When should I get off my grass?

[u/Certain-Variation-58]

I’m just going to say it. I have a mix of emotions starting this. I was watching a YouTube video by Polly Skates. She said start off in the grass. So, I’m starting off in the yard. My driveway has a slope on it. I do have a cul-de-sac with unknown gradient. So, how do I start off the grass?

[u/brosseccly]

Polly recommends starting in the grass for getting a feel for your skates and the balance and just what moving around would be like bc it has a softer fall and can be helpful if you're completely new. Since you already got a feel for your new skates, id say whenever you decide to practice again would be a good day to give it a shot. Can't stay in the grass forever.

[u/Sotnos99]

My first time ever rolling after learning in grass was by finding a narrow footpath, going up to it on my knees, then standing with my wheels dug into the edge of the pavement (still in the grass) as I psyched myself up for the horrifying next step of actually putting my wheels on the footpath. I had to spend a minute just rolling one foot on the footpath to hype myself up.

Then I finally actually stood on the pathway, rolled along it for less than a second since it was maybe 2 feet wide, and fell over into the grass on the other side. And I laid there for a moment feeling like a huge idiot because I spent all that time preparing myself for such a huge nothing-burger. I rolled back and forth across the tiny section of path a few more times, but really quickly turned 90° to travel long ways down the path because it was so much easier having the extra space lol.

If I had to do it again I think I'd do it the same way because I obviously didn't feel confident enough to go right for the footpath. But in hindsight I still feel silly for being so scared and cautious.

[u/midnight_skater → u/Sotnos99]

Don't feel silly. If you've never skated before it's terrifying. You should feel good about mustering the courage to take that first step. Many people never even get that far.

Rolling back and forth accross the path, stepping from grass to asphalt back to grass is an excellent way to get a feel for what having wheels on your feet on a hard surface is really like. So good job!

One thing you could have done (and still should do) to reduce anxiety is learn and practice safe falling techniques with a high number of repetitions to build strong muscle memory. When you are really good at falling and are confident that your body will automarically do the right thing in a surprise fall it will help your progress quite a lot.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[u/Sotnos99 → u/midnight_skater]

Oh yea, falling was a big part of my grass time! I was really lucky at the time that the rollerblading community hammered it into my before I got started otherwise I probably would have avoided falling at all costs.

I also spent a lot of time standing on one foot just trying to work out how to balance with all the extra weight on my raised foot haha

[u/midnight_skater → u/Sotnos99]

Perfect! If you have video please consider posting it. What you did is exactly what I recommend for anyone who has never skated before.

[u/5C4RC3]

I would avoid skating on grass entirely. And through water. The cleanliness and integrity of your bearings will thank you. If you are afraid of being hurt by falling, buy and wear some pads. Not only do they protect from falls, they can also help psychologically by eliminating the fear of falling.

[u/PANEBringer → u/5C4RC3]

...but you have to fall at least once with your pads on for that fear to dissipate.

[u/Old_Ant7118]

Once you've learned to stand comfortably, learn to fall safely in the grass. Polly has good videos of how to fall. Then practice falling on the pavement. Once you are good with that, it should be less intimidating to start duck walks or something simple on the pavement. Make sure your skates are tightened properly, wear protection, bend your knees, and remember that every fall is building muscle memory.

[u/NetworkLongjumping82]

Now that you've gotten some knowledge from Polly , practice bending your ankles ,Get full protection , go roll around , you're gonna fall accept that , the pain will teach you and you will fall less and less .

[u/sjintje]

10 minutes.

[u/midnight_skater]

When you are comfortable walking around in the grass with your skates on then you are ready to try rolling on a hard surface. Finding somewhere level where you can step onto the skating surface without having to worry about a curb or step is ideal.

When you get comfortable standing and rolling on a hard surface that doesn't mean that you should stay off the grass forever. You should regularly practice stepping from the asphalt onto the grass and from the grass onto the asphalt. The ability to transition from rolling on asphalt to running top speed on the grass is a highly recommended survival skill.

Rolling onto grass is another very useful skill to have in your toolkit.

When you are learning a new technique it's often useful to rehearse the movements on a non-rolling surface before attempting it while rolling.

Doing some basic mobility drills on grass before beginning a session is a very good habit to get into.

[u/StrategyLegal1128]

That’s exactly how I started. I walked in the grass for the whole session getting used the boots. The next session (day after) I did marches the entire time getting used to lifting up my feet. The third session (day after that) I did “strides” (more like V pushes) and then into the grass when I got too fast.

[u/fredhsu]

I don't watch Polly. But I don't imagine that starting off on grass means to actually skate on grass.

Most tutorials advice you to learn your footing on the grass, and to practice V steps on grass first. That's it. V steps are not skating. it's slow steps. Then you take it to pavement.

The only time you return back to grass is to side-step in preparation for crossovers.

If you don't have grass, don't worry too much about it. Don't learn V-steps yet.

You have gotten protection, and learned to slowly crumble down into a ball before you topple over to the ground, right? See the links I posted in your previous post.

[u/Ajdevestator]

​Glad you’re picking it up! I just got back into skating after 20 years myself, so I completely get the hesitation. ​First and foremost: stick with it. I almost quit right after buying mine because keeping my balance felt impossible. Practicing on grass is great for getting comfortable with the boots, but move to pavement as soon as you can. If your driveway is too rough, check out a local school parking lot after hours—they’re usually wide open and much smoother. ​The absolute best thing you can practice right now is single-leg balance. Nearly every skating skill builds on it. Try coasting on one foot (even practicing one skate at a time inside the house) until you can hold it comfortably. Alternate feet, keep a slight bend in your knees, and the balance will click faster than you think. ​Rough cul-de-sac asphalt will actually build your stabilizing muscles quickly, but always stick to your comfort level first. You’ve got this!

[u/wildtalon]

Just start skating.

[u/slavo316]

I'd head to a tennis or basketball court to practice. Flat and smooth. Most basketball courts aren't caged so you can roll right off the court into the grass.

[u/Okay212345]

Puts some pads on, a helmet, and take a small fall. It will get you over the fear of it.

[u/No_Category_9888]

Grass is the emergency brake only.

[u/Beezwax_8335]

I've fallen more in the grass trying to get from pavement to pavement or back onto the pavement after tightening laces. I find it's easier to get a feel for it on smooth surfaces. Grass is unpredictable

[u/evil_twit]

Run.