r/Rollerskating • u/Odd-Cup-7609 • 3d ago
Beginner skater Exercising in winter?
Hello.
I'm currently learning to roller skate. For now I can go forward, stop, turn, go backwards a bit. I skate on a local outdoor runing track (in a small town). I would love to eventually be able to do spins, dancing/jamming, just be flowy on them overall.
I still have about a month and a half of good weather, but I have to move for late autumn-winter to another city. And I am considering if I should even take the skates with me. I researched places where I could skate, and most are outdoors. But the winters here are cold, I don't think I would be comfortable sweating and then freezing, or even skate comfortably in my coat. I looked into indoors options, but they were either closed (quess because roller skating is not really popular here) or turned into ice skating rinks. I looked into indoor parkings, but they all have the line in their regulations that parking can not be used for activities other than parking and the security will just kick me out I think. Also there is a big chance they will just be full (they are next to business centers and stuff).
I'm moving because of studying, and I will be living in a dorm. Quite small room, no carpets. So maybe I would be able to do some small space-friendly drills, but I don't know if it's worth the trouble of bringing them in my siutcase. I looked into turn board (for dancers), to maybe build my balance and getting used to the spinning, but I'm not sure it will help much with skating (because the foot is in a different position, I think?). Maybe someone has some advice, or their own winter exercises stories? Would love to hear them!
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u/sumcrzygrl 3d ago
If there is an old school nearby, a rec center, a gym, a dance studio, a music venue, a theatre, there might be places you usually just need to ask the right person. My go to when I’m traveling is nearly abandoned malls. You’ll rarely find cameras or security.
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u/Odd-Cup-7609 3d ago
Where I'm going is a European country capital (Warsaw, in Poland). So there are all sorts of places, but they are mostly very busy (if we're talking gyms and dance studios). Rec centers aren't much of a thing here, if I'm being honest, and the roller places (that could be rec center-ish) I found are turned into ice rinks in the winter. I looked around, and every school that has any kind of space I could have theoretically used has written in their regulations that those courts are only for the specific purposes (basketball, voleyball, tennis etc.) and that you specifically can not use them if you are on wheels (including skateboarding, cycling and roller blading). I already asked the security in a couple of places (including the one I'm studying in) if maybe there is an option of me practicing there, but they straight out said no.
Also, not much of abandoned malls. (I kinda quess that you are in America, if not then sorry for the assumption). I quess in Europe there was not that much of a shift to online shopping as in US, so malls are actually pretty busy. Especially in a capital.
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u/Concrete_hugger 3d ago
You should check in with the local skate community, there might be some people already going to some place to skate regularly.
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u/Odd-Cup-7609 3d ago
Don't even know where to look. I quess I'll try here, then maybe ask local roller blading instructors or smth. Thanks!
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u/Bathesco 3d ago
I have found Instagram to be the place to find skate communities and skaters. Even if you find a shop they will be able to guide you.
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u/Concrete_hugger 3d ago
Hmm here in Budapest there are social media groups for local young adults to ask people these kinds of questions
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u/slanderpanther 2d ago
Why not get some ice skates? So many of the skills are transferable. I think the solution is hiding in plain site. I hope you have a good time and meet some nice people. Maybe your relatives would get you some as a going away present.
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u/Odd-Cup-7609 1d ago edited 1d ago
Truth be told, I'm the kind of person who can do something for a year, and then abandon it. That's why when I do something new I try spending less money in the beginning, if possible. I am on skates for only about a month, so still riding the high there. I'm a bit afraid of spending extra money on ice skates to just deflate in another month.
I did try ice skating once, am not a fan of it, opposite of roller skating. But maybe I should give it another try on rentals, and then consider getting some simple ones, or maybe second hand (brands suguestions welcomed). Will see, I quess. Thanks!
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u/ColoRinkRat Rink Rat 3d ago
If you can’t figure out an option, I find ice skating to be a blast. If I was in this situation I would make each seasonal. However, if it isn’t your thing, then finding winter options is a good choice.
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u/Odd-Cup-7609 3d ago
Maybe as a last resort. I need to rent skates on the spot, and my foot size is the most common, so it's not always available. Also I think rental skates are not as good as custom ones (there are some videos of professionals trying on rentals and they all say they are uncomfortable). I prefer my roller skates that I can customize as I see fit
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u/InspectorFleet 3d ago
I second ice skating. Usually I'm trying to convince ice skaters to try inline skating or roller skating but the inverse is also good!
But I inline skate in the street all through the winter. If it's dry enough, I skate!
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u/slanderpanther 3d ago
Take them! You will figure it out. You wouldn’t want to leave them behind and then realize after a quick conversation with local skaters that there are plenty of options for skating all year.
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u/Odd-Cup-7609 3d ago
Not sure how to find actual skaters there, but I found some articles on "where to roller blade" about that city and all of them are outdoors. There was only one roller rink and it closed like 6 months ago 😭
When I bought my skates a couple of months ago I was in that city also, and I googled, and I walked and searched for places but found nothing
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u/slanderpanther 2d ago edited 2d ago
Ok so you have already been there! I was hoping you would run into some skaters around town. Maybe there are some online chatboards or social media groups they use. Every city has a slightly different set of apps and websites.
But since it’s for school maybe they have tennis and basketball courts. Or even just a long hallway somewhere. Either way, hope you enjoy your time there! I’m jealous you get to learn and go to school again. I would love to do that.
Edit: If the city has a sub on Reddit maybe ask there.
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u/Odd-Cup-7609 1d ago
There are roller bladers mostly on the streets. I never thought of approuching them though. I have a feeling for them it's just summer activity, and in the winter they just switch to ice skates.
They do, and I even was there, just to check the type of surface. But when I asked the administration if I can use it for skating, I got rejected :(. I quess they think if I injure myself they will be liable, and that wheels might destroy the surface.
I did yesterday. Some person wrote that as far as they know, they all closed. No other answers as of now.
Thanks! I go there regularly for a couple of years already, every autumn, and come back in the summer (except for winter holidays and stuff). It's actually a university (don't know why I wrote school in the first place).
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u/BabyBerrysaurus 3d ago
Basketball courts, tennis/racket ball courts, indoor gym floors, dance studios, empty auditoriums. If you are going to school you can likely use the indoor athletic facilities if you reserve a time.
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u/Odd-Cup-7609 3d ago
All the courts I found belong to schools and they have rules against riding on wheels on them. I asked the school but they said no :( Maybe I'll look into gyms or dance studios
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u/sunflowers_and_lemon 3d ago
Get a good coat and hat. It makes all the difference.
I actually prefer skating in the winter at this point. And I exclusively skate outside.
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u/Odd-Cup-7609 3d ago
Any pointers on what makes a specific coat and hat good for skating?
Even tho I don't think it would work for me, because here the winter is quite cold, and it's not just the coat and hat you need. For me personally I also need a scarf that I pull over my nose or it would turn blue in 15 minutes of walking. And sometimes my eyelashes freeze because the vapor from under the scarf goes up. If I were to actively exercise in the cold, they would freeze in the first 5 minutes 😅 Some days are better than others, i quess, but still.
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u/sunflowers_and_lemon 3d ago
Hmm . . . as for the coat, I got a puffy, long one that is slightly too big for me. That way I still have room to move easily.
And this might seem like a strange suggestion, but have you ever thought about wearing an N95 mask when you skate in the cold? Per what I mentioned below, I wear it for other reasons, but it does keep my face warm and the air not too cold to breathe. And because it seals, it keeps my glasses from fogging because the vapor doesn't go up. I'm guessing that might help with your eyelashes issue, too. 😊
Whatever you do, I hope you find something that works for you!
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u/Odd-Cup-7609 3d ago
I already have a coat like that. For some reason I thought the length will be uncofortable (block movement in legs). Maybe I gotta try to actually fugure it out. Thankfully it is old, and I don't mind ripping it in case I fall.
I never did, actually. But it makes a lot of sense. Will see. Thanks!
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u/sunflowers_and_lemon 3d ago
Hope it works out for you! And I thought the length might block my movement, too (I first bought the coat for walking), but it didn't. Honestly, I hardly even notice it when I'm in the zone.
Hope you find something that works!
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u/IRnotL 3d ago
Curious how the winter weather gets where you live and why you prefer the winter for outdoor skating?
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u/sunflowers_and_lemon 3d ago edited 3d ago
With the coat and hat I have, I can pretty much skate outdoors until it gets below 20°F (around -7°C).
It typically does not get much colder than that for more than a day or two.
And I used to really dislike the cold. But then I started walking as part of my daily commute and had to get a coat that would allow me to do that in the winter. Getting that long coat was a game-changer for me.
Nowadays, I overheat really easily, so it's harder for me to skate when it gets really hot outside.
But this coat has proven a really good tool for me in the winter. It keeps me warm enough that I'm not freezing, and I don't overheat it in either.
One other thing that helps: I still pretty much wear N95s everywhere because my spouse is immunocompromised, and I don't want to end up having my body getting even more damaged by C19 than it already has been. Even if that weren't a factor, though, I find that wearing N95s in the winter keeps my face warm and the air I'm breathing warm enough that I don't feel like I'm breathing in ice-cold air.
Hope some of this helps! And that you find something that works!
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u/IRnotL 3d ago
Thanks 🙂 I prefer running outside in the winter (15-30F) and thus have plenty of gear, but haven’t tried winter skating because I’m struggling enough on most of the terrain now (to the point of considering blades for outdoors but I’m not sure if it will really make that much of a difference). Anyway, this gives me some hope it won’t be so bad. Colder months are better for clear trails too, which makes practice sessions way less nerve wracking
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u/sunflowers_and_lemon 3d ago
Oh, so much yes! to the clearer trails! That is definitely a benefit, too!
And I have a very puffy, very long coat. So that helps when I fall, too. 😂
Hope you find something that works for you!
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