Roller skating is a great option to spend your free time as well as exercise. In large cities, the influx of roller-skating enthusiasts starts in mid-May, the end of the season happens towards the end of summer. Today we’ll figure out how to skate and talk about everything that’s relevant to them.
Types of Rollers
Before you learn: how to roller skate, you need to understand their diversity. In the modern world there are a lot of subspecies of this sports equipment. Consider first the groups that are divided according to the types of skiing.
Fitness videos. They are designed for walking. You can ride them on smooth asphalt tracks. These are the most common videos that we are used to.
Slalom / free-skate videos have a slightly different design. The shoes of the rollers are tough, they keep their foot well, you can also ride them in the park in calm mode. But why? After all, they cost significantly more than the above option. This model is ideal for movement in the style of slalom (figure skating around various objects, cones).
Aggressive videos are complex skates. They are also suitable for trips in the park, but they are made for a completely different one. They easily hold monstrous loads. "Aggressives" are needed to perform tricks on roller skates. They are very durable, their main difference is the reduced wheels.
Off-road videos - this is generally a separate topic for conversation, they were made for skaters who do not look for special tracks, but ride where they want. The wheels of such rollers are made not of polyurethane, as is almost always the case, but of rubber (inflatable). Wheels can have a diameter of up to 15 cm. Can I ride this type of roller on rough terrain? In them you can ride on rolled gravel, on grass, earth and other difficult surfaces.
Running rollers. They do speed skate. Where is this type of roller skating? Speed skaters are engaged in indoor facilities specialized for this sport. It is very often accelerated to speeds exceeding 40 km / h. Structurally, the model has a low boot and a relatively large diameter wheels. It is noteworthy that the number of wheels on one skate can reach five pieces.
How to learn to roller skate
If you have never ridden inline skates, then you first need to learn how to stand on them. You may need an assistant for this. Even better if your assistant is more experienced in roller-skating than you.
The correct position for riding is slightly bent legs, the body is slightly tilted forward. Push off first with one roller and then with the second. It is important to ensure that the nose of the boot that goes in front looks slightly outward. If you ignore this rule, then your legs will be tangled and you will fall.
You definitely need to be able to stop. There is a special brake on the back of one of the roller skates. You need to use it at low speed. It is important to understand that only one foot is involved in the braking process. Sudden braking can lead to a turn around the axis or to a fall.
Experienced people sometimes buy rollers without brakes or dismantle it. This is done for backward riding. On rollers with a brake, you will not be able to ride forward with your back forward.
Also understand that for braking you can help yourself in alternative ways, if you have not yet fully mastered classical braking. You can grab onto fences, poles and more. In addition, you can go to the lawn to stop, keep in mind that when you find yourself on it, the force of inertia will force you to go over it a little directly on the rollers.
A change of direction is an important point that you need to master at the very beginning of training in roller skating. This is useful to you, so as not to crash in the process of riding in objects or people. You need to prepare yourself in advance for a change of direction. If you are going to turn right, then extend your right foot a little forward and vice versa. During the maneuver to change direction, sit down a little and slightly deviate towards the turn. After the maneuver, take the usual position for riding. In principle, this is the basics in the question: how to skate. Remember that everything will come with experience, and you won’t get anywhere from the falls in the first stages.
First training lessons
The very first lessons will be the hardest for you. Your sense of self-preservation will slow you down a bit in this matter. If it is very difficult for you to learn, then after you learn how to stand on skates, learn how to move to specified objects over short distances (3-5 meters). It can be the distance from a park bench to another bench opposite or something else.
After you learn to confidently stand on skates and move short distances, the learning process will go easier and faster. The main thing is to believe in yourself and in success, then you will overcome all difficulties.
How to teach a child to skate
The basics are the same. But only if we learn to ride a child, then we need to very clearly approach the issue of security. Children have a muffled sense of self-preservation, when excitement takes hold of them, and commercials are always excitement for the child.
You will need a full set of protection, which includes a helmet, knee pads, elbow pieces, special gloves. If all the protection is on the child, then no injuries will threaten him in the process of learning to skate.
A child should be taught by someone who knows how to roller skate firsthand. If you do not know how to ride yourself, then you are unlikely to educate a child, even if you know the theory ideally. In this matter, practice plays a big role.
It is important to understand that the child himself must want to master the skills of riding roller skates, you should not force him. Before class, set it up so that today we learn to skate, it will be very fun and interesting. The right attitude is half the success. We must pay tribute to the children. They are given training easier than an adult.
Learning errors
There is only one single mistake that many people sometimes make in the process of learning to skate. Ignoring all the rules of teaching skating and excessive self-confidence. This can not only complicate the learning process, but can also lead to serious injuries. Do not make such stupid mistakes, follow all the rules.
Where to study
You need to learn to ride in a deserted place, but at the same time the road surface in this place must be very smooth and of high quality. Usually, different squares, parks in the evening or in the morning are suitable for such classes. Very often you can see how, in the early morning, a boy or girl is rollerblading under the control of her parents somewhere in the city park.
What roller skates to choose a girl or a guy
Men are naturally less tender creatures. If you plan to roller skate from time to time, on weekends, etc., then your videos will probably be your option, which can be found on the shelves of large chain stores. The main thing is not to take models with plastic wheels, it’s difficult to ride such rollers, and the noise from riding them quickly tires you.
If girls skate, then by their female nature they approach the issue differently. Girls need to carefully choose a model, you also need to choose a convenient model, so as not to rub your foot in the process of riding, for example. The appearance of the clips for ladies is also very important. Although this is not at all a key point in choosing roller skates.
What to look for when buying videos
The skate shoe should fit the size of your foot. An important element of roller skates is the wheels. As we said, they should not be plastic. It is also important that they have quality bearings. From this moment, riding comfort largely depends.
It is desirable that the boot frame be made of composite material. This material is tough and well absorbs vibration from the road surface. The best fasteners on roller skates are clips from high-quality soft plastic.