Rolling on skates requires coordination and a good sense of balance. These two factors don’t come naturally. You need to work on them to acquire them and have fun on your rollers.
In our article, you’ll find out the basics, how to get started, where to train and, above all, how to avoid injury during the exercises. By applying our advice, you’ll quickly learn the moves you need to perform.
At what age should I start rollerblading?
Roller skates are difficult to master and appear to be a dangerous accessory. Many parents are reluctant to introduce their children to these games for fear of injury. But rollerblading has many benefits. It’s a great balance and motor skills exercise. That’s why you can teach it to your little ones from the age of 3 or 4.
However, there is no real recommendation on this subject. You can start learning much later, depending on your little one’s enthusiasm. Before you start, you should also take into account your little one’s sense of balance. If he can’t stand on his feet, it’s not the right time.
Before putting on roller skates, test your child‘s dexterity. Here are a few exercises that may help:
- Ask your child to stand on one foot for about 30 seconds.
- Have him squat down with his feet flat and ask him to stand up without taking his feet off the ground.
- Play passe-passe with your little one. See if he can throw a ball correctly.
- Jumping can also determine whether your child has good balance. Observe how he lands. If his legs don’t go all over the place and he doesn’t fall, he’s got it.
Choosing the right pair of roller skates for beginners
To quickly learn to stand up, move forward and stop on rollerblades, you need the right pair. Choosing the right pair of rollers is crucial to success. Beginners need to feel perfectly at ease in their shoes, so they can concentrate on learning.
There are two categories of skates on the market:
- Quads: these are models with four wheels positioned in parallel. They are ideal for working on balance. What’s more, it’s easier to stop with this equipment on your feet.
- In-line rollers: as the name suggests, the wheels are positioned in a straight line. This is appreciated for the safety it brings. Thanks to the protruding wheels at the front and rear, the risk of falling is limited.
Now it’s up to you to make your choice according to what you think is best for your little one. However, you can also ask your child’s opinion if he or she has any preferences.
Nevertheless, there are a few points to check to guarantee comfort of use:
- The type of tightening: prefer micrometric buckles for their precision and efficiency.
- Ankle support: this is very important, as it prevents sprains. We recommend leather or carbon models.
- Wheels: to reduce the risk of accidents to your children, choose a model with rubber wheels rather than plastic ones.
- Size: if your shoe size is too big, you risk losing your balance.
Safety first
As you can see, skating presents a number of risks. Falls can be very dangerous and painful. To limit the risk of breakage, you need to put on a number of protective accessories:
- Helmet
- Elbow pads
- Knee pads
- Wrist guards
- Gloves
To fit all this equipment, proceed in the right order to avoid wasting time. Start with the helmet, then elbow pads, wrist guards and knee pads. Finish with rollerblades and gloves.
To ensure the safest possible riding experience, you also need to know how to put on your skates properly. To do this, loosen all clamps before inserting your feet. This will prevent damage to the protective foam in the shoes. Then tie the laces tightly around your feet. Tie the knots securely and wedge them under the first strap. This will ensure that the laces don’t get in the way by sticking out in all directions.
For greater stability, especially for beginners, tighten the top strap, leaving a two-notch gap for better articulation and control .
Choosing the right place to practice
The first thing to remember when starting out on rollerblades is to find your balance. That’s why it’s advisable to choose places that facilitate the various maneuvers you need to perform. To avoid frequent falls, we advise you to avoid slopes. It’s very difficult to brake on this type of terrain.
Contrary to popular opinion, asphalt is not a good surface on which to start. To keep your skates under control, we also recommend avoiding surfaces that are too smooth. On these, the wheels are less controllable, as they encounter no obstacles.
The best place to take your first steps is on grass. Quite simply, because grass slows down the speed of the wheels, enabling you to maintain better balance. What’s more, in the event of a fall, pain is limited. Beginners will gain in self-confidence and, above all, won’t be afraid of falling.
Alternatively, you can practice on soft ground. Rough terrain can accelerate wheel rotation, making it harder to maintain balance.
Learning to balance
After putting on your rollerblades on a grassy surface, try to stand up. To do this, get down on all fours and support yourself on one knee. Then stand up gradually, trying not to make any sudden movements. To keep your balance during this maneuver, keep your torso bent forward.
First of all, balance is all about tightness. If your laces and straps are too loose, you’ll tend to fall easily, as you won’t have any support. Avoid over-tightening, however, so as to obtain a certain freedom of movement and be able to flex without losing stability.
Next, avoid looking down at the ground. Instead, visualize the goal in front of you. Otherwise, you’ll automatically lean forward and fall accordingly.
Now that you’re on your feet, position them parallel to your shoulders. Squat down slightly until your pelvis is a little lower and facing the ground. As for your torso, tilt it gently forward. This posture will prevent you from falling instantly.
How to move forward and steer on rollerskates
First of all, you have to accept the idea of falling. Falling is an inevitable part of learning. It also helps you learn what’s wrong with your position and how to hold on to your skates.
To move forward, point your feet outwards and bring your heels together as much as possible. Walk like a duck, placing one foot in front of the other while keeping your posture bent. Once you’ve mastered this movement, try taking longer strides while exerting greater force on the skates.
To reach a longer distance, push off with one foot, keeping it above the ground, and roll on the other. When you stop moving forward, alternate. You can alternate much earlier to gain speed.
To get more momentum, you need to lean forward as much as possible. Stay crouched so you don’t lose your stability.
To steer yourself, the exercise is to turn around in the basic position, i.e. knees bent and torso forward. Open the left foot and close with the right to move to the left. Open the right foot and close with the left to move to the right. Keep your hands on your knees for stability. To practice rolling, try these movements again, turning around the same point.
Once you’ve assimilated this lesson, do zigzag exercises over short distances, then over longer distances. Then try turning in circles.
Braking and falling
There are two options for braking on rollerblades. The first is to use the pad on the back of the skates. To do this, after you’ve gained momentum, squat down a little, holding your knees, shift one of your feet and lift the toes upwards, pressing hard on the heel.
The second alternative is snowplough braking. Open your feet, then close them by crossing your knees and bringing them face to face. Press hard on the heels to stop. Make sure that the two ends of the skates do not touch. Otherwise, you’re bound to fall.
If for any reason you lose your balance, learn how to fall properly. To do this, bend the knee of your rear foot all the way to the ground. Keep your chin in the air and hold this position until you stop.
You can also fall onto your hands, taking care to rest on your protective gloves. Always keep your head up to avoid injuring your chin or face.
Letting go
It’s perfectly normal to be afraid of your children falling when you introduce them to rollerblades. However, if you protect them too much, they’ll never learn. Give them a little freedom to make their own mistakes. If they fall, all the better, because they’ll know what they did wrong and will be able to roll better the next time.
When you’re on roller skates, it’s important not to overthink things. Otherwise, you’ll lose your balance more easily. Instead, try to focus on a single point to move forward with confidence. Let go and listen to your body’s movements.
Training is the key
It takes more than just a couple of exercises to master a roller skate. You need perseverance and, above all, patience. Practice makes perfect. You need to practice as much as possible during the week. At least three days a week.
During training sessions, always do different types of exercise. That way, you’ll learn the moves at the same time, and move more easily on your rollers. Ideally, never practice alone. You’ll need the help of someone close to you in the event of a serious incident.
Fear of falling: how to manage it?
To manage the fear of falling, you need to feel confident. Helmets, elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards and gloves all help. Thanks to these accessories, falls are slowed down and pain limited.
If your little one is feeling uncomfortable and frightened, try to reassure him by taking him to a grassy area. Tell him that the grass is soft and that he won’t hurt himself if he falls.
Next, try not to focus on the ground. This is likely to increase fears. By setting a goal that lies ahead, you tend to think less about falling. Before moving forward, take a deep breath and exhale. This will help relieve the pressure.
Learn to rollerblade easily: points to remember
The most important factor in rollerblading is balance. To stabilize yourself properly during your first attempts, adopt the basic position: knees bent, feet parallel to shoulders and torso slightly bent forward.
To begin with, practice riding on grass. The grass will slow down the rotation of the wheels, giving you better balance. This will help you gain more confidence.
In terms of safety, don’t forget to wear a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards and gloves. And don’t forget to lace up your skates for better support.
If you feel you’re losing your balance, always keep your head and chin up. This will prevent you from injuring your face in the fall. Keep practicing as many times as you can to master all the basic moves before you start trying out the tricks.
Have you found our tips useful? What did you think of our roller skating lesson? How did you manage learning this sport? We invite you to comment and share your experience with us.