How to learn to rollerblade

Wear knee, elbow and wrist guards and a helmet while you're learning.

Start with cheap rollerblades or rent some to try. The cheaper rollerblades have wheels that spin slow and this will help. Wear thick socks to protect your feet. Lace or buckle the skates so they're snug. You should not be able to turn your ankle inside the skate.

Use any hockey stick or a broom. Grab the handle with your left hand so the stick crosses in front of your body. Grab the middle of the stick with your right hand. Reverse the hands if you're left handed.

Place the curved end of the hockey stick or the bristles of the broom on the ground but don't move your hands on the stick. Bend your knees slightly.

Skate on a flat surface, preferably inside an empty garage. Keep your weight on your skates but use the stick to steady yourself, if needed.

Start along the wall of your garage. Move slowly across the garage to the other side, keeping your knees bent and the wheels of your rollerblades parallel.

At first you can stop by catching yourself on the opposite wall of the garage. Once you're ready to use the rollerblade's breaks, lean forward a little while lifting the front of one foot so the brake hits the floor. Leaning forward helps compensate for using the break which can often cause you to fall backward if you're not used to this maneuver. Give yourself enough time to stop since you probably won't be able to come to a complete stop very fast.

Skate from one side to another until you get your balance right. Then skate in circles to get turning down.