Inline Skates and Exercise Benefits
Article on
inline skating
Inline
skating is an enjoyable and fun
way to get in shape and stay fit especially on warm sunny days when
it's
a lot more enjoyable to exercise outdoors than on a treadmill or
exercise
bike indoors at the gym. These days most cities have nicely paved paths
through parkland, beach and waterfront areas to make your rollerblading
experience more enjoyable. Unfortunately depending on where you live,
you
may not be able to or want to rollerblade all year round.
There
are many benefits to be derived
from inline skating. It's much easier and safer on the knees and back
than
jogging since your legs aren't taking as much pounding against a hard
surface.
You don't have to travel as far as cycling to get maximum benefits.
Along
with a great cardiovascular workout, blading provides you with a
fantastic
lower body workout by strengthening and toning your thighs, gluteus,
calves
and hamstrings. It's like doing thousands of lunges using your own body
weight without even realizing it or getting bored!
I
also recommend that you combine blading
with strength training exercises with weights such as leg extensions,
leg
presses and calf raises to name a few. This will ensure that your
muscles
and bones remain strong and it helps to prevent any possible injuries
from
occurring.
Before
you begin inline skating for
the day, you may want to do a little bit of light stretching
particularly
focusing on your thighs and hamstrings. Right now there is debate over
whether or not to stretch before exercising. I believe you should do
what
feels best for you. Also, the first few minutes should be done at a
slower
pace as a warm up for your muscles.
I
find that roller blading is extremely
safe once you get proficient at it. Rarely will you fall by yourself.
If
you do, it's usually a result of your surroundings. No different than
cycling
or walking on a sidewalk. To prevent injuries and scrapes, you may wish
to purchase elbow, wrist and knee pads plus a helmet.
What
should you look for when buying
a pair of inline skates? If you're new to this sport, I suggest you
either
borrow a pair from a friend or rent a pair just to try it out, get a
feel.
When you're ready to buy a pair there are a few things to look for. If
you're going to buy a really cheap pair I'll guarantee you that you
will
not enjoy inline skating. What I suggest that you buy a pair in the
mid-price
range.
What
should you look for in a pair
of inline skates? The obvious being that the boot fits your feet
properly
in a pair of sports socks. If you feel the boot rubbing against your
ankles
or your toes rubbing inside the boot, try another pair because
ill-fitted
boots will result in blisters and soar feet. Just like a badly fitting
pair of running shoes.
I
prefer laces for the boot with one
plastic or velcro strap at the top and soft boots with plastic heel and
bottom moldings for extra support. Soft boots with no plastic molding
support
usually give way to your ankle over time. Wheels should be in the
76-78mm
range. 80mm is too big a wheel for most people. Look for bearings with
ABEC 4-5. Most quality inline skates come with ABEC 5 bearings nowadays
anyway.
I've
tried several different makes
of inline skates over the years. I find I like K2 the best and highly
recommend
them. I like their sleek design, they fit my feet very well and have
great
support. K2s are also very comfortable and light in weight. Ultra
Wheels
are also very good and I hear that Salomon are quality blades too.
Inline
skates are easy to maintain.
The wheels need to be rotated every once in a while to prevent uneven
wearing
out. So if you use them 3 times a week, monthly is fine or take a look
for how much wear there is on the wheels. The bearings need to be
lubricated
too. I do this by removing the wheel bearings assembly and wiping the
surface
of any dirt and then spraying the entire wheel bearing assembly with
lubricant.
I don't remove the bearings from the assembly casing any more since I
find
very little dirt gets in there and it's a lot of work.
In
this article I've discussed the
cardiovascular and strength training benefits associated with inline
skating.
What you should look for when purchasing a pair of inline skates and
their
proper maintenance.
article
by: Peter Kudlacz, popularfitness.com
