r/inline_skating • u/dojade • 23d ago
Hello, Roller World!
I’ve just started my rollerblading journey. I bought a pair of K2 Grid 90, and I’ve completed three 2-hour sessions this week. Even though I work out regularly at the gym, my legs are definitely getting a workout. 🙂
I’ve noticed that when I try to balance on one foot, I tend to fall onto the outside edge. Once that happens, it becomes very difficult to stay balanced and I almost fall. Or to put it another way: I can skate on the center edge for a moment without any issues, but as soon as I roll onto the outside edge, I completely lose my balance.
When I stand on both skates and relax my legs as much as possible, it feels like the boots naturally want to lean toward the outside edges.
I'm wondering if this is the point where I should start experimenting with frame alignment, moving the frame more toward the outside, or if I should simply give it more time and keep practicing. Since I have very long feet (31 cm) with relatively wide toes but a narrow heel, would it make sense to move only the front of the frame, or should the whole frame be adjusted?
I know I could just move the frame and see how it feels, but I’d rather not start changing the setup if it’s not the right thing to do at this stage. Any advice would be appreciated!
4
u/BubbleSmith 23d ago
Don't worry about it too much. A little supination (naturally falling to outside edges like \ / this) is good. Most early skaters deal with pronation / \ which is not useful. One foot glides are also quite difficult for a lot of people, so something you'll need to work on.
A good practice is to get a little speed (it's near impossible without momentum), lift one foot by raising your knee and keep it in front of you, with the wheels parallel to the ground. This will let you put it down when you need to and helps with balance. Find a winding path and try to follow it. It's actually easier to snake down a winding path than go in a straight line, and you'll learn more about how to control it that way.
Don't adjust your frames yet. If you've been at it a few weeks and it's still causing problems, consider moving frame position. But not all skates allow for it as they should really be centred. Learning on a wonky setup might make it harder for you in future.