Ever since roller skates were invented, skating has been one of the most popular activities of all time. It isn’t limited to a specific age group, in fact, in some countries it is even a national-level sport. But for every person, there’s been a moment in their life when they’d have to learn to skate for the first time. Some turn out to be natural at it while others end up struggling with being on wheels, balance, fear of slipping and falling, and whatnot. If you are one of those people, here are some tips to help you become the best skater out there.
Get the Proper Gear
Just like you can’t go to the beach without proper swimwear, you can’t go skating without protective gear. Before skating, make sure you have proper padding, helmet and roller blades. Elbow and knee pads are essential as those are the places that take the most impact during a fall. The second thing you’d want to get is a good and strong helmet. Make sure that your helmet has good impact resistance and that it fits your head. You don’t want it to be too tight or too loose. Lastly, and most importantly, you’d want to get good roller skates. There are different ones for indoor and outdoor settings, as well as the chic looking roller shoes, so get the appropriate ones that fit your needs.
Work on Your Posture
Good skating requires good, maintained postures. Seeing from the outside, skating might seem like walking, but in reality, without a specific posture, it can be very difficult to skate. Firstly, you’d want your knees to be well spaced apart. Your feet should be in a ‘v’ position and should move in that direction as well. Your knees and waist should be bent to help you retain your balance and to help you focus your weight into moving forward. Other than this, keep your arms open by your side, again, to maintain balance, but also to buffer any impact from an accidental fall.
Practice Basic Techniques
Skating is all about finding the right balance. Before moving on to any maneuvers and tricks, you’d want to practice until you perfect your stroke. Make sure your feet are moving in a ‘v’ shape. Once you’ve perfected your forward stroke, start practicing small jumps. Then, try skating down from different heights in your rink and practice your balance until you do it smoothly without losing your balance.
Know How to Fall
Although this might not be a skating skill specifically, it is an important skill to have nevertheless. If you know how to fall, you’d decrease your risk of getting a bone fractured significantly. Falling forward is preferred to falling backwards. If you sense your balance tipping and a fall coming, get into your standard skating position and push your weight forward. Have your hands ready to brace the impact. When falling backward, fully let all of your weight fall onto your heels. Try to tilt to the side and roll if you’re backward falling. This should help you get a safe landing.
