- 1. Selection of appropriate skates
- 2. Keeping balance on the rollers
- 3. Learning to skate forward
- 4. Driving over small obstacles
- 5. Learning to fall safely on roller skates
- 6. Learning to brake on rollers
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Learning to inline skating can be easy and will pay off quickly as long as you learn a few technical tips. For beginners, the most important thing is to learn the right body posture that allows you to maintain balance and improve the smoothness of the ride. See the guide for beginner skaters along with the video in which the instructor Michał Machowski explains the technical basics of skating.
Learning to skateoften takes a lot of time for beginners. This is usually due to the lack of knowledge of the basic technique on which the speed of making progress depends. Having mastered the basics of skating, we can learn the next elements more effectively, improving the speed and smoothness of movement.
See what tips for beginner skaters instructor Michał Machowski from RollSchool has.
1. Selection of appropriate skates
Buying comfortable, fitted skates is the first thing you need to do before you start learning. They should be selected according to the skill level and driving style that interests us. Recreational roller skates are recommended for beginners - the most universal and available in most sports stores. It is better to avoid cheap supermarket rolls, which are usually of poor quality and do not provide adequate safety while driving.
2. Keeping balance on the rollers
After purchasing a comfortable pair of skates, it's time to learn the basics. Before we start driving, it is worth mastering the so-called herringbone, which is a position that helps to maintain balance.
Standing straight, bend your knees so that they are just above your toes (but not over your toes). At the same time, push your buttocks back and tilt your torso slightly forward. Shoulders, knees and feet should be in line. Maintain this position while skating.
3. Learning to skate forward
When driving forward, remember to push yourself sideways, not backwards. To keep traffic smooth, try to ride one foot as long as possible. Avoid tilting the wheels in and out. When pushing back, start by pulling the roller out from under you, and then sideways setting the wheels at an angle of about 30 degrees to the ground. Keep your knees bent and your torso leaning forward at all times.
4. Driving over small obstacles
Driving on the streets you can often come across minor obstacles, such as unevenness in cobblestones, tram tracks, curbs. You can learn to ride them safely without losing speed. How to do it?
Keep your legs parallel while driving. Pull one of them forward and shift your weight to the back. Bend your knees tighter. You can put your arms out to the sides for better balance. The deeper you squat when crossing an obstacle, the greater the shock absorption.
5. Learning to fall safely on roller skates
Every beginner skater will fall sooner or later. However, a tipper doesn't have to be painful - you just need to know what to do when it happens. Adopting the correct posture during a fall can save you from serious injury.
In case you fall forward, put your arms out in front of you (necessarily in pads!) - you will absorb the impact first by resting on your wrists, then on the elbows and knees (which should also be secured by pads). You can protect your head by bending it and putting it between your hands.
When you fall backwards, try to get as low as possible on your legs and cushion the fall by supporting yourself on your arms. However, do not put them under the buttocks, but place them on the sides of the body. Keep your palms facing forward. Also, be sure to wear a helmet, as backward falls usually end in hitting the ground with your head.
On the video, instructor Michał Machowski shows how to defend ourselves against a painful fall on roller skates.
6. Learning to brake on rollers
Learning to brake your inline skates is as important as being able to drive forward. There are 4 techniques for braking: brake, plow, "T" (or T-stop) method and turning. It's worth trying each method to find the best option for you.
Learn more: Roller braking: with brake, plow, T-stop, by turning