Properly Fitting the Skates: Learn How to Rollerblade

Series Summary

On a stage in 18th Century London, Britons watched rollerskating for the first recorded time in history; no one knows now who invented the skate but today roller skating is known throughout the world. Rollerblading or inline skating began in the 1960's and gained rapid popularity in the early nineties. Rollerblades allow for greater maneuverability than side by side roller skates and are not too difficult to learn to use.

Learn how to rollerblade from Adam Silverstein, inline skating instructor at Compo Beach Skate Park in Westport Connecticut. Adam has been teaching for more than three years and roller blading for more than seven and in this video series of inline skating lessons he demonstrates tips, and techniques including: how to properly fit your rollerblades, standing up in your rollerblades, balancing, pushing off, controlling speed, stopping, turning, the cross over turn, weaving through obstacles, skating backwards, skating backwards to forwards, jumping on and off an elevated surface, the one footed glide, and the bicycle move.

Video Transcript

" Hey, this is Adam Silverstein on behalf of Expertvillage.com and today I am going to teach you guys how properly fit your rollerblades Rollerblades feel a lot like sneakers and they come in size ranging from 1-13 so when you get your rollerblades you probably want to base them off what your sneaker size is. If you look in a rollerblade there are two main parts that you are going to keep those blades on those feet. You have your buckles and your laces. So now what is important when putting this Rollerblade on is to make sure both the buckles and the laces fits snug against your feet. Alright the first thing you are going to do is get your foot deep into the skate until you feel your sole flat against the bottom of it. You are going to pull the toe in tight against your leg inside the buckle and the top in as tight as you can. Make sure it is really pressing up against your leg and you feel snug inside that. Snap your buckle on the side down and you will be good to go. Now looking at the bottom we have the laces here. Pull them as tight as you can and tie them just you would a shoe. We are going to get real tight again so that foot is comfortable inside the skate. "