How to Inline Skate

Inline skating can be a strenuous cardiovascular workout and can also help to increase leg strength. Teaching yourself to inline skate can also be very useful if you wish to play outdoor or "roller" hockey. Learning how to inline skate will not be easy, and you will experience some bumps and bruises along the way. By knowing the proper techniques to use, though, you can limit your falls and learn the correct way to inline skate.

Instructions

    • 1

      Begin by learning how to balance yourself on your skates. Put the skates on and stand up straight with your feet at shoulder width. Then, bend your knees so that the top of your knees are over the midway point of the skates. It's important to keep your knees bent when inline skating. Keep your upper body straight, however, as bending it too far in either way may cause you to lose your balance.

    • 2

      Learn how to properly push off on your skates. Keep one foot pointing straight ahead and turn the other foot so that it is pointing outward and diagonal from the first foot. Then, put your weight on the foot that is pointing straight ahead and push your momentum forward. When you do this, your second foot should lift off the ground slightly and only for a second or so. Then, point that foot forward and make it even with the first foot.

    • 3

      Repeat the previous step, this time alternating which foot is pointing forward and which one is pointing outward. Remember to keep your knees bent and your body straight.

    • 4

      Work on skating backwards. Start off in the same standing position mentioned in Step 1, except point both of your feet straight forward. Then, push off of your toes so that the back of your skates point outward. Once you've done this, bring them back to the starting position. If doing it correctly, your skates should be drawing "Cs" on the ground. Continue this "out and in motion" in order to skate backwards.

    • 5

      Learn how to stop on inline skates. To stop, keep your weak foot (your left foot if you're right-handed) pointing straight ahead. Turn your strong foot (right foot if you're right-handed) so that the skate is perpendicular to the weak foot. Then, drag your strong foot along the ground. The friction generated by dragging your strong foot will cause you to stop. This is often called the "T-stop" since your feet would make the letter T if put together.