Roller-Skating Your Way to Fitness
Skating, which has had a low profile for the last decade, is once again on a roll.
In the late 1970s, roller-skating was the workout of choice for many Los Angeles skaters who often outnumbered--and outpaced--cyclists on area bike paths. After a rash of injuries and confrontations with pedestrians and cyclists, which prompted increased community pressure to ban skating from the coastal bike path, many skaters hung up their skates or went back to indoor rinks. Outdoor skate teams disbanded, shops closed and several manufacturers filed for bankruptcy.
Like the Hula-Hoop craze of the 1950s, outdoor skating was passe.
New Technology
But a few die-hard fanatics have kept the faith, and with the emergence of new technology and techniques--and an emphasis on safety gear--the sport is resurging.
A Triple Crown, composed of races from 85 kilometers to 100 kilometers, is held annually in Malibu, Tampa, Fla., and Atlanta. Skaters have their own national magazine, Skate Express, now in its second year. And while previously regarded as a recreational activity, skating is now considered an excellent form of aerobic exercise by many fitness professionals.
A recently completed study by a group of kinesiologists at St. Cloud University in St. Cloud, Minn., demonstrated that skating helps to control weight and develop cardiovascular conditioning. Douglas Brooks, a Los Angeles personal fitness trainer who wrote “Going Solo: The Art of Personal Training,” has long recommended skating to his clients.
With today’s emphasis on cross-training (the use of a variety of sports to achieve a high level of fitness), roller-skating has assumed new legitimacy.
Cross-country skiers and ice skaters were among the first to adopt roller skating as an adjunct to their sport. All three activities, says Daniel Kosich, program director of the Jane Fonda Workout, depend upon hip abduction--the movement of the leg away from the body--and all involve the same muscles and techniques.
On the other hand, because downhill skiing requires hip and knee flexion, skating workouts do not hone a skier’s technique. But workouts do help strengthen the quadriceps and gluteus muscles and can be a valuable addition to a skier’s exercise program, Kosich adds.
Types of Skates
Skates, of course, are of prime importance. There is the conventional type, with wheels mounted on the bottom of each side of the foot, or the in-line skate, which aligns the wheels along a single blade, similar to the structure of an ice skate. The in-line skate causes less friction and results in a faster ride than its traditional counterpart.
Rollerblade, a leading manufacturer of in-line skates, is helping to promote roller-skating. Two years ago, the Minneapolis-based company organized a team of young skaters to serve as ambassadors of the sport. Team Rollerblade gives skating demonstrations at stores, sporting events and trade shows and also conducts weekly neighborhood clinics, covering instruction in beginning, ramp, slalom, trick, distance and speed skating, as well as hockey.
“Between 65% and 70% of the people who come to the clinics have not been on skates since they were little,” says Ken Schneider, a Rollerblade technical representative who organizes and runs the Southern California clinics.
“They typically are intimidated by the appearance of the skate and the threat of instability. By the end of the first clinic, they generally see the potential skating has to improve their level of fitness.
“The clinics try to teach the fundamentals of skating. That way, the skater can become a controlled, responsible skater as opposed to a terror on wheels. We think skating should be fun for everyone, whether they are on skates or just watching. Why be acrobatic if it is frightening to the people around you?”
Clinic Locations
Clinics are held Tuesdays at the beach parking lot fronting 2400 Promenade Ave., Santa Monica; Wednesdays outside the Balboa Sports Center, 17015 Burbank Blvd., Encino, and at Camino Real Park, at the intersection of Orangewood Avenue and Main Street, Orange. Hours are 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Information: (213) 325-7455.
Whether you want to dance on your skates or settle for a workout, Patrick O’Donnell, a personal fitness trainer and massage therapist who skates as his primary aerobic activity, recommends a skate with a high boot for better ankle support. For faster or more intense skating, he suggests a lighter skate with a low boot or Rollerblade’s Lightning skate.
A good pair of beginning skates costs about $125. The low-cut racing skates are more expensive, costing from $250 to $500. The Lightnings run about $170. O’Donnell advises skaters not to skimp on their purchases, especially on the boot.
“Miserable toes make for miserable skating,” he says. “Getting a pair of skates at a garage sale for $10 may seem like a great deal until you put them on and start skating.”
To get a proper fit, he suggests trying the skates on in the afternoon when feet are at “full size.” Wear a new pair of socks without heavy seams. Spend 15-30 minutes standing or moving around in the skate shop before making a purchase.
Safety Gear
He also stresses the importance of safety gear such as wrist guards and knee and elbow pads, which provide excellent protection against injury in a fall. Some skaters also wear bicycle helmets, especially if they are racing in packs.
Prime skating areas include the bike path that runs from Redondo Beach to Santa Monica, the Long Beach bike path, El Dorado Park in Long Beach and Balboa Park in Encino.
Here is a sampling of some of the skate shops in Southern California:
Rip City in Santa Monica, (213) 828-0388; Val Surf in Woodland Hills, (818) 888-6488; E. T. Surfboards, Hermosa Beach, (213) 379-7660; Rollerskates of America, Lawndale, (213) 371-0770; Skatey’s Sports, Venice, (213) 823-7971; Sea Mist Rentals, Santa Monica, (213) 395-7076; Pacific Strand, Hermosa Beach, (213) 372-8812; Spyder Surfboards, Hermosa Beach, (213) 374-8276; Golden Bear, Culver City, (213) 838-6611, and Skating Rabbit, Van Nuys, (818) 782-7092.