If this is your first time roller skating, we couldn’t be more excited that you decided to look into it! If you watch people who have been skating for a while it may seem difficult, or even scary to try it out. But trust us, it’s easy once you get the hang of it! Roller skating can be so much fun, that’s why Southwestern Skate in Oklahoma City, OK wants to give you some tips on how to get started!

The Necessities  

• First things first, to start roller skating you obviously need a pair of skates! But since you are a first timer, some safety equipment is a great tool to have while you’re learning. Elbow pads, knee pads and a helmet will help keep you protected while you’re getting the into the swing of things.

Hitting the Rink

• You’ve got the gear, now it’s time to have some fun! Before you start rolling around the rink, and doing tricks, you need to know the basics.
  • Place your feet shoulder width apart.
  • Bend you knees and squat slightly. This will give you a bit more spring, and aid your balance.
  • Find a sweet spot with this general stance that you feel comfortable with.
• Rollin’ around!
  • To start rolling around the rink, position your toes outward and your heels inward.
  • Practice walking like this until you find your balance. You may fall a few times trying to get it just right, but that’s what the pads are for! After a while, you will gain more confidence and be well on your way.
  • Start to move your feet more quickly, and take longer strides.
  • Begin to push off harder with one foot while you glide on the other. Glide farther and farther distances

And look! That’s not too bad, right? It’s always a great idea to take someone with you that has previous experience to help get you up to speed.

So you have been roller skating for a while, and you’re starting to consider the idea of getting your own pair of roller skates! Getting your first pair of roller skates can be be really exciting, but there are a few things to think about before making that first purchase for yourself or your kids. Southwestern Skate located in Oklahoma City, OK wants to make your decision an easy one! Take a look at our list

Renting

• If you have a young child, he/she is going to go through many growth spurts. A skate that you buy today may not fit tomorrow!
• Don’t need to worry about bringing your skates from home. You’ll always have a pair of skates here!
• If you only skate every so often (and why would you, it’s so much fun!) it might save you the big expensive of owning your own.

Buying

• If you are an avid roller skater, you can save a little extra money! While it is more expensive to purchase skates in the beginning, over time you’ll save more money.
• One big advantage of buying your own skates is that you have the opportunity to select a pair that best fits your own feet. If comfort is a big thing for you, buying a pair is the way to go.
• It comes with added bonus of picking out a style that best suits you! Red skates, green skates, blue skates or whatever you like! Everyone has their own traits that make them unique, and buying skates gives you the opportunity to express that!

Photo Credit: Flickr 2.0 CC via Dennis Wilkinson

Fun and exercise are not usually words that are placed in the same sentence. We often associate getting in  shape, with something we dread. Even though roller skating requires movement, it couldn’t be a great way to exercise, could it? Actually, it is! Here, at Skate Moore, we encourage physical fitness and health, but we like to do it in the most enjoyable way possible!

So, roller skating is a form of exercise, but just how good for you is it? Roller skating is recommended by the American Heart Association as an aerobic activity on par with jogging.

1. Even at a slower pace, when you roller skate at a steady pace, it can and will improve your cardio vascular health!
2. If you are looking to shed some calories, there is no funner way to do it! Roller skating can burn up to 600 calories in one hour!
3. If you come to the skating rink on a regular basis, chances are, you are giving your muscles tremendous exercise! From your legs to your core, skating will make you strong!
4. Your endurance will greatly improve when you skate on a regular basis. And the more times you skate, the longer you’ll be able to do it each session!
5. The health benefits extend beyond just physical. Roller skating is a wonderful way to blow off some steam and destress after a long week of work or school.