Have you ever sat and watched people slide down the Miami Beach Boardwalk on their ice skates? You seem to make it so easy, but is it really that easy? Is it possible to get sweaty and breathless while riding a pair of roller blades? If you were anything like me as a kid, you loved skating and maybe still enjoyed riding eight wheels on streets and sidewalks every now and then. If so, I have good news for you. In addition to being fun, skating is a great source for cardio and strength building.
According to Harvard Health Publications, you can burn almost the same amount of calories on ice skates as you can while jogging. However, skating trains different muscles than running. Inline skating focuses on your rear muscles. For this to happen, instead of sliding your legs backwards, as you would when running, slide your legs sideways. This ultimately strengthens the outside of your glutes more effectively than running. Skating not only affects your legs, it also forces you to focus intensely on your core, as you have to constantly regulate and stabilize your body weight on moving wheels.
Inline skating is considered a powerful exercise for those who don’t want to put too much stress on their joints, which is what runners experience. Inline skating is also good for people who just want to spice up their existing training routine. It’s addicting, but you shouldn’t make it your only form of cardio. The repetitive motion of skating can potentially make your body worse because the bent position you need to be in during the exercise is not optimal for your natural spine alignment.
If you think inline skating is something you are interested in, there are three ways you can safely and functionally add it to your exercise regimen.
Increase the intensity
To take full advantage of inline skating, one must be willing to get low and go fast. Increase the burn in your legs by lowering your torso while walking in a semi-squat position. You can also include intervals by changing the pace between the pace your body allows and the slow pace. Once you are more advanced, hills are also an option if you want to challenge your muscles even more. Just make sure they aren’t too steep or you’ll basically fly them down again.
Correct form is everything
Your strength should come from pushing out with your legs to the side. So you need to center your weight on your heels again for maximum leverage. To stay balanced, swing your arms back and forth at a slight angle, alternating and crossing over to the other side of your body a little more than a similar movement while running. As mentioned earlier, stay low and keep your knees bent. This is important in keeping your core and leg muscles engaged.
Wear protective clothing
If you are a beginner, you should dress up with elbow pads, knee pads, and a helmet. At least you are You’ll move pretty quickly on a set of wheels that slide and slide on any moderately flat surface. Wear these bulky hand guards for optimal protection against falls.
What are you waiting for? Put on your gear and head out to cruise.
