So you’re thinking of taking up roller skating? Thinking that maybe it might be fun and even help you lose a few pounds, get into shape and meet some new friends? You couldn’t be any righter! To intoduce you to the basics of this very enjoyable sport we have prepared a concise summary of some of the terms you will run across.
Quad Roller Skates: A type of roller skate with four wheels arranged just like car wheels. A traditional choice with good stability.
Inline Skates or Blades: Skates with three, four or even five wheels arranged in single line. This type of roller skate is a good transition for ice skaters and is popular with the speed skater or the hockey skater. Also known to some as roller blading.
Roller skating has evolved from a pastime to a sport activity due to its popularity. Roller skating is also recommended by the American Heart Association (AHA) as an aerobic fitness sport. Taking long strides can help increase the heart rate and strengthen the back muscles. Studies have shown that roller skating is equivalent (or in some cases superior) to jogging or cycling since it utilizes all of the body’s muscles. You can burn up to 600 calories while skating 10 miles per hour. According to the statistics released by the National Sporting Goods Association, inline skating topped the list of sports that witnessed the greatest growth between 1993 and 1998, in terms of participants. Roller skating is a fun and effective way of participating in fitness activities.
Tomorrow we’ll discuss the different roller skating sports. You will find that there is something for everyone in this activity.