Can rollerblading help my figure skating? There’s a lot of correlation between figure skating and rollerblading, aka inline skating. While rollerblading is done on dry land, figure skating is done on icy surfaces. So, after research, I’ve put together this post to answer the question.
Can rollerblading help my figure skating? Figure skating borrows a lot from rollerblading, starting with related skating techniques such as stopping, posture, turning to muscle development and endurance, body balance, speed development, health benefits like improved heart health and boosting self-confidence.
5 Ways Rollerblading Can Help Figure Skating
In the rest of this post, we’ll dive deeper into how rollerblading can help your figure skating. We’ll also look at more tips for getting better at figure skating. I’m sure you don’t want to miss out on these invaluable tips. So, let’s get to it!
1. Related Rollerblading vs. Figure Skating Skills and Techniques
Inline skating is the broad category name for all inline skating sports. Rollerblade or Rollerblading is the brand name of an inline skates company that popularized the sport back in the 90s. Figure skating, also known as ice skating, is one of the disciplines of inline skating.
Because of this, there are many techniques one can draw from inline skating to improve their figure skating (ice-skating) skills. Below we’ll look at the most common skills that cut across rollerblading and figure skating.
Stopping on Rollerblades vs. Figure Skates
There are several ways to stop rollerblades, whether skating downhill, uphill, or on flat terrain. However, the obvious one is the heel brake technique. Unfortunately, figure skates don’t come with an inbuilt rubber braking system, so it’s impossible to apply this technique.
Nonetheless, other stopping techniques like a snowplow, fish braking, Power slide, Parallel slide, Magic slide, Soul slide, and T-stop come in handy. These stopping techniques apply both in rollerblading and figure skating.
Therefore, it’s possible to put on your rollerblades occasionally and learn these stopping techniques. It goes a long way than sitting and doing nothing. Besides, learning them on rollerblades is fun and opens your world to limitless growth.
Here’s a comprehensive post I did on How to stop when rollerblading. You can check it out to discover how the different stops work.
Rollerblading vs. Figure Skating Posture
Rollerblading and figure skating employ the same skating posture. The recommended posture involves bending your feet near 90 degrees angle with knees over your toes and shoulders over the hips.
This technique helps to distribute your weight to your toe balls and gives stability to skates. Therefore, it’s possible to streamline your figure skating posture on rollerblades whenever you’re not in your figure skates.
Turning on Rollerblades vs. Figure Skates
Turning on rollerblades is the same as on figure skates. The two-sport disciplines use turning techniques such as parallel turns, cross-overs, 360 degrees rotation turns, and 180 degrees rotation turns when switching from forward skating to back skating.
Most importantly, the techniques are similar in every way, so it doesn’t matter where you’re practicing them—whether on inline skates or figure skates.
More reading: How to Get Better at Rollerblading | 10 Sure-fire tips
2. Muscle Development and Endurance
Rollerblading works all body muscles, especially the lower body part, because of the bending posture. The main muscles found around this area include the core, gluteus, hamstrings, adductors, and quadriceps. Figure skating uses the same muscles because of the related figure skating and rollerblading position.
Muscles development is important for many reasons. One, stronger muscles enable proper body control and agility. And two, the muscles hold together the skeletal system and give the body complete coordination.
Figure skating is a stylistic and artistic discipline of inline skating. Therefore, one needs stronger and well-coordinated body muscles to make creative moves. The truth is, you can build these muscles on your Figure skates.
However, you become better at Figure skating if you can practice outside your Figure skates. In addition, rollerblading helps with muscles endurance which is vital in Figure skating. There’s no way you can go wrong when you include rollerblading into your training regime.
3. Speed Development
Figure skates are built with a metallic blade that cuts through the ice to give more speed. Because of this, the average speed when Figure skating is between 20 mph-30mph. This is higher than rollerblading, whose average speed is between 8 mph-16 mph.
Nonetheless, rollerblading is relatively fast and comes in handy when building more strength, speed, and endurance. Therefore, there’s no doubt you’ll see a significant improvement in your Figure skating speed by trying out rollerblading once in a while on hilly terrains.
4. Health Benefits
There are numerous health benefits from rollerblading or inline skating in general that Figure skating can benefit from. Remember, as an athlete, your body needs to be in perfect shape for an elite level of performance.
You need a healthy heart, a fit body, improved lung function, and the list goes on. The good news is, you can get all these from rollerblading. Below is a quick rundown of all the benefits of rollerblading.
- Good exercise for weight loss
- Muscle development around the core, gluteus, hips, and legs
- Improve body balance
- Boosts cardiovascular system
- Help keep diabetes at bay
- Tones limbs (arms and legs)
- Boosts the production of the feel-good hormone
- Keep joints strong and healthy
- Helps with body coordination
- Boosts self-esteem and confidence
Ideally, these are the same benefits you get from Figure skating or Ice skating. But think about it! If you’re also engaging in rollerblading and getting these health benefits, don’t you think you’ll be better than the average Figure Skater?
5. Builds and Boosts Self-Confidence
Being on inline skates takes a lot of courage. Going to the skatepark or rollerblading rinks or skating on the roads takes even more courage. Therefore, skating more often will build and boost your self-confidence and esteem.
More often, rollerblading is done in the company of other skaters, not unless one is a loner. Skating in the company of diverse skaters helps to boost and build confidence as you take on new rollerblading tricks. So, the more you do it, the better you become.
The best part is, you can take this self-confidence to your ice skating rink. Figure skating is artistic, so one requires a lot of confidence to pull out unique styles. Without confidence, it becomes a hard nut to crack.
As a Figure skater, rollerblading can give you the little push, you need to get to elite performance if you’re struggling with confidence issues.
More reading: Where to go Rollerblading | 9 Amazing Places for Inline Skating
Excellent Tips for Getting Better at Figure Skating
Can rollerblading help my Figure skating? The answer is straight yes like we’ve already seen. So, there’s no doubt engaging in rollerblading occasionally can give you the little push you need to get to elite performance.
Now that is settled, what are other ways to get better at Figure skating? You could be wondering, especially when you’re new to the sport. Below, we’ll look at the ways you can take your Figure skating a notch.
The very first tip is to be patient with yourself. Good things take time, and so does Figure skating. If you want to get better, you got to take things one step at a time. Learn new techniques occasionally but only move to the next one after mastering the previous one.
It may take you longer than usual; however, this doesn’t mean you throw in the towel because things aren’t working for you. The secret recipe is to keep going no matter what.
Second, self-confidence goes a long way. By all means, you have to believe in yourself because nobody is going to do it on your behalf.
Third, practice more often. The sure-fire way to get better is by constantly practicing new drills, new styles, and new techniques. You don’t have to be comfortable with a few techniques when you can always go for more.
Therefore, if you have the time, practice for at least 6 hours when you hit the Figure skating rink. Also, you should make your practice sessions regular instead of random. This is the only way to getting better quickly.
Wrapping Up | Can Rollerblading Help My Figure Skating?
Can rollerblading help my Figure skating? I believe we’ve looked at this topic comprehensively and that I’ve managed to answer your most burning question. It is true rollerblading can help you get better at Figure skating because they’re related sport disciplines.
Figure skating borrows a lot from rollerblading, starting with related skating techniques such as stopping, posture, turning to muscle development and endurance, body balance, speed development, health benefits like improved heart health and boosting self-confidence.
I hope you found this helpful. When all is said and done, keep practicing and never give up. You can do this. Cheers!
More reading: Is Roller Skating Harder than Rollerblading? (The Ultimate Revelation)
