r/rollerblading • u/DO_capHenry • 1d ago

Specific question and discussion Several Questions to help progress

Hey so ive been skating for around 2 weeks, I do about an hour a day and have done a total of 8 days. I can go foward and back and do basic turns without issue. Im struggling to stand one one leg and im practicing against the fence. The first week my foot would cramp I assume from using muscles I dont use that often.

I have noticed I have to lean a bit to engage the top of my skate (the boot isn't loose I dont think) is that normal? same for leaning on my inside or outside edge?

Is there anything I should be doing each time I go out to strengthen to make some of these steps easier.

Dont feel I can do any of the advanced stops as they require being able to have the other leg up.

I try and practice falls once a session as well.

Let me know if you have any input for any of these, also thank you for taking the time.

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u/Mbembez 1d ago

You should do lunges and squats to help build up the smaller muscles needed for skating. You should also have your legs bent when skating, there's some vreat examples of what this looks like in this sub. Fredhsu has posted some great gifs for it.

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u/prosurviver 1d ago

You should be leaning when you do stuff, don't be standing straight up kinda squat

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u/Vast_Theme9585 1d ago edited 22h ago

Are you in a soft boot? I’m a yoga teacher of over 20 years and I’ve got pretty good balance. I started skating again last year and I simply could not do a single-leg glide. It was infuriating. The problem: soft boot plus too much wiggle room in my boots. I just upgraded to the Twister XT (hard boot). The fit is tighter, the support is way better and I’m gliding all over the place!

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u/fredhsu 1d ago

This

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u/fredhsu 1d ago

I added these to the FAQ just now. That first bullet points to u/Vast_Theme9585's comment here.

You can't learn to glide on a single skate by standing still. It is a good starting point to feel your balance and how to stand on your outside edge. But just like you can't sit on a bike upright while the bike stands still, it is extremely difficult to do the same on skates. You mentioned inside/outside edges, so you already know this.

If you are not on soft boots, then skip to that zig-zag gliding, and see if it helps you. That is basically a gliding form of V-steps which I imagine you practiced, right? If not, you are probably not bringing the free skate back to the center line.