From double pushes to carving... the average person could care less.  But somewhere over the years I began to really enjoy inline skating to what end I think it goes to overall health.  I recall buying my wife a smart looking pair of Salomon's.   So I'm fairly certain this is not a fad for me that I just considered recently.  And of course the people closest to me own inlines too.   They know who they are. :)

What's the deal?  Like I said... a long time ago it came down to health.  A whole lot of it. From being a great way to stay slim, to building stamina and for me... building strength in my ankles as I've had four ankle sprains on each ankle over my lifetime.   It gets you outside.  It allows you to see a lot of the world.  I mean you get from point A. to point B. quicker but not so fast that you can't enjoy it. 

It's a slow process.  The first thing you do is buy the dang things.  Of course buy some knee pads and wrist guards.  While you are learning wear elbow pads and a helmet.  With kids... they MUST wear one. 

Now you have a start.  Set small goals. Think, "Today I'll skate to this place and back."  Do this for a couple weeks and over time your stamina builds not to mention your confidence of not falling etc...

In time you'll develop your own interests.   If you like jumping barrels you can stick with your Modell's or Dick's sporting good specials.  But if you like to dance or cut small curves to do tricks then you'll want a pair of aggressive skates.  These have smaller wheels,  and the boot is compact and sturdy for support.  It's like an ice-hockey skate to a degree.  If you like to travel longer distances... then you may go with speed or training skates.  No brake and big wheels!  The boots are minimal and don't provide high ankle support but by now you should have the ankle strength, stamina and desire to push off to greater speeds and distances. 

Of course you can keep your standard fitness skates and do all the above and that is cool, but most of us head in one of the various directions I illustrated above.  While you can watch videos on YouTube on how to "double push", if you are like me you will have learned how to do it before you are ever tutored on it. 

If you like to snow ski... inline skating is an excellent form of training.   While it may be cold out, if there is no ice... inline skating will make it possible to jump into your ski's without missing a beat.   From balance to stamina you will be set.   

If you are just getting started, here is some advice.  Don't bend your back, bend your knees.  Not much, but some. This allows you to put your weight where it should be... on your heels. Your heels is where all your power and energy generate from in inline skating.  You use your body weight to push off your heels. 

If you ever get an uneasy feeling of traveling too fast... lower your center of gravity, stoop down and lower your body.  You'll gain control and confidence as you glide forward at that faster speed.  If you are on recreational skates... drop your body and butt down like I said, but also grind that back heel brake now.  You'll stop with ease.   Stopping is an article to itself!   While heal breaks are great, if you go with a training skate or take that break off... you'll want to learn the art of powersliding.  Here is a 4 second video of a Powerslide.

Keep in mind... Powersliding will wear wheels down considerably on one side, and quickly.  Stopping can be done in a array of ways.  You can carve wide turns like on snow skis.  You can snow plow.  If you are on a steep grade or hill, again... carve wide turns and you control your speed instead of just flying down the hill on a hope and prayer (known as bombing). T-Stopping is another method but this may be your most impractical use of your wheels as it will wear them down perhaps more than powersliding.   T-Stopping is when you drag on foot behind the other on it's edge.  Kind of like a powerslide in reverse if you've watched the video above.

Ultimately you'll  want your nose over your knees and your knees over your toes.  Align yourself in that manner as you skate and you'll be in comfortable confident form.

Practice skating on one skate. Start by just gliding on one skate.  Later you can try and use just one skate to carve like you would on snow skis.  Carve in big exaggerated turns and you'll propel yourself.   As you advance, you'll start to see your flaws.  Perhaps you are landing your toes pointed outwards.  You want your toes to point forward as you land and skate.  Again... practice makes perfect.  You'll skate longer and true with less energy and exertion.

No matter what direction you go, Aggressive, Recreational, Training & Speed or none of the above...  Get out there and live a little!

Check out this dance freestyler and drool. :)

If you are at the absolute beginning, watch this true beginner video that really will make you feel better about learning. 

Get out there!