the other kinds of skating - roller, inline... since I can't ice skate anymore

[AuroraBorealis]

This is probably not the right section for this topic, but I have no clue where to place it - and hopefully get some replies! :) So Mods, please feel free to move this thread! :)

For various reasons, I will not be able to skate anymore. Or, not more often than once in a blue moon, without the option of doing jumps or spins. Before anyone starts worrying: nothing to do with health, just logistics and life.

However, I am thinking about taking up artistic roller skating (to replace the thrill of the ice, the jumps and the spins somehow) and trying out inline skating (for recreation and/or weight loss...). I have never tried either activity, and I'm curious about many things... I've been looking for online communties for roller skating, but no luck so far.

I've watched some roller skating performances on YouTube and it looks somewhat clunkier, slower and possibly harder than ice skating, especially the spins. How hard is it to 'transfer' ice skating skills to roller skates? Is roller skating a less expensive sport? I'd assume so, since there is no need to maintain an ice surface. What about equipment?

As far as roller skating goes, I have found a potential training facility (gearing myself up for a visit there, but I'm nervous!). Hopefully my schedule and finances will cooperate! :) I'd really love to do this, because it's likely that I'll never manage to fulfill my on ice dreams (to be able to land an axel and a double jump), and roller skating will at least allow me to keep jumping. :)

Life shouldn't stand in the way of me taking up inline skating, I can simply lace up instead of going for a walk - and I'll cover more distance, get a better workout and so on. However, I have no clue what kind of inline skates to buy, and what brands of equipment are best. I guess I will need knee, wrist and elbow pads, and a helmet. Is it possible to get a helmet which would be suitable for cycling as well?

Would anyone have any suggestions, ideas for me...?
Thanks :)

AB

[Mrs Redboots]

The thing about roller skating is that you can do it in all sorts of places - you don't need a dedicated building, although it's nice if there is one, but many clubs meet in sports halls and recreation centres (or so a friend of mine, an ice-skater whose wife and daughter are/were roller skaters, tells me). So it's arguably cheaper than ice-skating. And, of course, in-line skating can be done anywhere, and some cities even have Friday evening "skate-ins" where the roads are closed and the skaters get to use them! Paris does, certainly, and I believe there are a couple of groups in London, but wouldn't swear to it, so I'm sure that's the same in other cities.

I will let people who know more about it speak to the issue of transfer of skills!

[Sessy]

the wheel systems cost more, a lot more, than blades do, but cheaper ones won't allow you to do anything in terms of spinning and such.
I do some roller skating just for strength building. It is harder, and nothing replaces the thrill of the ice, but there's not much else in summer. The feel for many things is actually similar (not the same, but hey) so I'd say go for it - but do invest in good material. I don't think you can do lunges on wheels by the way, but there's other cool things one can do, like making a circle on the back wheels of both skates - you can't do that on ice without blades like Yuri Bureiko's got on his skates.

Falling hurts a lot more though, takes the skin off easily. And it's easier to fall because the balance point in length in smaller.

[doubletoe]

I haven't tried these myself, but everyone says Pic skates are the closest you can come to figure skating on land. They are inline roller skates with a curve so you have a "rocker" just like on figure skates. They also have a toe stopper that works like a toepick. Supposedly, you can do everything in these that you can do on figure skates on ice; it's just a little more difficult (especially spins). http://www.picskate.com/

[AuroraBorealis]

Yes, nothing will replace the thrilll of the ice... however, something (i.e. roller) might be better than nothing!

I haven't thought about the falling part... :lol: I used to fall all the time, but it somehow stopped... hwoever, I seem to have some sort of a talent because most of the time it did not hurt at all - even if it looked painful!

Are there no sit spins in roller? Haven't seen any on the YouTube clips. That would be a shame, since it's my favourite - and best - spin.
What about the camels? They seem to do a very weird entry - although I can't figure out whether it's a technique requirement, or just a series of butterflies on rollers?

Thanks for the feedback so far. :)

[kayskate]

Are there no sit spins in roller? Haven't seen any on the YouTube clips. That would be a shame, since it's my favourite - and best - spin.
What about the camels? They seem to do a very weird entry - although I can't figure out whether it's a technique requirement, or just a series of butterflies on rollers?

I art roller skated a little as a kid. Yes, there are sit spins. The series of "butterflies" are actually traveling camels, FO3 to BI3 and so on until centering the camel. It may be done as a forward or backward spin. Michael Weiss used to do traveling forward camel into forward centered camel. It seems to be harder to do on ice than wheels.

Look at some quad roller dance vids on youtube. IMO, roller dance is very pretty. it is also a solo competitive event, if you want to compete or perform. I tried solo roller dance a few yrs ago for the same reason you mentioned in your original post; however circumstances changed, & I was able to ice skate again regularly. It is a lot of fun and very challenging. In my experience, roller is a lot cheaper. Maybe wheel set-ups are more $, but roller skaters wear softer boots which tend to be less $. For example a Reidell 220 is a typical roller boot and would be considered very soft for ice skating unless you are very small or not very advanced.

There are a lot of inline roller vids on youtube too. I have links to roller sites on my web site.

Kay

[RoaringSkates]

I've been ice skating for a while, and just got some quad skates. I'm a fair ice dancer. I suck royally on quad skates. I mean, I suck. Royally. I need serious practice.

I did get knee and wrist guards, because without those, I'd be nuts to even try. I'm all over the place on these quad skates. I am all. over. the. place. Oy. Help me. :frus: