 |
 |
| SStep 1 The Very Basics: The first thing you need to do when learning to rollerblade is get a good fitting pair of skates. If your skates are to little, you'll be uncomfortable, and if your skates are to big your feet will slide around in them and you won't be able to keep your balance. After picking out a solid pair of skates the next thing you need to learn is balance. Start in an open carpetted area, like your living room, after putting on your skates try to stand up. You should notice right off that your ankles have a difficult time bending and that your feet are now your heaviest part of you body instead of you head. The next step is to get moving, since your on carpet you will not be able to go very far, but it is key that you learn the propelling motions on a slower surface so that you don't fall as much. Place your right foot slanted away from your body enough that when you put a lot of weight on it the skate will not go rolling forward. Next aim your left foot in the direction that you would like to go and push off with you right foot. Depending on how hard you pushed off you should only have gone about 3ft. Try this motion a couple of times until you think you have it down, then do the same with the opposite feet. Now when you push off with your right foot glide for less than a second with your left before bringing you right foot forward barely in front of your left foot. Shift the majority of your weight to your right leg and slide the front of your left foot away from your body so its pointing outward. Now all you have to do is push off with you left foot to propell yourself forward. Link these motions all together swiching feet every other time and soon you will be skating across your living room like a champ! |
| Step 2 Pavement: The second step is to get outside your living room and on to some cement. You must be a lot more careful than you were on the slower surface because the faster you go the harder you crash. Wearing helmets, elbow pads, knee pads, and wrist pads are strongly suggested. After lacing up your skates the first step on the pavement just like the carpet, is to stand up. Make sure you are on a flat surface so you do not start rolling right off the bat. Since you already know the motions needed to propell yourself forward go ahead and use the last part of step one here. When skating around watch out for little rocks that will trip you up and make you fall when one of your skates is unable to go over them. Now that your skating around slowly you need a way to stop. Most rollerblades do not have a brake, but if you do slowly shift the majority of your weight on the the brake and the friction will bring you to a nice slow stop. However if you do not have a brake don't worry, simply use the V or T methods to slow yourself down. To use the V method simply point both of your skates away from your body and squeeze your legs in and together, remember the wheel on you skates don't spin sideways so this will slow you down. The T method is the most widely used method and is easiest to keep your balance when using. To use the T method place your right foot sideways behind your left foot, forming and "T" hence the name. Shift most of you weight on you right foot and the friction will slow you down. After learning to go and stop the next step is to turn. Turning is very easy all you have to do is lean in the direction that you would like to go and depending on how much you would like to turn, also slide your feet in the direction that you want to go. |
| Step 3 Practice Practice Practice: Now that you know how to go, turn and stop, you know the very basics of skating. The only way you can get better is practice, a lot. Eventually, when you perfect the basics you can move onto the more advanced moves and if you like ramps and tricks. |