20 Mar Inline Skating: Your Instant Boredom Remedy
Scooters, skateboards and BMXs seem to rule the scene at most skateparks. In fact, whether you skate street or park, boardsports and bikes seem to be the obvious choice.
There’s no reason to follow the crowd, though. Inline skates are an awesome way to keep fit, perform tricks (if that’s what you’re into) or just enjoy a different mode of transport.
Inline skates are just as versatile as any other skatepark favourite (if not more so) and it’s simple to master the basics. With different kinds of boots available for skatepark and street skating, there’s plenty of choice when it’s comes to expressing your own style and finding your ideal match.
Recreational inline skates are designed for those of us who like things casual. A skate here, a skate there, but nothing too extreme. Perfect for beginners, they’ll introduce you to the joy of skating, without costing the earth or being so fast that your feet will speed out of control (although, inevitably, everyone falls over at some point!). Ideal for indoor or outdoor skating, you can start off in the safety of an indoor rink, or go straight for the street… The choice is yours.
If you’re looking to lose a bit of excess belly fat or just generally improve your fitness, inline skating is a great place to start. Ridiculously fast-paced and relatively easy to learn, all you need is some smooth, even ground and you’ll be well on your way to being a streamlined, muscle-popping piece of awesome. Add in some fancy footwork like slalom skating and you’ll look as impressive as you feel!
Like the sound of all this? There’s a wealth of boots to choose from, which are both lightweight and strong for beginner and intermediate skaters. K2, Bladerunner and SFR are all brands that produce quality inlines, without having to pay the Earth.
Already mastered the basics of inline skating? Need a bit more of a challenge? Well, don’t zone out just yet.
Aggressive inline skates are the boisterous older brother of the recreational inline skate, and contain all you need for an exhilarating experience, whether you intend to shred it at the skatepark, or show off your skills on the street.
Designed to be work for tricks and stunts, aggressive skates are bigger, sturdier and generally have more guts than their recreational counterparts. They’re a bit heavier as a result, but after taking on some ramps and kerbs, you’ll be grateful for the extra protection. Built for speed as well as performance, aggressive skates will let you show off in serious style, so you won’t be left behind in the extreme sports stakes.
Key brands to pay attention to are Razors, Alchemy and Valo (to name a sparse few), but to no matter which model you invest in, protection kits and helmets are always the way forward!
Don’t go thinking that inline skating is strictly a solo activity, either. If you enjoy team sports, roller hockey is well worth looking into. Much like the classic “on foot” version of the game, it’s gum shields and hockey sticks a-plenty, with the added craziness of speeding around on wheels. So, if you want to up the ante, possibly lose a few teeth and gain a few bruises (I’m joking, of course, because you will wear a protection kit), getting involved in roller hockey will definitely test your bravery as well as your skills.
So, if you’re looking for a fresh take on skating, we should have given you a few ideas to at least mull over. Just don’t forget your helmet…
No Comments