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In-line Skating
 Besides giving a great aerobic workout, in-line skating also helps you get
long and lean legs and tones your rear in no time.
In�line skating is one of the best forms of exercise for toning the muscles in
your legs and buttocks. It burns about 400 calories an hour, but is less
stressful on your joints and organs than high�impact exercises like running,
It�s a great aerobic exercise because you can get your heart rate up for a long
time. It helps tone your core body, because your abs and back are engaged even
when you�re just standing there balancing on skates.
Tips for beginners
Here are some tips on what to do, and what not to do, if you�re a novice in-line
skater. Read this before you hit the road
Start with low-grade bearing (the grade of the ball bearings inside the wheels
controls the speed of the skate). The lower the grade, the slower the skate; and
that�s good thing for beginners, Speedy, high-grade bearings are harder to
control, especially when stepping up on a kerb or going downhill. Once you get
the hang of the low-grade bearings, you can move up.
You may feel like a Robo-person with a helmet and knee, elbow, and wrist pads,
but you need all of these, you�re more likely to be aggressive and learn faster
if you have the sense of security that comes from being protected. You can pare
down a little once you�re sure-footed, but always wear a helmet. In addition to
sprains and fractures, if you don�t wear protective gear you�re also a lot more
vulnerable to scrapes, wrist, knee, or elbow dislocations, or even a serious
head injury.
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Don�t forget to stretch �both before and after a skating session.
Skating Safety Tips
Since unintentional injuries can occur to even the most experienced inline
skaters, the National Safety Council recommends these skating safety tips:
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Always wear protective equipment: elbow and knee pads, light gloves, helmets,
and wrist guards.
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Before your first time out, take an inline skating course to learn the basics.
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Choose durable skates that match your needs, whether you exercise infrequently
or race. Your plans will determine the type of skate you should buy.
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For proper ankle support, feel the plastic of the boot: if you can squeeze it,
the material is not strong enough to give you reliable support.
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 When buying skates, take socks to the store with you to ensure a proper fit, or
buy the socks there.
Begin skating with a five-minute, slow skate to warm up; you will be less likely
to tear muscles.
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Start skating gradually on level ground. Practice moving forward, and ease into
skating.
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While skating, keep knees slightly bent, which will lower your center of gravity
and keep your body balanced on the balls of your feet.
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Practice stopping by bringing the foot with the heel stop forward until the heel
stop is next to the toe of the other foot. Gently bend your front knee while
lifting your toes up. This motion will bring you to a stop. This is known as the
"heel stop." There are other stopping methods, such as T-stop and power stop, as
well as several ways to slow down, for example, snowplowing and running on the
grass.
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 Obey traffic signals, stay at the right side of the road and don't weave in and
out of lanes
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Avoid skating in crowded walkways
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Check skates regularly to make sure they are in good condition. Replace worn
wheels and the brake. Make sure the wheels are securely tightened and are not
blocked by debris or grass.
Tips while purchasing skates
Skate boots always must fit properly. Here are some tips you can use when
purchasing inline skates:
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Don't buy boots that put too much pressure on any area of your foot; the
pressure can cause blisters.
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Choose the boot size at the end of the day or after training, when feet will be
at their largest.
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When selecting the size of the boot, wear the same type of sock that will be
worn when skating.
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Kick both feet into the back of the boots before buckling and skating.
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Be certain the heel doesn't move up and down in the boot during skating.
Dated 04 October 2011
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