Keep your safety gear (especially your helmet) on the entire time you’re skating.
If the skates wobble or slide around on your feet, they’re too loose. If they feel rigid or they’re cutting off your circulation, they’re too tight. Make sure you’re wearing skates in the correct size. Most skates are sized just like sneakers and other types of shoes. [3] X Research source
Be careful not to let your feet roll out from under you. Practice standing up on grass or carpet before you make the jump to concrete. The plush surface will help steady the skates. [4] X Research source
Balancing successfully on rollerblades is all about constantly making small adjustments with your feet and ankles to stay poised over the wheels. Pay attention to where your feet are at any given time. Remember: you’ll go in whatever direction your skates are pointed.
While skating, you want to keep your center of gravity a little lower than when you’re walking around normally. [6] X Research source
Sidewalks, parking lots, and garages all make good places to learn the basics of in-line skating. Make sure there are no pedestrians, drivers or other people around when you’re taking your first steps. [7] X Research source
Challenge yourself to walk from one point to another a short distance away without falling down.
It can help to turn your back skate at an angle to give you something to push against. By the time you get the hang of gliding, you should barely be picking up your feet at all.
Don’t bring your arms up higher than your head or let them cross over in front of your body.
Only skate with as much speed as you can handle. Remember, it will get more difficult to control your movements the faster you’re going. You can also play around with changing the length of each stride. Some skaters use long, smooth leg motions, while others prefer to take lots of short, quick strides to build speed.
Structure your sessions to focus on a single skill or technique. For instance, you might just practice starting and stopping during one session, then work on turning during the next. Try to get a little practice every day, even if it’s only for a few minutes at a time.
You won’t always see a fall coming, so it’s best to be prepared to react quickly. When you’re first learning how to rollerblade, expect to fall down. A lot. Once it happens a few times, your fear will start to fade, and you can concentrate on improving your skills and having fun. Never try to use your arms to catch yourself. There are lots of small bones in your arms that can easily be broken if you happen to land wrong.
This technique is referred to as an “A-frame turn,” and it is the most common steering method used by skaters. [15] X Research source Practice wide, gentle turns at first, and tighten them up as you get more comfortable with the motion.
Lift your back wheels to pivot, not your front ones. You’ll have an easier time maintaining your balance that way. When you can pivot with no problem, start tweaking the movement to transfer your momentum into an A-frame turn.
Overlapping your feet makes it possible to take sharp curves and corners quickly. Don’t let your skates run into one another. Since your feet will be crossed momentarily, it can be easy to trip yourself up if you’re not careful.
On most rollerblades, the brake will take the form of a small plastic peg on the back of the boot. [19] X Research source Some pairs of rollerblades have a single brake, usually on the right heel. Others may have brakes on both heels. Skates designed for extreme sports often have no brake at all.
Most of your weight should be over your front foot, with your upper body leaning back to avoid pitching forward. [21] X Research source Both movements need to be done quickly in order to work. Otherwise, you’ll just throw yourself into a spin. The hockey stop is a high-level skating technique. You should already be proficient at gliding, maneuvering and performing normal heel stops before attempting to learn it.
