Start with inline speed skating

18 Jan 2022

by Marcia Jansen

Learn how to skate on inline speed skates

Luckily inline skating is not as hard as you might think. But it is good to know the basics before you go on a public road. The most important things are, to be able to keep your balance, know how to brake and make a corner. To learn these basics, it is a good idea to take some lessons. The best thing to do is to find an inline skate school or an inline skate club. If there aren’t any close to you, you can also find inline-skate courses online.

Once your balance is on key, you know how to brake, and you can do a step- or cross-over, you can start working on your position and technique. When you can maintain a low position, your push-off will be more effective, you can make more speed, and inline-skating will be more fun. For every step in your development, Cádomotus has a matching shoe. You can go from a higher shoe and smaller wheels to a semi-high shoe with slightly bigger wheels – you can buy a frame that will fit different size wheels – and end with a professional low shoe.

Skeeleren in de buurt

What are the best inline skate techniques?

Inline skating is an accessible sport. You only need a pair of skates and a helmet, and you are good to go. And without much practice, almost everyone will be able to skate a loop. If you want to grow in this sport, go longer and faster, technique will become more important. The best thing to do, is to take some lessons early on because bad habits are hard to break.

A low body position is important: your back, hips and knees are bent, this will make it possible to put pressure on your skates, and you will have a strong push-off. You are also more stable when your body position is low. When you can maintain a low skating position, you can develop your technique further.

There are roughly two techniques you can learn: the ice skating technique and the inline skate technique. Those techniques may look alike at first sight, but there are significant differences. You can read more details about this here, but in short, it boils down to the fact that when you are upright on your ice skates, you don’t have a lot of grip on the ice. When you push off, you have grip, so you want to have a long push off. With inline skates, it is the other way around. You have more grip when you are upright. When you push off and stretch out your leg, you will lose grip. Your strokes are more effective when you keep them short.

That shorter push-off you have to make in your so-called ‘power box’. When you are outside that box, your push-off is less effective. To be more effective within that power box, the double push was invented: you place your foot directly under your body, first, you push your foot

powerbox of inline skating

The right skates for you

If you are starting out with inline speed skating you will choose different skates than when you are advanced. The plan below is the most common route to professional speed skating.

Inline-skate plan: from Rookie to Pro