Mastering inline skating techniques isn’t hard after all. However, you still need to pay a small price. That being said, you need to have some decent pair of rollerblades and a passion for getting started. Also, you need to commit to the course and spare some time in your schedule.
Eventually, transitioning to a master inline skater boils down to your hard work. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. What do you mean by hard work, you ask? Below is a quick rundown of everything you need to do when learning how to get really good rollerblading.
At a Glance: How to Get Better at Rollerblading (Inline Skating Tips)
- Practice balance exercises,
- Have fun practicing when practicing,
- Master the correct skating body position,
- Check instructional video Tutorials on YouTube,
- Get into rollerblading related sports like Hockey,
- Practice rollerblading techniques more often,
- Have self-confidence,
- Stay safe by wearing protective gear,
- Find skating groups near you and join, and
- Keep falling and never give up, and
- Enroll in online rollerblading classes.
I’ve put together this write-up from personal experience and after consulting with pro skaters all over the world. I have attached some of the chats I had with amazing inline skaters from an international Facebook group for rollerblades. I hope you’ll find this guide helpful.
So, let’s get to it!
1. Practice Balance Exercises
Body balance is important for successful rollerblading. Therefore, mastering your balance should be on top of your ‘to achieve’ rollerblading list. The good news is that you can engage in several exercises to get better at body balance.
According to professional inline skaters, slack, single-leg dry land exercises, Bosu, and balance board are some of the cool exercises for achieving body balance. When you master these, you’ll be able to control your inside and outside edges and improve overall stability on skates.
2. Have Fun Practicing When Practicing
Have fun! There’s really no other secret to flattening your learning curve, other than having fun while rollerblading. Skating can sometimes be frustrating for beginners, especially when you can’t find your balance. If you add few injuries to this, one can easily quit.
However, when you’re having fun, this is quite avoidable. So, how do I have fun while practicing? You could be wondering. Every time you go skating, plug in your headset and listen to some of your favorite jams. This keeps you motivated and glued to skating.
3. Master the Right Skating Body Position
The correct skating body position is vital for learning how to be good at rollerblading. Master this, and you’ll significantly flatten your learning curve.
The right skating position involves; knees slightly bent and over your toes. Then your shoulders should be above your hips as you scissor in your skates.
Always stay low by bending to lower your center of gravity and to gain more stability while in your rollerblades. This can be really hard for beginners, but it should feel pretty simple with regular practice and persistence.
4. Check Instructional Video Tutorials on YouTube
Today, there’s plenty of information you can access online. Thanks to the internet, there’s a plethora of video tutorials you can find on YouTube. All you need is an internet connection and at least a smartphone.
Next, search ay rollerblading technique you want to learn, then follow the step-by-step guidelines as directed by the trainer. The best part is, some of these trainers have paid courses but still offer to provide some of the information free on YouTube.
You can learn drills like; turns, stops, one-foot stride, and right body position from these tutorials. The best part is, it’s all free! Some amazing channels to subscribe to include; Bill Stoppard and Skatefresh.
5. Get into Rollerblading Related Sports Like Hockey
There are several rollerblading-related sports such as inline Hockey, basketball, soccer, or speed skating. These sports are comprehensive and demanding in terms of the skills required for maneuverability. Therefore, if you want to master these rollerblading tricks quickly, the best place to learn them would be through a sport.
Some skills you should expect to learn include mastering body balance and quick response to situations. If you’re to learn these skills elsewhere, it will take you longer. However, in a sports arena, mastering them is pretty fast as you need them for survival.
6. Practice Rollerblading Techniques More Often
To get better quickly calls for a lot of sacrifices. Therefore, you need to welcome the idea of practicing more often. All you need to do is put on your rollerblades whenever you’re free. Get used to staying in your skating shoes and move around the house.
However, it would help if you were careful not to knock down fragile things. You can also skate in your compound and your neighborhood trails. The secret is to keep on practicing. If you can practice rollerblading for at least 30 minutes a day, you’ll quickly transition to a star.
7. Have Self-Confidence
It’s ok to be scary. However, it would be best if you never let fear stop you. What am I getting at? You could be wondering. See, confidence is everything when learning how to rollerblade like a pro. From putting on your rollerblades to standing on them and making a step, self-confidence is vital.
Without the confidence, you’ll quickly lose interest and probably get rid of your rollerblades. But you haven’t come this far to give up. Therefore, you need to work on your self-confidence and believe you can rollerblade like a pro.
You’re going to fall so many times than you can imagine. However, when you’re confident enough, you won’t let this stop you. So, walk shoulder high and let the world see you’re the pro before you become the pro. Wouldn’t that be amazing?
8. Stay Safe by Wearing Protective Gear
Wearing protective gear shouldn’t be negotiable. Remember, as you’re having fun, you need to be responsible enough by protecting yourself. Injuries and other accidents can set in at any time. That’s why you need to ensure you’re adequately protected.
The basic protective gear comprises a head helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, and wrist guards. This is all you need to get started. As you try out new inline skating drills for beginners, you can fall, especially when you aren’t quite familiar with them.
When putting the right gear, you reduce the chances of picking injuries. Meaning you can always come back to practice and learn how to become good at rollerblading. If you’re wondering where to practice rollerblading as a beginner, a skate park or neighborhood trails will suffice.
9. Find Skating Groups near You and Join
Skating as a loner isn’t helpful in the long run. As they say goes, if you want to go fast, go alone and if you want to go far, go with others. This doesn’t exempt rollerblading. It’s more fun and fulfilling to skate with like-minded people.
Besides, this is a good way of learning from the more experienced skaters in the group and everyone else. Moreover, you’ll stay motivated all day long, knowing you have a group of skaters you can call family.
Therefore, if you’re not the type that loves groupings, you may have to come out of the comfort zone. Nonetheless, it doesn’t have to be a big group. A team of 2-5 skaters would be of great help. To get started, you can locate skate parks near you and get to interact with fellow skaters.
10. Keep Falling and Never Give Up
Persistence is the key in everything and life. Giving up is never an option. It’s not going to be easy, but you have to keep going. Fall as many times as possible. The quicker you fall, the sooner you learn.
Think about it! If you’re trying to avoid falling, it’s going to take you longer to learn an inline skating technique. The trick is to be ready to make as many mistakes as possible and learning from them. So, if it means falling, do it and never give up, no matter the challenges.
11. Enroll in Online Rollerblading Classes
The above tips are mostly DIY tricks. Nevertheless, you can also try online training. Some of these are free, while others are paid. Learning directly from experts is a good idea, and it can make the difference between an amateur and struggling skater and an experienced and well-trained skater.
A simple online search like rollerblading trainer near me should help get you started. However, you need to go this route if you’ve got some money to invest in a course. You can also check out Asha of Skate fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is it hard to learn how do you Rollerblade?
Learning how to rollerblade is all easy. However, it would be best to have passion, self-confidence, and the right mindset, work hard at getting better and skate with other skaters. Most importantly, it would help if you had fun when rollerblading since it’s the sure-fire way for remaining charged throughout the skating session.
2. How do you Rollerblade fast?
According to Gypsy, an inline skater and trainer, to go fast when rollerblading, push out your foot to the sides, make a circle and bring back the foot. Alternate your feet for an even distribution of body weight. Second, your arm swings should be simple. Swing them up and down while alternating without using much energy.
3. How can I improve my rollerblading?
You can improve your rollerblading skills by regularly working on rollerblading techniques such as how to stop, how to go fast, and how to balance on inline skates. Besides, you need to be passionate about skating and keep yourself motivated to keep going every day.
How to Get Better At Rollerblading: Final Thoughts
If you’ve been wondering how to get better at rollerblading, I bet you’ve got all the answers. The best part is that these tips are tested and tried by some of the amazing inline skaters worldwide. Therefore, you can rest easy knowing the tips work like a charm.
Besides, the urge to become a pro skater is irresistible. And it’s the wish of every beginner skater to perform those cool rollerblading tricks. However, to master these inline skating techniques, here’s a quick summary of what you need to do;
- Practice balance exercises,
- Have fun practicing when practicing,
- Master the right skating body position,
- Check instructional video Tutorials on YouTube,
- Get into rollerblading related sports like Hockey,
- Practice rollerblading techniques more often,
- Have self-confidence,
- Stay safe by wearing protective gear,
- Find skating groups near you and join,
- Keep falling and never give up, and
- Enroll in online rollerblading classes.
How to Get Better at Rollerblading: Chat with Amazing Inline Skaters like You
Hey, so I asked this question ‘how to get better at rollerblading’ in different rollerblading Facebook groups. Guess what? The response was amazing and overwhelming. Please take a look at how it went down!
So, I hope you find this helpful and keep skating!
