Inline Skating Techniques for Beginners

  Get the right stride that will get you there faster, easier, and cooler looking. A seasoned blader can always tell a beginner by the equipment, and the technique. So, don't worry. Even if you're not a pro, we'll make you look like one.

 *We highly recommend that you read and complete the stopping tutorial before continuing with this tutorial and be wearing protective equipment when doing so.

Balance:
  Baby steps may work at first, but if you don't want to be treated like a baby, you're going to have to work on longer leg strokes. The best way to practice this is to use the slight declines in the any path you're on, to practice, practice, practice.

1. When you're gliding down a hill well within a comfortable speed, try balancing on only one skate for as long as you can (pic #1). Extend your arms for better balance if you need to. Then try the other foot. This will help your overall balance, and make it easier for you to learn how to turn properly among other benefits.
2. When you're gliding down a hill well within a comfortable speed, try making several small turns with both of your skates side by side, as close as you can get them. Like a slalom skier. This will also help your overall balance on skates, and turning control as well.
3. When you feel comfortable doing these, you can start to work on your stride. You should still keep practicing your balance while working on your stride, every time you go down a hill that you can safely skate.
   Remember: Balance and stopping in time, are the two most important aspects of inline skating.

Stride:
  Now that you're comfortable on your blades, it's time to move onto looking good. Your objective here, is a low center of gravity and a nice long even flowing glide (pic's #2 and 3). Just like the speed skaters at the Olympics.

1. When you're gliding down a hill well within a comfortable speed, try crouching slightly and tucking, just like you're in a race. This will also help your balance.
2. When you're skating on a path, crouch down with your legs slightly bent, and the top half of your body as straight forward as you can go. (Almost like bending over to touch your toes, but while you're bending your knees) It will seem strange at first, but your balance will come.
3. Now start to stay on each foot that's touching the ground a little longer with every stride. This is where the first balance tutorial comes in handy.
4. As you start to make your strides longer, also try to push your foot slightly outward as you're removing it from the ground.
5. When you are comfortable doing all this at once without feeling off balance, you'll be almost there.

Turning:
  Here's the move that sets the breeds apart. If you want to look good, you're going to have to overcome that fear of placing one foot over the other. Just like Hockey, you have to be able to maneuver like a player. This tutorial is designed more for a parking lot or wider path.

1. You should be standing in a spot where nobody can surprise you and you can't collide with anything.
2. Push off slowly and start to glide with both feet parallel to each other.
3. Then slowly lift up one foot. If you completed the first balancing tutorial, this should be easy. Put the weight on the foot you're the most comfortable with.
4. Slowly start to place your foot that's in the air, in front of the other one without placing it on the ground. Working on your balance all the time. At first it will seem awkward, but it will get smoother.
5. When you're comfortable doing this, it's time to put you're foot down, literally (pic #4). The first couple of times you do this, pull back the foot that was already on the ground, and remove it out of the way, placing all your weight on the new foot that is touching the ground. Then regain your balance before trying again.
6. When you are comfortable doing this, try the other foot which will turn you in the opposite direction.
7. The last thing you need to do, is to practice turning until you feel comfortable doing it quickly and sharply.
8. You're done. You don't look like a newbie any more.