Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Finding your balance
• Part 2 of 3: Getting moving
• Part 3 of 3: Run and stop
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Rollerblading, also known as in-line skating or rollerblading, is a popular outdoor recreational activity. Unlike regular ice skates, this involves skates with a series of wheels underneath in a straight line. Due to the required balance and control, skating can be difficult to master at first. Once you get the hang of the basics, it's a fun pastime that allows you to stay active and have fun almost anywhere.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Finding your balance

1. Wear proper safety gear. Put on a helmet and use knee and elbow pads to protect yourself from bumps, bruises and scrapes. Beginners also need a pair of wrist guards, which can break your fall without hurting yourself.
   • Keep your safety gear (especially your helmet) on and around all the time while skating.
2. Strap on a pair of skates. Slide your feet into the boots and press the tongue of the skates up against the bottom of your shin. Pull the adjustable straps over the front of the boots and through the buckles on the other side. Put on the skates until they are snug and comfortable.
   • If the skates wobble or shift on your feet, they are too loose. If they feel stiff or restrict your circulation, they are too tight.
   • Make sure your skates are the right size. Most skates are the same size as sneakers and other types of shoes.
3. Stand up. Use a stationary object nearby, such as a wall or chair, to help you get up. If there's nothing around to hold on to, pull one foot up under you and place both hands on the floor in front of you. Stand on your feet one by one and make sure you don't lose your balance.
   • Be careful not to let your feet roll out from under you.
   • Practice standing on grass or carpet before making the jump to concrete. The soft surface will stabilize the skating.
4. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Once you are in an upright position, adopt a position similar to how you normally stand. Stay straight on the wheels and don't let your ankles lean in or out. Your toes should be straight ahead - if they slide in or out while you are skating, your legs will move that way too and you will fall.
   • Successfully balancing on skates is all about constantly making small adjustments with your feet and ankles to stay balanced on the wheels.
   • Constantly pay attention to where your feet are at any given time. Remember to go in the direction your skates are pointing.
5. Practice leaning, turning, and squatting. This will help you get used to the types of movements you will be using to turn and generate speed. Bend your knees slightly and keep your hips and ankles nice and loose. Once you've mastered a few basic leg movements, you can try lifting one foot at a time and balance on a roller skate.
   • While skating, keep your center of gravity slightly lower than when walking around normally.

Part 2 of 3: Getting moving

1. Go to the sidewalk. When you feel confident, find a flat surface where you have plenty of room to move. Paved surfaces are ideal for skating as they allow the wheels to roll smoothly. If possible, stay close to a wall or railing that you can hold onto to keep your balance.
   • Sidewalks, parking lots and garages are all good places to learn the basics of inline skating.
   • Make sure there are no pedestrians, cars or other people nearby when you make your first attempts.
2. Start walking slowly. Pick up one foot and place it in front of the other foot. Then repeat this with the other foot. Take baby steps first and avoid too much weight on each foot until it is directly below you. From here you can work towards the skating itself.
   • Challenge yourself to walk a short distance from one point to another without falling.
3. Make your steps a smooth stroke. Place one foot in front of the other, but now so that you do not drop the foot straight down, but push it forward and to the side. Shift your weight over your leg to start rolling. Lift your skates just enough to put them down for the next stroke, and let your impulse bring you forward.
   • It can help to turn your back skate at an angle to give you something to push against.
   • By the time you get the hang of rolling, you should barely have to pick up your feet.
4. Use your upper body to maintain your balance. For the first few steps, keep your arms at your sides and make small adjustments if you feel yourself tilting. Once the balance is no longer in question, you can bring them closer to your side. When skating at full speed, you swing them in an alternating rhythm with the movement of your feet, similar to excessive running.
   • Don't raise your arms higher than your head and don't let them cross in front of your body.
5. Make speed. To speed up on skating, just do the same thing you did, only faster. Lean your torso forward, bend your knees and pump your legs back and forth as you skate. Don't forget to keep your skates in a light "V" shape.
   • Don't go faster than you can currently handle. Remember that it gets harder to control your movements the faster you go.
   • You can also play with changing the length of each step. Some skaters skate in long, smooth leg strokes, while others prefer a lot of short, fast strokes to build speed.
6. Progress at your own pace. Think about your own safety and that of others by not pushing too hard. Take it easy until you get a feel for the movement. Every time you will notice that you are getting more and more used to skating.
   • During your workout, focus on a single skill or technique. For example, you can practice starting and stopping during one session and work on turning during the next session.
   • Try to exercise a little bit every day, even if only for a few minutes.
7. Learn how to fall correctly. As soon as you feel you lose your balance, lean to the side a bit and gradually lower your body, keeping your head off the ground. That way, your butt and thighs will absorb most of the blow. Avoid falling straight forwards or backwards as this can be a nasty blow.
   • You won't always see a trap coming, so it's best to be prepared to respond quickly.
   • When you first learn to skate, expect to fall. Very often. If it happens a few times, you will eventually become less afraid of it and you can focus on improving your skills and having fun.
   • Never try to catch yourself with your arms. There are many small bones in your arms that break easily if you happen to land wrong.

Part 3 of 3: Run and stop

1. Use your body to direct. Start by skating at a safe speed and place your feet next to each other. Shift your weight over the right edge of both skates to bend to the right, bending your ankles. To make a left turn, lean to the left. The circular force created by rolling on the edge of the skates will allow you to change direction with ease.
   • This technique is called an "A-frame turn," and it is the most common steering method for skaters.
   • Practice wide, gentle turns in the beginning and tighten them up if you can make the movement easier.
2. As a beginner, lift your feet while spinning. If you find it difficult to change direction, you can help yourself a little by turning the skate that is on the side you want to go and deflect your other skate to follow suit. This can feel a bit clunky at first, but it's a good way to work on smoother high-speed turns when you're just starting to skate.
   • Lift your rear wheels to turn, not your front wheels. That way you can more easily maintain your balance.
   • If you can turn without problems, start adjusting the movement to transfer your momentum into an "A-frame turn."
3. Learn the crossover scooter for sharp turns. Lift up one skate and place it just in front of the other on the other side. Pick up the rear skate and reposition it in the direction you want to go, then drop off with the other skate. Repeat this movement until you've made the entire turn.
   • Overlapping feet make it possible to take sharp turns and corners quickly.
   • Don't let your skates run into each other. Because your feet are briefly crossed, it can be easy to trip over your own legs if you're not careful.
4. Practice the basic heel stop. When it's time to slow down, bring your legs together first and spread them out a bit for more stability. Bend your knees and push the brake skate forward and tilt it back so that the brake scrapes against the ground. Allow yourself to gradually come to a stop - if you push down too much, you can lose control.
   • On most skates, the brake will take the form of a small plastic pin on the back of the shoe.
   • Some pairs of skates have a single brake, usually on the right heel. Others may have brakes on both heels. Skates designed for extreme sports often have no brakes at all.
5. Work towards the "hockey stop". The hockey stop is a faster, more agile stopping method used by many advanced skaters. To do it, plant one foot perpendicular to your body. Bring the other foot around and turn it so that it is parallel to your back foot. The rapid change of direction allows you to come to a stop almost immediately.
   • Most of your weight should be on your front foot, with your upper body leaning back, to avoid leaning forward.
   • Both movements must be performed quickly in order to work. Otherwise, you're just going to spin.
   • The hockey stop is a high level skating technique. You should be proficient in sliding, maneuvering, and heel braking before you try to learn it.

Tips

• Keep practicing. Skating may seem difficult at first, but with a little dedication, it will become second nature in no time.
• Rollerblading is a great exercise. Your whole body is turned on, similar to running, but puts a lot less pressure on the knees and other joints.
• Before hitting the streets, take a moment to warm up and stretch to improve your mobility.
• Wearing long sleeves can prevent you from running too fast if you start spilling unexpectedly.
• Skating is an activity that everyone can enjoy. If you can walk, you can skate.

Warnings

• Don't skate in the dark. Not only does this make it harder for you to see, it also makes you less visible to drivers, pedestrians and other people you meet on the road.

Necessities

• Skates
• Helmet
• Knee and elbow pads
• Wrist guards
• Soft surface to start on
• Safe place to practice
• Something to hold on to / balance (for beginners)