When my daughter first asked for roller skates, I assumed a helmet would be enough. Then I spent an afternoon at our local rink watching kids wipe out, and I realized I had a lot to learn about what safety gear kids actually need for skating. The difference between a scraped knee and a fractured … Read more
The safest way to skate alongside and support a wobbling child is to stand at their side, slightly behind, with one hand resting gently on their shoulder or upper arm while you keep your own weight centered and knees bent. This position lets you steady them the instant they lose balance without pulling them off-center … Read more
Learning to rollerblade as an adult hits differently than learning as a kid. When you are 8 years old, you fall, you get up, and you fall again without a second thought. At 35 or 45, your brain is busy calculating insurance deductibles before you even lace up. I remember staring at my first pair … Read more
No, it is not too late to learn to skate at 40 or 50. I have seen firsthand how adults in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and even 70s pick up skating and turn it into a lifelong joy. If your body can move and your mind is willing, age is just a number on the … Read more
I remember standing at the edge of the rink in my late thirties, helmet strapped on, knees locked, heart hammering, completely unable to push off. The fear of falling was so loud in my head that I could not hear anything else. If that sounds familiar, I want you to know something before we go … Read more
I hear the same question from readers almost every week: “I’m past 50, and I used to love skating. Can my body still handle it?” My answer is always yes, with a plan. Skating after 50 is one of the best low-impact exercises you can pick up, and after two decades of coaching older beginners, … Read more
I stepped back onto the ice after a 12-year break and could barely stand. My legs shook, my ankles wobbled, and the wall felt like my best friend. But then something strange happened. About twenty minutes in, my body started remembering things my brain had completely forgotten. That is the magic of rebuilding skating skills … Read more
I remember the first time I clipped into my skates and tried to push off in public. My ankles wobbled like wet noodles, and I felt every single person on the path staring at me. That feeling is exactly why so many beginners ask me how to practice skating discreetly while they are still wobbly. … Read more
If you are standing at the crossroads of roller skating vs rollerblading, which should you learn first? It is one of the most common questions beginners ask before lacing up. The short answer: most people find roller skates (quad skates) easier to balance on at first, while rollerblades (inline skates) are easier to keep moving … Read more
If you have been skating for a while on fitness inline skates, you have probably wondered whether speed skates would make you faster, smoother, or just plain happier on the trail. The fitness skates vs speed skates question is one of the most common debates in the rollerblading community, and the answer is rarely a … Read more