates which people have used before. The old-style skates were not compatible, some of those were hard, or others were unstable. But this new advancement has made skating more fun and enjoyable because of new tactics that deal with good stability, speed, and more. The Inline skate wheels also make a great difference as they are nearly half in thickness as the traditional ones. The wheels and brakes lie just under the boot area, which gives ease of handling. Overall, the inline skates are more advanced and particularly more comfortable, but side to side, it is always good to learn some skills and techniques before riding. In this article, we will be discussing how to inline skate!
How to Inline Skate
The major factor that is linked to inline skating is “the boots.” It all depends on the boots that may be cinched shut with fasteners from manufacturing to arrangements like plastic grippers or hook types. There are a lot of differences between boots or ski boots. The boot is straight, while the ski boot is known to be molded with a forward bend on the ankle position.
Since the sport and related techniques grew, more advanced designs showed up in popularity. For example, the racing models with approximately six wheels like an extended skate boot. Such models’ boots come with no brakes and are suited for ice racing etc.
Gearing Up
Like any sport, Inline skating is not with zero risks. The major risk that comes to a skater’s way is related to falling. For this purpose, special padding is designed to protect vital joints like knees, elbows, or wrists. Another little investment is using a helmet that provides extra safety to your head if you fall. All these safety measures are mandatory, especially if you’re a beginner or below 14.
However, you can do skating without wearing elbow pads because, according to research, it is a less likely impact area. But, wearing a helmet, knee pads, and wrist pads are essential. Remember that inline skating takes place on walking trails, skating streets, sidewalks, or other outdoors; that’s why the safety instructions are compulsory.
In the case of ice skating, gearing up for safety is even more important as ice is hard in nature and it will hurt more. Moreover, it is an extra smooth and slippery platform, especially for learners. If you’re into inline skating, then wearing the safety measures and learning the techniques is necessary.
Safety Gear
Inline skating is somehow similar to ice skating but not the same. If you have never tried inline skates before, it would be an entirely different experience. You will get to know about new adventures and plenty of things you have to learn to keep the balance. As we said earlier, losing balance is a great risk when it comes to inline skate.
Before anything else, every skater needs to understand that every person is different from others in terms of thoughts, body tactics, techniques, learning capacity, and health. Some people do not like this skate style and prefer the old fashion skate type, which has four wheels on the corner, over this. While others really love and want to adopt it fully. Usually, people who like ice skating also prefer inline skating.
Besides, we always suggest learning the old style of skating first. Suppose you know that traditional style, basic balancing tips, and placement techniques would be easier for you to understand inline skating properly. But again, that’s just a suggestion because some people find the inline skate easier than old-style skates.
Inline Skate Footprints
Moving Forward
As we discussed earlier, inline skating is very much similar to ice skating in terms of techniques. For instance, to move forward, you have to push off on every stroke following a diagonal motion. In the context of inline skates, you must learn how to use the edges or sides of wheels to shove off to continue skating. If you push off in a straight line, then it will make you fall on your nose because there is no toe stop to end that given momentum. In conclusion, the inline skate does not offer “pushing off the surface.”
Posture or Position
While discussing skating, the posture scores prior consideration because it is vital for keeping you in balance; you don’t need a rigidly vertical or straight posture to assure a fall. To make a perfect posture, you need to lean a bit forward from your hips into your traveling direction. Make sure to prevent bending because even a slight bend is not the right posture.
This position balances you against the board and wheels’ tendency, which will roll out under you. It is not very different or difficult from other kinds of skating styles. If you try to stand straight at any point, it will make you fall. Just focus more on the ride once you learn to keep the right posture. It is not a good idea to fluctuate postures in between.
Stopping Posture and Balance
The brake is placed on the skate’s rear side, and it gets triggered by extending the brake foot forward (in front of you) and exerting it downward. Then, apply the pressure in half squat posture towards backward. It puts an amount of force that you can literally feel on calf muscles or hamstrings. Your skating speed and slope steepness are directly related to the crouch and leg muscles.
In inline skating, there is no option of “T” stop or “snowplow” stop in which a skater turns himself or herself in a posture where their feet are at right angles to traveling direction. If you try to adopt those, you will fall. Adopting such restrictions will get you in trouble.
Roads Hazards Related to Inline Skates
While skating, it is always a good idea to keep an eye on your path for litter, debris, or any hindrance that can trip you. Particularly, obstacles are pencil-sized twigs, small sticks, or eucalyptus pods. Small pea size pebbles don’t generally bother while inline skating. The worst hazards related to roads are open cracks or tar patches. But, you can tackle all those with techniques. The key point is the concentration on your path and ride. Once you lose that, you’ll not be able to maintain the balance.
FAQs
Can you lose weight by inline skating?
Doing any physical activity is a great idea for losing weight and maintaining your physical health. Inline skating is also a kind of sport that contributes to your fitness. According to Harvard Medical School’s research on calories, a person who weighs 125 pounds will burn approximately 210 calories in just half an hour of inline skating. So if you’re bored of your old fitness schedules and want to try something new, then inline skating is an amazing option.
What to look for when buying inline skates?
While buying an inline skate, one must consider their ability, level, and skills to get the best suitable product. For instance, recreational skates are a perfect choice for short and less demanding sessions. In our opinion, beginners or learners should limit their approach to small wheels, i.e., 78 to 80 mm. This would maintain the speed to slow or average. The three-wheel model comes with 100 mm-sized wheels, which are large.
Are inline skates good for beginners?
Inline skates are easy to learn as these skates have longer or wider wheelbase. Moreover, these skates are not too speedy because of the size of the wheels. You’ll find greater stability and balance as compared to other skates. However, learning the techniques and adapting the precautionary measures is key to your success.
Why are inline skates expensive?
The answer is straightforward. When you get the good build quality, comfort, balancing, stability, fit, or any other brilliant specifications, you have to pay the price for it. Otherwise, you will end up having a cheap product. We always recommend going for a highly durable product because it contributes to the stability and your safety. Over and above that, the expensive rollerblades come with better and additional components that will make skating easier for you.
Conclusion
This article discussed inline skating, including the background, comparison, posture, safety, and hazards. We hope that this information would be enough for you to follow inline skates efficiently. As a whole, inline skate is all about fun, enjoyment, exercise, and much more. If you’re tired of your basic physical activities and want to explore something new, then you should give this a try. It is more like an investment for your health, fitness, and quality leisure time.
