Inline
Skating Newsletter Article Inline
Skating Newsletter Article I would love to be able to predict with certainty whether a first-timer will go on to enjoy skating and all its benefits or never get past tottering around a parking lot.
I used to say that anybody who can walk can become a good inline skater. Now I'm not so sure. Over the years, I've shared that daunting first day with hundreds if not thousands of people. I've seen many skaters get up and roll away from a hard fall and two or three who headed off to the ER for a wrist x-ray after a gentle fall. I have a good friend who is an avid and adept skater, yet she's had two lower body fractures since taking up the sport.
Success Factors
Besides the obvious choice to wear protective gear, three factors make a very big difference in a beginner's chances for success on inline skates: fitness, balance and confidence. Even without the fitness factor, success usually comes easy for anybody who has spent a few years on ice or roller skates, no matter how long ago. Those adding inline skating to an already active lifestyle that has included a few years of steady aerobic and strength training also get rolling quickly and suffer less injuries when they fall. No matter what the age, folks in these two groups enter the sport with better balance and greater confidence than less fit people who have no rolling or gliding experience.
The inline novices most at risk for a difficult start or possible injury are people who are significantly out of shape, very afraid of falling or have brittle bones. Skating will also seem frightening or difficult to anybody who never got a chance to develop the lifelong balance and coordination that comes not only from skating but years of biking, snow skiing, horseback riding, dance and many other physical activities. It takes dedication and extra hours for beginning skaters to build that kind of coordination and confidence from scratch, but it's still possible to do no matter how old or out of shape you are.
Frozen in Fear
Taking one or more lessons is the best way to gain confidence and get a safe start. Fears ease once you've fallen on your gear under supervision and learned how to use the brake, turn away from the pull of gravity and make effective strides.
If just standing up on skates makes your heart pound and you break out in a sweat within five minutes, a private lesson is in order. When you are literally frozen in fear, your whole body is tensed and tight, and any movement feels scary and uncoordinated. The best chance for success is taking several short lessons over a short time span to keep up your learning momentum, or attending a multi-day skate camp such as those put on by Zephyr Inline Skate Tours.
A good instructor will progress you through the basic skills according to your ability to relax and perform them effectively. Between lessons, you can practice the striding moves and braking stance on a thin carpet or a lawn at home. As your confidence grows, forays onto pavement will seem less terrifying, although a degree of tenseness will still linger for the first few minutes, possibly for weeks. As discouraging as this slower learning curve may sound, I have seen determined beginners achieve the same confidence on pavement as folks who take to the sport naturally.
Fitness Level
People more than thirty pounds overweight who do not have a regular strength training routine should spend a few months at the gym before getting on inlines. This helps make sure your muscles, ligaments and tendons will be strong enough to withstand the impact of a fall with less chance of injury. For best results, find a personal trainer who can get you started safely with a graduated program of weight lifting and cardiovascular training. Just remember when you are sweating away on a stationary bike or treadmill, that soon you will be gliding along a bike path outdoors with a breeze (instead of a fan) cooling your skin. Preparation in the gym is likely to help you lose some weight before you transition to inline skating, too. Skating will continue that process, but in a much more fun way!
Brittle Bones
Post menopausal women should see the family doctor to get a bone density assessment and discuss the desire to use inline skating for fitness or recreation. Because it is a weight bearing activity, skating can build bone density to a certain degree. A regular fitness program and private lessons will also give you important advantages that positively impact your success as a beginner. Even so, the risk for injury will still be much higher when you hit the pavement with brittle bones.
No "Ageism" Here
Notice I haven't said one word about age as a deciding factor in taking up inline skating. These days, my average student age is 45 to 55 years old, with a sprinkling of folks in their 60s. I'm approaching 50 myself, and plan to skate for fun, fitness and alpine ski cross training for many years to come. I've got to at least catch up to that 72 year-old woman from Arizona I taught last year!
Comments or questions? Ask Liz