Keeping Freewheelers In Line : A certified instructor teaches beginners up to advanced competitors, helping to hone skills and maximize safety and health benefits.
A couple of months ago, Sarah Upshaw took a bad tumble while in-line skating in Laguna Beach. Upshaw, pretty much a beginner at the trendy sport, had approached the downward arch of the street near her home with anxiety, but went for it anyway.
“I like to skate on the walk by the beach and usually go down there before putting (the skates) on,” said the banking assistant, 31. “But this time, I put them on in my yard. I started picking up speed, my skates spread out, and I freaked. I hit the gravel hard.”
Fortunately, she wasn’t hurt badly; Upshaw, an athletic woman who belongs to two Orange County gyms, broke the fall with her hands, straining the ligaments in one wrist, spraining the other. Her doctor told her not to work out for a month and “throw out those damn skates.”
Upshaw sighed, “I enjoy it too much to do that. Either I’ll stay away from hills (or) learn what do when when I’m on them.”
With that in mind, Upshaw said she’ll probably attend the classes recently started by the Sports Club/Irvine, one of her health clubs. Taught by Jerry Tyler, a certified instructor and in-line skater for six years, the course is offered Sunday morning and early afternoon for beginning, intermediate and advanced skaters. The classes--which cost up to $20--are open to non-club members, but preregistration is necessary.
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Upshaw’s story, with its crunching, groaning conclusion, is a familiar one to Tyler, 26, of Irvine, who says learning the fundamentals of in-line skating can greatly reduce the risk of injury.
“People get hurt out there; it happens all the time, especially when they just go out, think they know what they’re doing and then find out they don’t,” he said. “I tell people that this can be a dangerous sport, but it doesn’t have to be.
“Most beginners (have accidents) after they feel confident on flat surfaces and then find themselves on a hill. They gain more speed, and the skates don’t work the same way; they don’t have control. They get frightened, can’t stop and then crash,” he said.
His class--which is divided into sections including learning the basics, using in-line skating for cross-training, practicing stopping maneuvers and maneuvering an obstacle course--emphasizes eliminating bad habits and replacing them with ones that raise expertise.
Whether your ambition is to spend an afternoon gliding on the boardwalk or to win a 10K competition, Tyler insists that instruction can make the difference.
“I go into various strokes and getting people to get a narrower stance, which builds balance, agility and control,” he said.
“From a recreational standpoint, the basics which will get you comfortably from one place to another--you’ll look good out there on the strand. If you’re more ambitious, I can teach you (more advanced) skills like backward skating (and) cross-over turns.”
Tyler’s “safety-first” attitude places caution above looking sharp. Although he knows most people view in-line skating as a way to have fun and be seen in public, Tyler asks his students to replace the stylish cap with a bulky helmet and decorate the slim legs with knee braces.
“Sure, I know this is a sport where being seen is the thing, but I want them to know what this stuff will mean to them if they do take a header,” he said.
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A true enthusiast, Tyler also stresses the sport’s fitness benefits. He said studies indicate that in-line skating, when done vigorously, provides an aerobic workout almost equal to jogging.
An advantage over running, he added, is that skating puts less stress on the knees and ankles because the motion is more fluid when performed correctly. Besides, it’s more fun than many other exercises, Tyler said.
“Everybody loves it once they get going. I have a 72-year-old in my class, and she does a fantastic job,” he said. “As for children, I teach them as young as 6, and they take right to it.”
A favorite of the kids and adults in his class is “The Gauntlet,” an obstacle course Tyler customizes each week. It includes slaloms, small jumps and other challenges, even “a limbo stick they have to skate under and maybe a tube or large box they have to go through.”
The course, which Tyler said will be a permanent feature at the club, is open to anyone, no matter the skill level. “Beginners can take it as slow as they want, and the more advanced skaters can zip through if they want,” he said.
As for in-line skating’s future, Tyler predicted that it is not a fading fad but a sport with growth potential. In addition to long-distance and speed races becoming more popular, do-it-yourself obstacle courses may be the next step, he said.
“All you need is a few plastic cups set up any way you want in a parking lot, then you have a slalom,” Tyler said. “People find their own way to have fun with skating.”
Upshaw agreed, as long as hills aren’t involved. What to do when she can’t avoid them? Tyler offered a little advice:
“There are subtle things you should learn, but the most obvious (is not to panic) and keep the knees soft and flexible. If you lose that flex in your knees, hips and ankles, you’re probably going to fall.” The most important tip? “Wear that helmet. It really could save you.”