Inline
Skating Newsletter Article Inline
Skating Newsletter Article The Get Rolling Bookstore
We are excited to announce a recently added service for Get Rolling web site visitors. It's the Get Rolling Bookstore, operating in association with Amazon.com! Thanks to Dan's web expertise, our skating friends can now purchase a variety of sports, fitness, and general interest books without leaving their favorite in-line web site.
The Get Rolling Bookstore features the ease of ordering and customer service made famous by Amazon.com, plus the confidence that we've read and personally recommend every book listed. Of course, if you'd like an autographed copy of either of Liz's books be sure to order directly from us.
Visit the Get Rolling Book Store.
Start Ski Cross-Training Now
A light fall rain is dampening the pavement outside as I prepare this last ORBIT issue for 1998. But I don't mind because it means ski season is almost here! If you love to ski and you're lucky enough to enjoy a day or two of dry pavement this autumn, get out there and cross-train your way to better carving!
Now's the time to start downhilling on skates in preparation for those snowy slaloms you'll be making this winter. The centered balance you maintain while skating is a phenomenal benefit when taken to the slopes, whether you enjoy bumps, groomers or off-piste steeps. Nine of my favorite ski-related drills are detailed in the "Advanced Slaloms" chapter of Get Rolling.
Even if you don't own the latest edition of Get Rolling, you can still benefit from several early ORBIT articles designed to improve not only your skating skills but your ski turns as well. These are listed under Downhill at http://www.getrolling.com/orbitIndex
Have fun and don't forget your heel brake!
Falling Back on Fitness
After a gratifying season of teaching 200 or more beginning and intermediate skaters, I've become solidly convinced that the better the level of fitness, the less likely a fall is to cause injury. No, I don't have a scientific study to support this claim, just a growing body of experience.
Even though fitness is a big part of the Northern California lifestyle, I still get the occasional student who has taken time out from exercise to raise a family or pursue a career, or both. While other skaters who unexpectedly meet the pavement with their backsides or pads usually bounce back up and keep on learning, out-of-shape folks are more likely to experience real pain, and in one case, a slight wrist fracture. They also tend to enter the sport with less balance and basic coordination.
It's even more important to stay in shape as we age. Skating has proven to be one of the best ways to do this, but you'll be better off and less prone to injury if you supplement your in-line workouts with a strength-training program that builds up all of your joints and tendons. This is also the best way to improve your overall durability for every sport or fitness activity you enjoy.
Comments or questions? Ask Liz