Any rollerbladers here?

[scubadude010]

Ok. I'm an aggressive skater and I know a lot about skating. First off, I don't know of any blades that you can buy that are under $100. Usually, I buy about $150 or $200 skates, but like I said, I'm an aggressive skater, so mine are going to be expensive no matter what. Second question, with the blister problem, make sure that your skates fit really well, since your feet rubbing against the inside can cause blisters. Also, wear long socks that go over the top of your blades. Last question, since I go on ramps and jumps all the time, I don't have a brake, since it can actually make me fall when going up a ramp at 90 degrees vertically, so what I do is I take one of my blades and I drag my front wheel against the ground behind me, so I don't use brakes, plus they're annoying. Last thing, about your back pain, don't lean forward as much. Only lean forward when going for speed, otherwise, stand straight up, but at a comfortable level. If there's anything else, let me know. Later!

 

[skye]

Recreational blader here. Definatley sounds like you need a better fitting boot. I wear a helmet, and gloves like the weight lifters use with padded plams. They save the skin and you don't worry as much when you fall and automatilly throw your hand down to catch yourself. ( My son is teaching me to do some jumps so now I'm really profocient at falling) I also drag the back skate sideways to stop. You might be leaning forward to much, causing the back ache.

 

[orangeBloke]

In terms of the skate, get a comfortable fit, not too tight but not loose, and wear good socks. Also don't tie the laces, or pull the bindings, too tight as this can lead to ache in the feet. The back ache may be due to tension. In time you'll relax more and it'll ease out. Like riding a bike, the less you worry about falling the less it happens, the more comfotable you feel doing it.

As regards stopping the first method that everyone learns is to fall over, but that's a little extreme. Then there's skating onto the grass as that slows the momentum in a running hopping kinda way but it's not very stylish and not always an option. And someone also once suggested to me that holding out your arms like you're holding a big ball is a good way to stop as eventually you'll scoop up enough pedestrians to bring you to a halt, but that's probably not going to make you too many friends.

Personally I find the easiest way to stop is the T-stop or hockey stop. That said if you look at the other skaters you'll see other ways to come to a halt so look for the one that suits you best and then practice it.

Try stopping at slow speeds until you get used to the idea and don't dig down too hard at first as it can jar you and make you fall rather than stop - much like you don't slam down the brake on a car when you want to stop, you have to ease into it a bit.

I don't like the heel brakes as they can throw your centre of gravity back and put you off balance unless you crouch a bit and that just looks silly. Others seems to love them so it's a matter of personal preference (As an aside, anyone know why blades don't have toe brakes like the older skates? They were so much easier to use and save you dragging lumps out of the wheels when you want to stop)

Have a look at the inline skating FAQ. It's scttered about the net but you can find one copy here http://www.faqs.org/faqs/sports/skating/inline-faq/part2/

Like everything else it's practice and don't worry if you fall as everyone does at some point and it'll give you war stories to share with other skaters.

One last thing, if you're someone, like me, who doesn't like wearing knee or elbow pads at least get wrist guards as they might save you from a sprain or break (which is not the sort of breaking you want to practice )

Good luck and have fun

 

[Kat]

It does sound like your leaning too far forward. You need to relax & loosen up a little bit. I must have been lucky, I've never gotten blisters from my rollerblades. Try on several brands until you find the right fit. You should not be getting blisters. I don't like the rear brake - but I think it's an individual type of thing. Just experiment a little & you'll find what is best for you. Do spend more than $100 on your next pair of skates - your feet will thank you!

 

[adder70]

Everyone talks about leaning forward too much. It will fell VERY weird at first, but you need to always try to have your spine point toward your heels. This keeps the weight of your upper body balanced over your hips, reducing the stress on your back and stomach muscles. If you bend at the waist/hip, you will need to bend your knees just as much. That is the part many people forget. It also gives you much greater control to bend your hips and knees equally. If it doesn't feel like you are trying to sit on your heels, you probably need to bend your knees more.

Watch an NHL game, or a hockey game if you can find that in your area, and pay attention to the really good skaters. Nobody realizes that Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky are both well over 6ft (1m 80) tall because they both seemingly crouch when skating. When you hear a whistle, start looking at the players, you will notice that they all seem to suddenly grow about 6 inches as they straighten in relaxation.

 

[Wristshot]

I lead a group that does inline skating every Monday during the summers as an event with my Ski Club in Silicon Valley. I also play Roller Hockey a couple days a week so I have a little bit of experience with inline skating.

As for the back pain, you are probably bending at the waist too much. As stated before, bend the knees to be shock absorbers, but keep the back straighter. This is very similar to racing on snow skis. People want to get forward, but bending at the waist is not the way to do it.

I started wearing a back brace when I play roller hockey years ago because my back hurt from the bending over. I still use one; kinda like the back supports the guys at Home Depot use, if you know what I mean.

As for skates, the old saying is that "you get what you pay for". Well, you don't always get what you pay for, but you almost never get more than you pay for. If you buy cheap skates, then you can't complain if they fit and perform like cheap skates. Consider investing in a decent pair that will work well, fit comfortably and last you through years of good exercise.

Skating is a real good "low impact aerobics" as long as you don't impact the pavement.

I use Mission skates for Roller Hockey and I love them (4 pairs; one old worn out pair, an indoor pair, and two pairs for outdoor) I don't like the geometry of the Bauers. I have friends that are the exact opposite, so it is important to remember that much like scuba gear, there is no "best" just "best for you".

I have used Rollerblade brand, and Roces for recreational skates in the past, and both were good. I bought a new pair of Salomon skates last spring, and they are a huge improvement over the old Roces I had been using for years. The new tennis shoe-like skates are very comfortable.

As for socks; there is only one choice (for me). Thorlo makes a skating sock. I use the LS-11 model, but if you have bigger feet you might need the LS-13 size. I love them so much that I use them everyday as my only socks except when I "dress up". It may not be real easy to find the Skating Socks, but they are well worth the effort. Seriously. I decided a couple years ago that "life is too short to wear sheap socks".

(Side note: Ingenius are the greatest skiing socks I have ever tried)

If you work on using the heel brake it can be effective, but most of the time I use the other methods mentioned; I either do a T-stop, or I turn to slow down. The only thing to be careful of is that if you over-rotate the drag-skate, you can end up spinning around. Of course that is how I learned to turn around to skate backwards!

There used to be a great web site about skating that had a step by step explanation of the T-stop, with many pictures. I will try to locate that when I return from skiing this weekend.

Good luck with it, and enjoy. Skating can be a lot of fun.

Wristshot

 

[coppermaus]

Another possible reason for back pain is that this new exercise is making you tight. Do you stretch before and after blading? You may want to start some stretches that loosen up your legs. When they tighten up they can pull on your hips and get your back outta whack. Try some gentle hamstring stretches, quad, calf, and ankle stretches, and some twists. That may help.

 

[NaCL H2O Boy]

I have a couple of questions if anyone with some rollerblade experience can help I'd be extremely grateful.

I've been rollerblading for a few months now and have a pair of Bauer skates. After about 2 or 3 miles my back starts to hurt and my feet are killing me. I have to wear compeed to protect my feet from blisters which I guess I'm prone to. It's a 2 mile trail with no stops unless someone steps out in front of you and I usually can go about 8 miles in 35 minutes. I'm not trying to build speed really just doing it for cardiovascular exercise. So on to my questions....

What skates would you recommend? I'm going to be purchasing a new pair in the very near future. I don't want to spend more than $100 if possible.

Will my feet eventually toughen up? Is it my skates that are the problem with blisters? Are there some special socks I should buy?

How in the heck do you stop? I usually end up slowing down right before I get to my car and use it to stop. I've tried to use the brake on the back and I always feel like I'm going to fall. Are there any tricks?

I think that's all for now. If I think of anything else I'll try and add it ASAP! Thanks so much in advance for all the info!

Having been a former professional inline speedskater, I'll try to answer your questions as good as possible.

Let's start with the back pain:
The back pain has a direct relation with the strength of the abdominal muscles. When you are in a skating position, especially if you are over your toes too much, it puts stress/strain on your lower back. There are a few things you can do to help this problem. First thing, is try to put your weight back over your heels more and bend your knees. Second, spend some time each day doing crunches or situps. As your ab muscles get stronger, you will notice that your back doesn't hurt as much. Third, do plenty of stretches for your back both before and after skating.

Foot pain:
The first question I have is if the skates have buckles or laces. While buckles secure your feet better, then do not provide any give when your feet start to swell. Laces will tend to stretch, reducing the constriction of blood flow in the feet. Loosening the buckes is not a good idea because it takes away the support and can lead to ankle injuries if your ankles are not strong enough. You can do exercises to strengthen your ankles.(heel raises) As for blisters, well, that's just a part of skating. As the skin blisters, then heals, then blisters again, the skin will become tougher. There are blister-proof socks that you can buy, but off the top of my head, I don't know which places carry them. A google search can locate them for you. And despite what they claim, you will still get blisters when wearing blister-proof socks. They just limit the number you will get. I always skated barefoot(custom boots), so I can't say for sure how much those socks cost.

Which skates to buy:
Most of my experience with skates is the 5-wheel blades with low cut composite boots and aluminum frames, so I probably would not be the most knowledgeable person on what is out there in the 4 wheel recreational skates. There was a 4 wheel skate made by RollerDerby called the BX6000. They also had a BX7000 model.(my girlfriend uses the BX7000 with Kryptonic ABEC-7 bearings and loves it) Those models are all excellent, and you get a lot for the money. Plus they come with 80mm wheels. More on that in a moment. The most important thing in shopping for skates is comfort. The wheels and bearings can be upgraded. The Rollerderby models used to come with a minimum ABEC-5 bearings, which are good quality. I think the 7000 model came with ABEC-7 bearings. You want to make sure you upgrade to either an ABEC-5 or 7 bearing to give yourself a good roll. Skating is no fun if you are struggling to move forward. If you really want to make a slick upgrade, you could get a set of Bones Swiss bearings. Those have no ABEC rating, but they are widely considered to be the best. You could get a set of 16 for probably around $50. You also need to take wheels into consideration. Bigger is better, so the bigger the wheels, the better they will sustain a roll. If you can find some 4 wheel skates with 80mm wheels, that is a big plus. You also need to look at the hardness of the wheels. Softer wheels give a better ride because they absorb bumps and vibrations, but they tend to wear out faster. A good number for wheel hardness is a 78A. Bottom line is that in order to get a good skating experience, you probably will have to shell out more than $100. When you can get a combination of comfort and quality roll, the whole skating experience is highly addictive.

Stopping:
Best place to practice stopping is on carpet, and be standing still. This way, there is minimal rolling. Make sure there is a wall, counter, or railing to hold onto with one hand. What you need to do is bend your knees to about a 45 degree angle. From this position, gently push the skate with the brake forward, and shift your bodyweight over the other skate. From there, you simply lift the toes of the front skate. This will bring the brake in contact with the pavement. By keeping your weight centered over the back skate, you keep your body from falling forward. Another type of stop is called a T-stop. This one you can try as you get more comfortable with your balance on skates. You don't even use a brake. What you do is take either your left skate or right skate, turn your toe outward, and gently drag your skate sideways. You position the skate behind the skate that is still pointing forward, making your skates look like they are in the shape of a "T". This is a more effective way of stopping than using a brake, but it also requires a lot more balance and skill. There is also the hockey stop, but that's not one you should even worry about trying. If all else fails, there is a very effective way to stop very fast. Just get into a low quatting position, and then plant your butt on the ground. It works every time!

Hope this helps, and have fun skating. Go fast, turn left!(inside joke for any speedskaters)

One other thing: Make sure to wear a helmet. I know it isn't always the coolest looking thing to do, but skull fractures are the second most common rollerblading injury after broken wrists. There are many new styles and colors of helmets that actually look pretty good, and besides, it looks a lot better than walking around with a shaved head due to surgery for a fractured skull.