How to Skate Aggressively

Aggressive inline skating is one of the founding sports of the X-Games, and aggressive skaters can be found at skate parks all around the world. Combining jumps with technical moves like grinds and inverts, aggressive skating is both a fun activity and a great workout.

Things You'll Need

• Inline skates

Instructions

1. Master basic skating. Practice until you can skate forward and backward with ease.

2. Learn simple air maneuvers such as tweeks, in which you jump and bring your skates up behind you or to your side and touch them while in mid-air.

3. Practice your grinds -- performed by sliding with the wheels of your skate along a flat surface -- on small surfaces. Master the basics before trying to grind a high railing or a vert ramp. Some skates have grind plates or smaller center wheels that make grinding easier.

4. Skate in a vert, a ramp with a flat bottom and arching walls on either side commonly known as a "halfpipe." Start your runs at the bottom of the vert and build momentum by skating from side-to-side up the ramp. Once you get used to the unique aspects of the vert, you can begin dropping into the vert.

5. Use the lips of a vert ramp to begin working on your plants. Plant on the lip of a vert by placing your hand on the top of the ramp, or coping, and performing a trick that involves supporting some or all of your weight on that arm. Planting for any substantial amount of time takes a great deal of upper body strength and is not recommended for smaller skaters.

Tips & Warnings

• Always wear a helmet and proper padding when skating.