Q&A for How to Roller Skate

Your speed will naturally increase as you practice. Once you have good balance, you can speed up by shifting your weight back and forth between your two legs, pushing off with each foot in turn.

Instead of being rigid and scared of falling, relax and assume the 'derby' stance. Bend your knees a little and put your hands on your thighs if this gives you more support. Just practice this stance until you feel comfortable enough with this center of gravity to skate. You need to train your body to feel stable while in skates.

If it's a scrape, just pick yourself up and move on; the stinging ebbs after a while. If it's bleeding, put some gauze or a band-aid over it, along with some disinfectant. If it's a serious injury, such as a broken bone or heavy bleeding, go to a doctor.

Slide and fall if you can. It can help you to not bruise your knees.

It doesn't take much time at all to learn to roller skate. If you know someone who knows how to skate, they can probably teach you to skate in around an hour or so, but it will take you a while to become proficient at it. If you don't know someone who can skate, pretend that you are drawing the letter V with your feet, over and over.

Yes, you would still need the equipment. Even if you are a pro, you have a chance to falling and getting a serious head injury.

You can, but make sure you have appropriate safety gear and proceed very carefully. Also, make sure you have people nearby who can help you as and when you need it.

Practice often and ask for advice from experienced skaters. Try to find roller skating classes or a roller derby league in your area.

Stand up as straight as you can, with your arms held out to the side for balance. Place your heels together and your toes slightly apart, in a V shape. Push your toes apart as you bend your knees, then bring your toes together again and straighten your knees. Repeat this motion to scissor forward.

It helps a little at first to lean slightly forward, but if you lean too far, your feet will fall behind and cause you to fall.

Make sure you look forward. You will increase your speed while you practice.

Not all the time. You might fall if you pull your feet up too high. Try lifting the outside of your foot while skating, so that you don't look like a penguin on wheels.

Yes. Put your dominant foot horizontal and behind your gliding foot.

Skate helmets are strongly recommended for all skaters, since most serious injuries involve the head. Knee and arm pads are less important, but they're recommended for beginners.

While outdoor skating rinks are usually made of concrete, it still possible to get bruises and other injuries on a indoor rink. If you're worried about falls or injuries, try skating on a carpet first, then switching to an indoor or outdoor rink once you're comfortable.

All you have to do is try not to be scared and to hold an adult's hand and once you get the hang of it, you will be fine.

You don't really need them, but if you feel worried or scared you might fall then you should definitely wear them.

In order to turn while going face you need to be able to lower your body and put your weight on the knee the is on the side you are turning into. Practice mastering turns at a slower speed and slowly increase your speed until you can turn going faster.

Some places (roller rinks, roller derby leagues and roller skating shops) rent equipment. If not, you can buy skates online or in a shop. Look for second-hand gear, you might be able to find great skates for a fraction of the regular price.

If you want to learn in as little time as possible, gain a sense of balance first. You may have to hold on to a wall or to a friend's hand in order to start. Push off while holding on and skate that way. Once you feel comfortable like that, start to inch away from what you're holding onto at a steady pace.

If you fall, you naturally put your hands out to break your fall. The wrist guards are to prevent a twisted, sprained or broken wrist.

Put your feet in a T shape, one foot facing straight ahead and the other foot behind, perpendicular. Another good option is to stand with feet shoulder width apart, with your toes facing slightly in. Keep your knees bent.

On the In-Line skates, you just practice and practice. Just remember that on these you'll not have the same speed, and you can do less tricks.They are better for walking, not dancing.

It's the same as normal skating, except quads are the equipment of choice for jam skating since they provide the maneuverability and solid wheelbase needed for intricate jam skating footwork. Jam skaters prefer to use low cut, speed styled boots with dance toe plugs instead of jumping toe stops.

Amazon. You can also check out your local thrift stores; you just might get lucky.

They tend to feel a little heavy, especially if you don't have the strongest lower body. You have to keep in mind that there are contributing factors to that weight. It's pretty much already a boot (plus the weight of the plastic if it has that), a metal piece on the bottom to hold the wheels, and four wheels all connected to the bottom of that skate. It's bound to be a little heavy, but the more you practice and the stronger your legs become, the less you'll notice the weight.

Push backwards with one foot, and with that same foot, go in towards the other skate and then back out. Then, use the other foot to push and gain speed. Watch other people's feet as they roller skate backwards for tips.

You should join an online forum. There are usually plenty of professionals there who are kind enough to help.

Jump back on the rink before you know what's happening, and just be careful. After a while, the stress will diminish.

Wearing roller skates while doing simple tasks is fun and good practice. I used to wear mine while working on a project for homework, reading or listening to an audiobook, making food or eating in the kitchen, and more. Also, if given the opportunity, roller skates can be used as a fun source of transportation when you need to commute between short or reasonable distances! Not to mention the fact that it's environmentally friendly and great exercise. Don't be afraid to wear your skates indoors, as long as you are careful and clean the wheels before wearing them inside if you were using them outdoors. Also, maybe a fun trip to the park with your younger siblings while babysitting is in order?