Roller skating!

[Casey]

So, I went roller skating for the second time in my life yesterday (last time was when I was like 10). I did a small bit of rollerblading about last summer, but only for transportation really and was never any good on uneven concrete surfaces. So this was totally different, at a rink.

Their rental skates were surprisingly not crappy...I started with a pair of quads. What a weird experience that was! On ice skates, you lean left, and go left; on quads, it seemed they went the opposite, so it was really odd to try to skate on them and I was very unstable. After 5 or 10 minutes, I traded them in for a pair of inlines, and "hey this is familiar" :)

There were a lot of things I could do - forward and backward crossovers, forward and backward power pulls, waltz jumps, back outside hydroblades, shoot-the-ducks, back 3-turns, spread eagles... But there were also things that seemed completely impossible - forward 3-turns, spins (even 2 foot), any normal ice skating stop...

I also figured out that skating on a flat sole (no heel) is not a good idea, it put a lot more stress on my legs. All in all I somehow worked a whole new set of muscles, and was really tired after 2 hours.

One thing I noticed is that you can get a lot deeper edges on inlines than on ice, because the wheels are wider than a blade, and farther from the sole as well. Not that it's terribly useful if you need significant weight on that foot, as the wheels will lose traction at a point, but it was neat.

I think I'll start going once a week just for some diversity (and well, because I know a roller skater)... I don't think it's possible to ever spin on rental inlines...but maybe with pic skates it would be different?

Anyways curious to hear others' experiences who've tried doing artistic stuff on quads or inlines.

[Casey]

Oh, and for you women looking for a man on skates, the roller rink is really the place to look. There are manly men (think action movies and football) types on inlines doing footwork faster than anything you'd think possible, there's average 20's guys on quads who are quite fast and stable, there older gentlemen in their 30's and 40's doing jumps up through double loops on toestop-equipped inlines, there's somebody else on quads working on spins.

The roller rink is definitely a sweatier place than on ice - so clearly you just need to stop by near the end of a session and lure some converts to ice skating :D

[dbny]

Their rental skates were surprisingly not crappy...I started with a pair of quads. What a weird experience that was! On ice skates, you lean left, and go left; on quads, it seemed they went the opposite, so it was really odd to try to skate on them and I was very unstable.

They may have been more crappy than you were aware of, as edges are achieved the same way on quads as they are on ice, but it does take more effort. From my very first roller skating lesson ever: An edge is a curve. You make an edge with three things: Aim, Lean, and Push.

[Zoomana]

I do both ice and roller (quad). I do all the same things on my quads as I do on ice except that my spins aren't very good. I can do a two foot spin and a very pathetic one foot spin.

The key issue with rental quad skates is that they have the trucks under the wheels locked or if not locked very tight. So even though you can get an edge (going around the rink in a circle is an edge), you can't do things like three turns and deep edges very easily because there isn't as much "action."

A really nice set of quad skates made all the difference for me. However, it wasn't cheap. Luckily, the boots were free (old ice skate boots, too broken down for ice but just right for roller). However, the wheels, plates and bearings ran me about $500.

Jumps are more challenging for me on quads, but I can do all the singles except Axel and salchow. I learned all my hydroblading moves on roller because it's so much more stable and built up a lot of good muscle at the roller rink.

And you're right, there are a lot of guys. I'm engaged to a roller skater, met him skating!

[flippet]

One thing I noticed is that you can get a lot deeper edges on inlines than on ice,


Hmm...I don't know if that's really true. I've seen edges on ice so deep that the boot edge is dragging on the ice. Do you mean that the inline edge is deeper simply because the angle between the contact edge and the edge of the boot is less? Perhaps....but I don't suppose it really makes all that much of a difference, in the end.


Oh, and for you women looking for a man on skates, the roller rink is really the place to look. There are manly men (think action movies and football) types on inlines doing footwork faster than anything you'd think possible, there's average 20's guys on quads who are quite fast and stable, there older gentlemen in their 30's and 40's doing jumps up through double loops on toestop-equipped inlines, there's somebody else on quads working on spins.

The last time I was in a roller rink, there were two young couples--late teens, I'd say, and the two guys were outstanding. They were doing some incredible footwork--stomping and clapping their quads, crossing and sliding, anything you could think of, and very, very fast. I was amazed---not only because it was impressive, especially on quads, but because I didn't think that roller skating was something that was all that 'cool' anymore, especially in that age group, and especially for the guys. The stuff they were doing required practice and committment, and I just didn't realize that young guys were all that into that (at the rink). I was happily surprised. (Now, if we could just get them on ice!)

[Casey]

Hmm...I don't know if that's really true. I've seen edges on ice so deep that the boot edge is dragging on the ice. Do you mean that the inline edge is deeper simply because the angle between the contact edge and the edge of the boot is less? Perhaps....but I don't suppose it really makes all that much of a difference, in the end.
Well, I do edges on ice that have scuffed the edges of my soles, and every now and again forget the limit and lose an edge because of it. On the inlines, I could do a much deeper edge because the boot sole doesn't hit the ice nearly as soon. But not on one foot because the wheels will lose traction and skid out a bit...but with two-footed things like back crossovers when a large portion of the weight is on a more upright foot, I could get a lot deeper edges.

If you were to put an inline skate on the ground such that the wheels and boot edge were touching the ground, and the same with an ice skate with the blade and boot edge touching, you'd find that the top of the boot gets a lot closer to the ground on the inline skates. This is just because the wheels are wider than the blade, and the bottoms of the wheels are farther from the sole than the bottom of the blade. In general practice, I'm not sure how useful that really is, but maybe with better-quality wheels and a more experienced inline skater, it could potentially make a lot of difference.

...and it was a bit odd being back on ice today. ;)

[CFP]

hi there,,,, i wrote about this many pages back.
i've had pic skates for a little over 3 years and LOVE THEM!! i have a local ice arena that puts in a plastic floor during the summer months. it's ok, but i much more prefer pavement.
on the plastic, because it is slippery,, i can 'turn' almost too well,,, meaning i tend to slip ALOT! not so on pavement,,, i can make small jumps with more confidence. you CAN do three turns and rockers [ even outdoors ],,, but you deffinitly need to 'hop' a little when you go into a turn.
i tried roller skating 6 years ago.....NEVER AGAIN!!::x HUMILIATING :lol:

[Sk8pdx]

....There were a lot of things I could do ... forward and backward power pulls, waltz jumps, back outside hydroblades, shoot-the-ducks, back 3-turns, spread eagles...

But there were also things that seemed completely impossible - forward 3-turns, spins (even 2 foot), any normal ice skating stop...
.

8O 8O 8O 8O 8O

[rf3ray]

Did you have to relearn where your balance was?

Well, I do edges on ice that have scuffed the edges of my soles, and every now and again forget the limit and lose an edge because of it. On the inlines, I could do a much deeper edge because the boot sole doesn't hit the ice nearly as soon. But not on one foot because the wheels will lose traction and skid out a bit...but with two-footed things like back crossovers when a large portion of the weight is on a more upright foot, I could get a lot deeper edges.

If you were to put an inline skate on the ground such that the wheels and boot edge were touching the ground, and the same with an ice skate with the blade and boot edge touching, you'd find that the top of the boot gets a lot closer to the ground on the inline skates. This is just because the wheels are wider than the blade, and the bottoms of the wheels are farther from the sole than the bottom of the blade. In general practice, I'm not sure how useful that really is, but maybe with better-quality wheels and a more experienced inline skater, it could potentially make a lot of difference.

...and it was a bit odd being back on ice today. ;)

[Casey]

Did you have to relearn where your balance was?
It's just a bit different because the inlines I was on weren't pic skates or anything - they didn't have a rocker - so it was like switching between a 7' rocker blade with a 7/16" ROH and a 15' rocker blade with a 1/16" ROH or something ridiculous like that. ;)

Wasn't really very hard to get reacquainted with the ice though, and I feel like the exercise helped because it pushed certain muscles harder than ice does.

[russiet]

...i have a local ice arena that puts in a plastic floor during the summer months. it's ok, but i much more prefer pavement....
...i can make small jumps with more confidence....

CFP is too modest to post this....here's a link to a photo of her on Pic skates.

http://www.sendpix.com/albums/06060903/y29jw5sej3/ (http://www.sendpix.com/albums/06060903/y29jw5sej3/)

and CFP....don't get any ideas about posting pics of me that you've taken....at least not the ones where you made me wear the tiara!

We both have fun on the pics. I've been able to improve my 8-step and continue practice many other things.....other than spins!

Jon

[CFP]

ewwwwwwwwww jon,, you're lucky i'm a 'luddite'!!
at least you displayed one of the better pics.... i skate so much better in 'still frame' , don't you think?:lol: :lol:
jon is a very [ hate him! ] skilled skater on his pic skates... i shall do my best to put up one of his finer video's-- ha, jon, i'm thinking of one in particular!!:lol: :P

[russiet]

ewwwwwwwwww jon,, you're lucky i'm a 'luddite'!!
at least you displayed one of the better pics.... i skate so much better in 'still frame' , don't you think?:lol: :lol:
jon is a very [ hate him! ] skilled skater on his pic skates... i shall do my best to put up one of his finer video's-- ha, jon, i'm thinking of one in particular!!:lol: :P

This is the one you're thinking of.....the art of falling, but not actually falling. And, no, thank you, but I take exception to being called a skilled pic skater. More like modestly competent.

Listen closely to the running monolog by CFP. It is what makes the video entertaining! Her pure joy and revelry in my moment of agony is uplifting! It makes me crack-up every time I listen to it.

You will also here her say "Very nice spin.....<jerk>"! Her under-the-breath comments are priceless. We have ton of fun taunting each other.

Well there you are. A small humiliation for your (and my) entertainment. Help! Get me back on ice...quick!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67PAesFb5wI

Jon

[mikawendy]

Funny video! Thanks for posting. And what were those hand gestures I saw in the middle of the video???? ;) ;) ;) ;)

[CFP]

YEP,,you guessed correct if you were seeing certain finger gestures!:P :lol:

jon,, i cannot believe you put this out there!! this movie does not highlight his skating ability,,,,although it DOES showcase his ability to keep his composure don't you think?

[russiet]

Funny video! Thanks for posting. And what were those hand gestures I saw in the middle of the video???? ;) ;) ;) ;)

I must have blinked.

Let me review it & I'll get back to you.

[Mrs Redboots]

Great video. But I've never seen an ice-rink with hockey octagons instead of hockey circles before - and you were the only person there?! Envy! The ice looked fantastic.

[russiet]

The ice looked fantastic.

The zamboni shavings never melt. We use them for garden mulch.

[CFP]

never mind him,, he's a goober!:lol:
no, it's a plastic floor for inline skating.,, and yes, it's usually just the two of us skating there. there's inline hockey leagues that play there as well.
do any of you have an indoor inline arena? i'd like to try a concrete floor sometime.......there's a place near the seacost that caters to 'aggressive' skating and bmx riding, but haven't gone down. it's mandatory to wear all sorts of guards and a helmet to skate there. no thanks... i like to be 'free' when i skate,,,, i'm sure others can relate :)