In-Line Skating
In-Line Skating
| Peak Points * Keep your torso muscles strong for better balance. * Focus on strengthening leg muscles— especially the inner thigh and quadriceps. * Build your heart and lung power for better skating stamina. |
Remember the roller rink of your junior-high days? You strapped on the old four-wheel skates and slid onto the circular concrete plateau, staggering and swaying like a fast-moving drunk. Your mind wasn''t on having fun; it was on how not to take a spill and wake up sore the next day.
The same principle applies to rollerskating''s newest incarnation, in-line skating. Skates have gotten lighter, faster and more aerodynamic. It''s not likely we can say the same about you, particularly compared with when you were 12. Sure, skating itself will help you develop the muscles and skills you need to improve. But to become a good skater fast, you need to get your body prepared.
Studies show that an in-line skating workout burns about 550 calories per hour—more if you are going uphill. That''s a lot of calories, making in-line skating intensely aerobic. To handle the exertion, you''ll need a strong heart and a large lung capacity.
It also means needing solid inner-thigh and groin muscles for the constant side-to-side motion of skating. That means having good calf and lower-leg power for all the curb-hopping, manhole-dodging, pedestrian-swerving acrobatics you''ll be doing. Finally, it means having firm abdominals and a good lower back to help you maintain the proper skating position.
The Core Routine on page 121 is sufficient to prepare you for some of the rigors of life on a roll. But if you want to achieve the kind of grace and power you''ve envied in the hot dogs who burn by you in the park every weekend, you''ll need to add a powerful lot of aerobic exercise to your workout schedule, says Joel Rappelfeld, in-line skating instructor from New York City and author of The Complete Blader.
More than that, he says you''ll need to target the torso and leg muscles that will not only keep you moving forward fast but that will also help keep you on balance.
A Rolling Resistance Regimen
Although the best way to be a better skater is—what a surprise—to skate as much as possible, you can also improve your skating form by doing regular off-wheel stretching and resistance training.
"You don''t have to be muscle-bound to be a good skater," says Rappelfeld. "But you have to work on the muscles that are going to propel you and help you to control your motion while you''re moving." The flipside to strength building, though, is flex building. "Being able to relax your muscles and being flexible are absolutely key for good skating. If you''re tight while you''re skating, you''ll pull a muscle or fall or both," says Rappelfeld.
Here are some basic lifts—make them part of your regular workout, which means doing them at least three times a week, says Rappelfeld. We''ve also included some stretches, which you should also do three times a week and just before you go skating.
Inner-Thigh Lifts
This lift, with or without ankle weights, helps work the muscles that keep your legs parallel while you skate.
Lie on your left side, left leg straight, right leg bent, foot in front of your left leg, flat on the ground. The side of your left foot should be facing the sky.
Now lift your left leg straight up, about eight to ten inches off the ground. Hold for a count of two, then lower. Keep your left foot flexed as you lift. Do 8 to 15 reps, then switch sides.
Leg Extensions (with Skates and Weights)
These are like leg extensions you''ve probably done in the gym, only this time you''re doing them with the weight of your skates as resistance. "Working out with the equipment on will get you used to the feel of it. The more comfortable you are, the better you''ll skate," says Rappelfeld. For added resistance, add ankle weights.
Sit on the edge of a chair or bench, with your legs bent and hanging down freely. Place a pillow or towel under your right knee to raise it slightly and absorb pressure.
Slowly lift your right leg, straightening it as you lift, but not quite as far as a fully locked knee position. Do 8 to 15 reps, then switch legs.
Blading Basics At last count, roughly ten million American men were strapping on skates and taking them for a spin—chances are you were one of them. But whether you were renting them for an afternoon or shelling out over 200 bucks for your very own pair, you may not have taken the time to get proper instruction. "Most guys just go out there and roll around, trying to teach themselves. This is how you get injured or develop bad habits," says Joel Rappelfeld, in-line skating instructor from New York City and author of The Complete Blader. If you''re strapping on blades for the first time, the smart thing to do is to get a lesson. Your local skate shop should have a listing of upcoming lessons and workshops. Pick ones led by instructors who are accredited by the International In-Line Skating Association, he says. And lesson or no, he cautions that you shouldn''t skate one step without proper protection—helmets, knee and elbow pads and wrist protectors. Meanwhile, here are a few basic tips to keep you looking dignified from the first time you strap on the skates. Take a fall. Like martial arts, in-line skating is predicated on the notion that sooner or later you''re going to end up on your hinder. Trust us, it will happen. So practice taking a plunge. "Ideally, try to fall forward—falling backward can really do a number on your spine. And the more you fall, the more confident you''ll be as a skater because you''ll see that the safety equipment really does work," says Rappelfeld. Get on your knees. Of course, one way to limit the number of times you let gravity have its way with you is to stay in your most stable position. "When you''re on skates, that means leaning forward with your hands on your knees," says Rappelfeld. If you feel like you''re about to fall, the hands-to-knees position will stabilize you. Know when to stop. More important, know how to stop. "Practice with that brake—it''s usually on the back of the right boot," says Rappelfeld. Start with your feet parallel, then roll your braking foot forward while bending your non-braking leg. Lift the toe of the braking foot and force the brake down by extending your braking leg further in front of you. Note that some skates are coming equipped with a new braking system that doesn''t require lifting the toe; be sure to know what type you have before going down a hill. Rock and roll. The easiest way to start rolling from a standing stop is with your feet parallel. "Then, start walking like Frankenstein," says Rappelfeld. Rock back and forth from side to side, shifting your weight from your left leg to your right. "Point your toes out, and you''ll start moving." Then put your feet in a parallel position to roll, he says. |
Warm Up
The key to being a skater par excellence is to be loose and flexible, ready to react to anything that may cross your path, says Rappelfeld. Since your legs will be doing most of the work, be sure to pay special attention to them with hamstring and thigh stretches as well as lunges for the inner thighs. Finally, since groin pulls are a real danger with skaters, be sure to do butterfly stretches or other similar groin stretches.
Abdominal Exercises
As you''ve probably figured out by now, your abdominal and oblique muscles are your power base for just about every sport you enjoy—skating is no different. "They help you turn, they help you push off when you skate, and they help center you," says Rappelfeld. Keep doing those crunches, and for the obliques, be sure to throw in some crunches with twists.
How to Have a Stroke The most important move to learn in skating is proper stroking, says Joel Rappelfeld, in-line skating instructor from New York City and author of The Complete Blader. It''s the move that gets you gliding across the asphalt. Here''s how to do it.     Turn your right foot to a 45-degree angle. Now push directly out to the side with your right foot. As you push, shift your weight to the left foot. Lean in the direction you''re moving. After you''ve pushed off, bring your right foot back up so that it''s rolling parallel with your left foot. Repeat the push-off with your left foot . |
Slide Aerobics
To improve your cardiovascular fitness and your skating muscles at the same time, try to do at least a half-hour once a week of slide aerobics—where you slide back and forth on a vinyl sheet, replicating the swaying motion used in skating. "It''s one of the best workouts around because it so closely mimics skating—you use the same muscles, too," says Robert King, fitness trainer at the Vail Athletic Club in Colorado.
Most health clubs sponsor at least one slide aerobics class a week. Or you can buy your own slide for anywhere between $25 and $70 and do the workout at home.
The Next Level
At first, skating is going to be a trial-and-error proposition for you. But as you get more comfortable in your skates, you''re going to want to up the ante a little bit. "The better you get at skating, the less of a workout it becomes. So you constantly have to challenge yourself to do better, harder things," says King. Here are some tips for you high rollers out there.
A
B
C
D
Sculling
For novices and advanced players, sculling is a universally great exercise. Not only does it allow you to practice and improve your control on wheels but it''s also a good inner- and outer-thigh muscle exercise for all skaters. Here''s how to do it.
A Stand upright, heels together, knees slightly bent, feet at about a 45-degree angle.
B Using the inner edges of your skates, let both skates roll out away from each other, until your feet are just beyond shoulder-width apart. You should start to roll.
C As you roll forward, pivot both heels and point your toes in.
D Slowly start to pull your feet together until they''re almost together.
Pivot your heels and point your toes out and begin the outward motion again.
Note: The wheels of your skates should never leave the ground.
Skate Keys Remember these key points when you''re skating, suggests Joel Rappelfeld, in-line skating instructor from New York City and author of The Complete Blader. * Always wear safety gear—including helmet, elbow and knee pads and wrist guards. * Skate on the right, pass on the left. * Avoid heavy traffic. * Be alert for road hazards like car doors flying open in front of you as well as cars pulling out of parking spots, driveways or intersections. * Avoid water, oil and sand. * Don''t wear headphones. * Yield to pedestrians. You never know when you might be one yourself. * Don''t forget to have a good time. |
Foot Drills
First-time and self-taught skaters often develop the bad habit of skating with their feet shoulder-width apart or wider. "That''s okay if you''re a beginner, but as you get better, you should wean yourself off of a wide stance," says Rappelfeld. It only tires out your hips and thighs.
The key to getting better is to get your feet together, says Rappelfeld. "The wider apart your feet are, the less power you''ll have in every stride you take," he says. To practice closing the gap between your skates, consciously bring your feet together about every third stroke and coast that way for a moment. "Gradually reduce the interval from three strokes to two, then to one. Pretty soon you''ll have your feet closer together without even realizing it," says Rappelfeld.
Stride Drills
As you get more confident and want to take things faster, remember this: The longer the stride, the further the glide.
"Bring your body position lower, bend your knees more, and your strokes will become longer. Just imagine the body position of a speed ice skater," says Rappelfeld.
Uphill Drills
As you get better on your skates, the benefit you''ll get from skating will start to level off. The instinctive answer is to speed up your skating, but that could expose you to more danger and not increase your workout by all that much, says King. So instead, skate uphill. Do this as a drill exercise, like the skating equivalent of running stadium stairs. "Power up the hill, then walk back down on the grass as a rest between each drill," says King. Do five to ten drills each time you go skating. You''ll notice big increases in your speed and power when you''re back on level ground.
Pole Drills
To get your upper body into the workout, break out the ski poles and use them. This is not a crutch for novices, either. "Sure, they can help the beginner keep his balance. But they''re also great on hilly terrain, and they get your upper body into the workout," says King. As King explains, planting poles and pushing off with them can burn more calories than skating alone. For safety''s sake, use blunted poles specifically designed for non-snow use, such as Exerstriders. Or cap your pole points with styrofoam or cork, or use special caps available where blading accessories are sold.
