How to Roller Skate in Different Ways

Similar to ice skating but adapted for the outdoors and non-ice surfaces, roller skating is an activity that many people will partake in at some point. All the fundamental basics of ice skating can be applied to roller skating with some minor changes. Whether you're roller skating for fun, speed or hockey, knowing the basics will get you started before you ever strap on your skates.

Instructions

    • 1

      Skate forward by pushing with one leg and keeping the other straight forward. This is the basic method for rollerblading, which is fundamentally similar to ice skating. When you have extended your back leg, lift your skate and bring it forward and push with the other leg to continue.

    • 2

      Start by standing still with your toes pointed forward, in an upside down V shape. Push your legs apart. You will begin to glide backward. At shoulder-width, pull your legs back in and repeat. This is how you skate backward. You can alternate legs to give you more power, speed and control once you master the process.

    • 3

      Skate forward again. Bend your knees and get extremely low. Push out laterally, not to your back. Your skate may go back a bit at first but imaging trying to push only to your side. Keep your balance throughout your foot, not just on your toes. This is how you speed skate.

    • 4

      When skating forward, turn your shoulders left or right and you will turn. At higher speeds, you can lean into the turn to keep your balance, which will want to shift to the outside. During these turns, cross one leg over the other (executing a "crossover") to keep pushing if you want to turn with some speed.

    • 5

      Stop at low speeds by using the stopper on the front or back of the skate. Alternatively, use one leg in front of you at an angle to slow yourself down. At higher speeds, turn your legs one way quickly and keep your shoulders straight-forward, even twisting to the opposite slightly, to execute a hockey stop.