Skating holds many personalities – recreational, dance, aggressive, hockey, speed, street/urban, freestyle, figure and so forth.

What makes skating so unique is that you gain forward motion through lateral movement. This is very important to remember. Ever since you learned how to walk, run, ride a bike, or drive a car, your locomotive thought process involves a linear motion (back and forth, front and back). All that changes with skating. You now have to think left and right and your movements must follow. This is why you will see adults who first put on a pair of skates look as if they are learning how to walk again. In a way that is very true. You are doing something that is foreign in thought as much as movement. This is why lessons are always recommended to get started with the proper habits.

A lesson from a qualified teacher or coach will give you the benefit of lessons already learned so you do not have to flail and fall unnecessarily. Moreover, a qualified coach can point to us the areas where we ourselves may not be aware of or have overlooked. It is just like we need a mirror to guide us and discover ourselves at times! As an adult, we have farther to fall than when we were two. My philosophy is a simple one. We as human beings we learn everything, and we are all aspiring. It’s just a matter of how much you want to do it. The more you practice you put in, the better you get in a quicker time. Because of the fact that you are learning, the chance of injury is much greater as a beginner. This is why we always recommend wearing protective equipment. Wrist guards, elbow pads, knee pads, and most importantly a helmet. I cannot stress enough how important a helmet is. You can break any other bone in you body and live but break your head and you become an organ donor! When using these safety gears, you have assurance that your chance of injury is greatly reduced. Assurance rather than insurance is always cheaper and it also allows you to feel more comfortable and confident.

Here are a few ways to adjust your thought process and learn more easily. For us skating is a lot like flying. You avoid things more often times than stopping for them. You must think farther ahead than you are used to. More importantly, flow with other movement that is around you. These are all learned experiences.

Don’t think about stopping when you are not even going yet. You must learn to control yourself before you learn to stop. Brakes are most efficient in adjusting your speed and coming to a stop. However, the fact is no matter how efficient the braking system is on any vehicle, when you HAVE to use them, it may be too late. Start in an environment that is compatible to your abilities.

Balance on one side or the other. Don’t distribute your weight on both feet. Rather, shift from side to side by dropping your hip. Bring the feet together before doing this. Stroke laterally from toe to heel like the slice of a knife and push laterally down but not out. When balanced, your nose should be over your knee and toe, keeping you shoulders and hips square or straight. If you lose your balance don’t try to over-compensate by standing suddenly and whipping your arms up and back. This will just throw you up and backwards. Instead, grab for your knees. You will have a better chance to recover and if you do fall you will go down in a controlled manner on your protective gear. If you are going to inevitably fall it is better to meet the ground. Don’t fight your fall but go with it. Falling is not that bad. Everybody falls. I still fall sometimes but you won’t get unnecessarily hurt if you practice falling.

Don’t forget to breath and loosen up about it. Don’t freak out. Everyone who learns to skate goes through the same thing. Have a good time with it. In no time you will be ready to leave the nest for your first flight and soon you will fly with others. Skating is a very social sport and we are a very friendly community. Check the Internet, recreational or sports publications for a club nearest you.

Skate around, that’s all.

Article contributed by Sandy Snakenberg and Skate Pro team
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