Before you begin skating

Before You Begin Skating

If you still feel awkward on skates and perhaps somewhat intimidated, then it's time to learn all about inline skating from a safety perspective. The following is a discussion about rollerblading safety and contains a number of general inline skating tips.
Safety is the First Priority

* Wear all your safety equipment all of the time
* Watch out for bumps on roads, sidewalks, and trails
* Stay alert and aware of what is happening around you
* Watch out for other skaters, cyclists, pedestrians, and cars
* Carry a whistle to let others know you are approaching
* Be courteous
* Avoid leaves, water, and loose gravel on roads and trails
* Look ahead for obstacles
* Never lean backwards on your skates

Before You Start to Skate

Before you begin, check to ensure that your brake is not loose or worn out, your wheels are free of dirt, grime, or oil, your wheels are not loose or wobbly, the axles and nuts are tight, and you're wearing all of your safety gear.

Do Some Stretching

Do some stretches with your skates off. Before starting out, it's best to warm up your legs, hips, and lower-back, which are all used in rollerblading. In particular, stretch your calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, groin, abdominals, and lower back muscles.

Stopping with the Brake

The amount of leverage or the amount of stopping power you have depends partially on how worn your brake is. A half-worn brake will provide better leverage than either a new brake or a worn-out brake. Some people saw off part of the bottom of new brakes to avoid the annoying breaking-in period.

Learn to Relax

After you attain braking proficiency and speed control, then being relaxed while you skate should come fairly easy. Being relaxed isn't a way to look cool. Keeping relaxed is critical for bumps or debris on the trail that could make you trip and wipe out. When you're relaxed your body reflexes can respond better than when you're all tense from fear of falling. Basically, when relaxed, your knees, hips, and body are already in the right position to adjust to any bumps, turns, or obstacles that come up. If you're tense, you have to loosen up first before you can react.