You know what I seriously wonder? Why aren't roller skates used more in compliment of figure skating. You only need *very* cheap quad roller skates to practice crossovers and spirals. You don't have any cooling costs, sharpening costs and in most areas, you don't even need a building, any sufficiently flat and clean surface will do. Seriously, why isn't that used in compliment of figure skating? Same as warm ups on ice. That's waste of ice time!!!

Moved from an unrelated thread.

__________________

Inlines are much better than quads at replicating ice skating.

__________________

I find quad skating strengthens muscles very well for ice skating. You have to push harder to get going, so when you get back on the ice, you feel like it takes no effort at all. And you can skate much faster.

There is another thread about this .
Look at
http://www.skatingforums.com/showthr...roller+skating

Kay

__________________
Visit my figure skating journal
http://www.skatejournal.com/

There are lots of things that will strengthen your muscles. From my own experience on quads (skates) as a child, I have found that there are many differences in balance points and shoulder orientation between quads and ice, that do not apply to inlines vs. ice. Given a choice, I would go with inlines to continue skating over a period of no ice. I still have my quad skates, but at this point, there is no way I would go back to them - too many years have gone by, and I still remember those awful wheel locking falls - worse than toe-pick, IMO, because your feet are locked together.

Kay, I know you are both an accomplished quad skater and figure skater, but have you ever tried inlines? I mean the ones meant to replicate figure skates, such as the pic frames? If so, how would you compare the three?

__________________

I found that skating on my inlines DID help my crossovers a little - however, I also didn't get very far on them, as I'm much more afraid of falling on concrete than ice for some reason - possible because I had a VERY nasty fall on concrete/gravel when I was little. I also kept wacking my toepicks as soon I went on the ice after every time I used them - so I gave up trying to do moves on them. I do still get them out occasionally to give my legs a workout though, if I know I won't be on the ice for a while.

I have only once skated on basic inlines, so I cannot comment on those. However, I have used pics. I find them similar too ice, but much less forgiving. I cannot spin on them (but I am an adv spinner on ice) and feel a bit awkward b/c the wheels are much longer than an ice blade. When I watch vid of myself stroking or doing xovers, it is obvious that I am being careful not to click. IMO, I would have to dedicate hrs to pic skating to get comfortable w it. I would have to train on those w the dedication I have to ice. I have never had the time or inclination to do that. However, they are great for basics and building muscle. In a roller rink on a smooth floor, they feel dangerously like ice skates such that you might even forget that they are not. Then when you try to do something, you will be reminded when your rear-end hits the floor.

I was a quad skater as a kid and gave up artistic quad when I started ice skating seriously. However, I did quad dance and quad figures a few yrs ago and found it helped my ice skating w/o confusing my muscle memory. IOW, it was different enough that I could get back on the ice and feel the benefits w/o having to convert.

Other, please jump in and share your exp's.

Kay

__________________
Visit my figure skating journal
http://www.skatejournal.com/

I just got inline artistic skates, snow whites, they've not been mounted yet so I've not tried yet. But with 6 month summer breaks, you bet I will. What I can tell you right now is that the length of the wheels is about the length of the blades, if not a little less. The positioning of the stop seems to mimic toepicks better than the stops on my quad rollers, too. But I've not yet tried them.

I did think that the quad rollers helped my spirals though, it seemed I tipped over much sooner on rollers so I had to learn to keep my balance better. I also think part of the reason my speed and push on ice are reasonably good for somebody skating less than 2 years (about 1 year in total if you don't count the summer breaks) is that I was skating quad rollers in that time. Just cheap ones, ones that are even very hard to do three-turns on but still it helped immensely.

Also for the stamina! Boy! Low-impact as far as joints are concerned but sure is cardio!!!

I just don't get it why it's not used as a supplement, ice being incredbly expensive and kind of scarce and the ice rink having a skater-park just around the corner, as well as a sizeable and unused parking lot.

Please post your opinion of Snow Whites. I am curious about how these compare w ice skating in terms of jumps, spins, footwork, etc. How well do skills transfer?

Kay

__________________
Visit my figure skating journal
http://www.skatejournal.com/

A word of caution about roller skating anywhere but a real rink with a properly prepared wood floor - wear all possible protective gear! Younger DD has a permanent scar on her shoulder from crashing in our driveway the day after she got her PicFrames. Cement and other rough surfaces will tear up your soft tissue, so wear those wrist guards, elbow pads, knee pads, and a helmet. Bare skin is at high risk.

__________________

LOL! yeah the first biellmann forward spirals I did were on quad rollers on concrete. Took a fall a few times. Wasn't pretty.
Figured out I needed to geer up & cover everything in jeans clothing after that.

I have some inlines but they're the cheapie kinds that don't even fit your feet very well - they look like ski boots. But what really inhibits me is not having edges. Any time I get them out I go along fine for a while, start to get confident, and nearly fall on what would be my outside edge on an ice skate. It's unnerving for me, and I've never worked up enough confidence to try a crossover. I don't think I can use them for strength training without that confidence.

On top of that, falling on ice is hard but at least the momentum is dispersed as you slide on a slick surface. On a concrete sidewalk, it's a recipe for road rash. I really, really don't want to fall on inline skates, knee pads or not.

Well that's the thing about quads. Getting on the outside or inside wheels feels exactly like edges. Though admittedly, turns feel a little different anyway.

When I tried quad-wheel roller skates it seemed turns, spins and stops (even on polished roller rink floors) required much more strength and aggressiveness (e.g., jump hockey stops) than on ice - was that just a lack of technique?

Leaning outside turns was different too, more like skiing.

I think it is better to practice falls on ice and polished floors before trying it on asphalt.

Friction is much greater on quads, even on the best floors. Also, the one foot turns require finess, but checking is not a problem.

__________________