Any Inline Skaters here?

Jet-Fighter7700

Jet-Fighter7700

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So decided to try something, I never got a chance to try when I was younger,
Inline skating, (rollerblading)

I must be Nuts to try this at my age, but you only live once I guess,

sure there are quite a few here, so let me ask, for tips?
really don't want to break every bone in my body trying something new, last time I broke an arm trying Karate:ROFL:
(really dont want to repeat the last time, I left my comfort zone).

so far, watching some YT videos, getting ideas on what to try first, as it looks like I will fall A LOT,

Helmet and Knee-pads/elbow pads?, necessary, or not so much, thankfully we live in a free country
where you wont go to prison for 100 years if you dont wear those, you have a choice, and seen many without any protection, and others looking like they encased in bubble wrap

I think for now going to try skate on some grass first, as my understanding is you can get used to how the skates feel and its softer to fall on,
but let me ask here, whats best to start as a complete beginner, parking lot? tennis court?
or like I thinking at least initially as they are basically boots, and you need to get used to how they feel and "bed in" like any pair of shoes,

before I get the inevitable questions, yes Im a 80's/90's kid, and I was playing Doom back then and not rollerblading
so before I'm too inflexible to try something new let me try this.

did get the Hard shell boot 4 wheel inline ones, and they weren't too expensive should I mess this up and its really not for me, but at least want to try it once.
 
This brings back memories to being a teenager in the 90's and in to alternate sports like skate boarding, aggressive inline skating, wake boarding, etc. Had a few friends that I did all three with but mostly aggressive inline skating, starting out on a pair of cheap inline skates before moving on to a pair of K2 Fatty's and then Roces Fifth Elements. Saturday nights spent at Rosebank Mall, Sandton City or the old Randburg CBD being chased by security guards as we tried to jump and/or grind anything we could find, hoping not to fall too much or get in too much trouble. Great times and I still have the 'skills' as I can ice skate pretty well although I haven't had a pair of inline skates on in a very, very long time. Have fun, get some cheap guards for your knee's, elbows and wrists...
 
Neuk_ said:
This brings back memories to being a teenager in the 90's and in to alternate sports like skate boarding, aggressive inline skating, wake boarding, etc.
Click to expand...
Yip, remember growing up in the 90's when it was all the rage, never did try it though, kind of regretting it now, but hoping to try my hand at it, thinking it's a sport I can actually do, and stay consistent with, considering how much I hate most mainstream sports.
At least it gets me off the couch, lol

Neuk_ said:
Have fun, get some cheap guards for your knee's, elbows and wrists...
Click to expand...
Going to do that, think it's a prerequisite really, as I get better might go without, but at age 38, don't want to break too many bones.

Yes, it's a bit wussy, but breaking bones isn't fun anyway.

But @Neuk_ how did you start out? What helped you put on the skates and learn without hurting yourself too badly.

I mean I remember trying to ride a bike for the 1st time, is it a lot like that?
 
Keep your knees slightly bent and lean forward... The last thing you need is to have your feet fly out from under you and to land on your ass. It's inelegant, and a cracked coccyx is no way to spend the next few weeks.

Okay, knee pads, absolutely yes. Wrist guards, yes too. Elbow pads, optional. Helmet, probably a good bet.

The idea with knee pads is that falling on you knees is *exactly* how you want to fall. The wrist guards will help because you'll throw your hands out in front of you instinctively when you fall... Sure, you'll look like a grown man crawling, but you'll avoid injury.

Like the Baz Luhrmann song says ;):

Be careful whose advice you buy but be patient with those who supply it
Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past
From the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts
And recycling it for more than it's wort
… But trust me on the knee pads.

Flat, relatively smooth surfaces are best to learn on... Can't speak to grass. Never had a pair of skates that worked off-road as such, and the reason I highly recommend this is the first time I ever put skates on was decades back at a Health & Racquet club I worked at in Tygervalley... Rolled out the door just fine, but there was a *tiny*, *tiny* drain running across the entrance on the way to the parking lot and the change of surface angle, lack of bent knees or leaning forward caused my legs to inelegantly fly out in front of me and resulted in a cracked coccyx... I do not recommend trying it.

Start slow.

Build up confidence.

A moment will come where everything clicks and you'll be good to go in any situation and on most surfaces.
 
Like the others said head, knees and wrist guards are the most needed.

Also learn to fall sometimes trying not to fall causes you to fall awkwardly and makes it much worse. Usually its better to just tuck and roll and get it over with.
 
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I would recommend wrist guards. You'll likely fall a lot in the beginning and your wrists take a pounding. Also, make sure the blades are tight on your foot. If they're loose they'll rub and you'll have ankle blisters the size of small Asian countries.
 
B-1 said:
Also learn to fall sometimes trying not to fall causes you to fall awkwardly and make it much worse. Usually its better to just tuck and roll and get it over with.
Click to expand...
that's going to be hard for me as I definitely don't know how to fall, wearing glasses most times, barely see anything without
thats another question, since I have Mine Safety glasses where I had my prescription done on them, worth wearing? at least initially.

since I doubt my standard Glasses will survive contact with the pavement.
 
Jet-Fighter7700 said:
Yip, remember growing up in the 90's when it was all the rage, never did try it though, kind of regretting it now, but hoping to try my hand at it, thinking it's a sport I can actually do, and stay consistent with, considering how much I hate most mainstream sports.
At least it gets me off the couch, lol


Going to do that, think it's a prerequisite really, as I get better might go without, but at age 38, don't want to break too many bones.

Yes, it's a bit wussy, but breaking bones isn't fun anyway.

But @Neuk_ how did you start out? What helped you put on the skates and learn without hurting yourself too badly.

I mean I remember trying to ride a bike for the 1st time, is it a lot like that?
Click to expand...

I presume you are just going to give 'normal' inline skating a try and not the aggressive inline skating like I tried? I can't remember exactly how I got started, I remember I had some friends who had inline skates that I tried and then a good friend got in to aggressive inline so I gave it a try and got hooked. Luckily I never got hurt too badly, scrapes, cuts and bruises mostly, my hospital visits over the years have been from more traditional sports like basketball, rugby, cycling, etc. You could try ice skating, although the skates and surface are very different, the premise is similar and I can switch easily between the two even using those shitty rental ice skates. I miss those care free days...
 
greg0205 said:
Keep your knees slightly bent and lean forward... The last thing you need is to have your feet fly out from under you and to land on your ass. It's inelegant, and a cracked coccyx is no way to spend the next few weeks.
Click to expand...

Yeah, falling forward and sideways is usually ok. But falling backward you should be careful to
a) Not land straight down on your ass. As greg says, an injured coccyx is extremely painful, I did that once while on vacation and slipping with my plakkies on some wet cement.
b) Don't try and stick both arms out sideways to land on. That can injure your elbows etc., especially if you're older

What you should do is to try and land on the side of your ass, when you start falling rotate the closest side to the ground and land ass to back/shoulder/arm.
 
Neuk_ said:
I presume you are just going to give 'normal' inline skating a try and not the aggressive inline skating like I tried? I can't remember exactly how I got started, I remember I had some friends who had inline skates that I tried and then a good friend got in to aggressive inline so I gave it a try and got hooked. Luckily I never got hurt too badly, scrapes, cuts and bruises mostly, my hospital visits over the years have been from more traditional sports like basketball, rugby, cycling, etc. You could try ice skating, although the skates and surface are very different, the premise is similar and I can switch easily between the two even using those shitty rental ice skates. I miss those care free days...
Click to expand...
going to try normal first, especially the standing up without falling on my A$$ first,
then going to see how I get along, practice makes perfect I guess, more want to try something new without quitting and walking away that its too hard,
you need to teach us old dogs new tricks I guess.

also it beats being planted in front of a PC I guess, as people here keep telling me to go touch some Grass,
in my case more than I ever planned to when I faceplant cause I have the co-ordination of a giraffe.
 
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