Synthetic Roller Rink
Skating Guide
This roller skating guide will walk you through choosing the right skates and tips and tricks for beginners!
Choosing the Right Skates: A good-fitting skate should support your foot so that every push and shift gets translated to your wheels and you are focusing on your skating instead of on your feet! You’ll want to start by trying on the skates…
Start sitting in a chair
Loosen up the laces and any straps or fasteners
Put your foot in and drop your heel into the back of the boot by tapping your heel lightly
Tighten the laces and secure the straps
Stand up keeping your other foot on the floor and lean into the skate with your weight
Fitting Notes
Skates don’t fit like shoes; your feet need to bend through your stride in your shoes, while your feet should not slip around in your skates.
Sizing can vary by brand and often doesn’t match your shoe size. Taking a measurement is the most accurate way to determine what size you need.
A skateboot should fit more like a pair of ski or snowboard boots than a pair of runners.
For kid’s skates, you can leave a little wiggle room at the toe, but you don’t want the skates to be so big that they are sliding around in their boots with no control.
Leather boot skates will soften and break in, particularly the ankle and side areas
Padding in padded skate boots will pack out as you wear them.
Break-in should be for working the boots to fit your feet, not to make them a different size
Beginners are often uncomfortable with tight-fitting skates, while advanced skaters usually need a more precise fit.
Skates Are Just Right If…
They feel snug and your foot is held securely
While standing, you can stretch your toe inside the boot and barely touch the end
Skates Are Too Big If…
You can scootch your foot forward in the boot and make a space behind your heel. If you can fit your finger down the back of the boot and touch the bottom that’s a size too big.
When the skates are laced up, hold the back wheel and pull your foot like you’re pulling out of the skate. If your heel slides up, the boot is too big.
Skates Are Too Small If…
Your toes are pressing into the front of the boot
You are shifting uncomfortably to take the weight off your feet
When trying skates on, take some time to stand around to see how they feel.
Width Notes:
People will buy shoes larger to accommodate a wider foot. For your skates, you should try to find a model that fits wider or has a more accommodating shape to avoid excess length that can put your wheelbase in the wrong place.
Your skate may be too narrow if you can see your foot pushing the laces out or if you feel a lot of pressure at the sides of your feet.
A skate may be too wide if you feel your foot “rolling” when you push, or there is a gap between the edge of the sole and the ball of the foot, or you are lacing your boots very tight to feel secure.
Tips for Beginners
Put on your skating equipment. The only equipment you need to roller skate is a pair of skates that fit you. You can buy a pair from a sporting goods store or rent a pair from any roller skating rink. Skate sizes are typically the same as standard shoe sizes. In addition to roller skates, you might want to pick up the following items:
A helmet. Since you're just starting, wearing a helmet may help you feel more comfortable. Everyone takes a few spills at first, and wearing a helmet will protect your head from injury.
Knee pads and wrist guards. Your hands and knees are bound to hit the floor a few times as you learn how to roller skate. If you're concerned about getting a bit scraped up, protect yourself with knee pads and wrist guards.
Assume the right posture. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees and squat. Lower your backside toward the ground and lean slightly forward in a comfortable squatting position. When you're roller skating, balance is key, and this stance will prevent you from toppling over.
The first time you hit the rink, you may feel like you don't have control over the skates, and you may lose your balance and fall a couple of times before you feel comfortable standing in place. This is completely normal; just keep practicing the posture until you get the hang of it.
It's hard to stand perfectly still in a pair of roller skates. Once you've got the hang of it down, practice correcting your posture every so often by slightly moving your skates to help you keep your balance. Think about it this way: if you were standing in place without roller skates on and someone gave you a light push, you'd move your feet to regain your balance. The same idea applies when you're wearing roller skates, only it's the wheels on the skates and the pressure from your muscles that are giving you the "push."
Walk like a duck. With your heels together and your toes pointed out, begin slowly walking forward, first to the right, then to the left, then to the right, and so on.[1] Continue squatting and keep your heels directly underneath your body so you can more easily keep your balance.
Practice until you can comfortably "duck walk" in the skates while keeping your balance. You'll probably fall a few times at first; just get back up and remember to keep your body centred over your heels and remain in a squatting position. Try not to let your center point be on your heels. This can cause you to fall back.
As you gain confidence, start moving more quickly and taking longer strides. Push harder on the wheels so that you roll further with each stride.
Learn how to glide. Lengthen each stride you take by allowing yourself to roll for a while. Push off with one foot and glide with the other until you lose momentum, then switch your gliding foot. While you're gliding on one foot, keep the other one above the floor so that it doesn't impede your gliding.
Practice turning right and left while gliding. When you turn right, lean your body slightly to the right. When you turn left, lean your body slightly to the left, always remaining in a squatting position.
Glide faster. Move your legs faster and gain momentum by putting pressure on the wheels and propelling yourself forward. Practice using your body weight to help you gain speed by leaning into your strides. Use your arms to help you keep your balance and gain speed by bending them at the elbows and moving them back and forth the way you would if you were running.
Practice stopping. Your right roller skate should be equipped with a brake, located on the toe of the skate. To stop, glide with your skates parallel to each other. Stay in a squatting position and lean slightly forward. Place the right skate slightly in front of the left skate, lift the toe of the right skate, and press down hard on the toe. The harder you press, the faster you'll stop.
It's important to stop with a confident thrust, rather than hesitantly touching your brake to the ground. If you don't press down hard enough on the brake, you may lose your balance and fall.
If you find it difficult to apply enough pressure at first, try using your hands to press down on your right knee to help you exert enough force to stop.