If you are as old as me, you will remember roller skating as a child of the 80s. The thought of being as free as I was in those days is great nostalgia for me. Roller skating is being revised through Tik Tok and roller skating is back on-trend.
Is Roller Skating a Good Work Out?
Skating, like any form of exercise using your arms and legs, is a great workout. It is a good low impact sport which is more beneficial for your body than running. It also means you can go longer distances with less pain. As with any sports, practice will make you stronger. It will tone up your upper leg muscles, glutes, hips, and your core. It will make your core sharper and is very good for your health. The continuous effort at trying to balance will give you a very strong core and this exercise truly is a full-body workout. You can vary your pace and hills will require that bit of extra intensity. When you get to the top of that hill, you will feel on top of the world. Then the fun bit when you can go back down it. It is a great cardiovascular exercise that will get that heart pumping. Get yourself some roller skates for women and be on your way.
Take Care
Remember to wear a helmet, knee, and elbow pads if you think you need them. No matter how good you are at skating there is always one uneven bit of the sidewalk, which is there to trip you up, quite literally. Fluorescent knee and elbow pads will help you make a killer fashion statement too. Reflective gear will also be a good investment if you plan to skate later in the day or even head out for a night-time skate. Plan your route carefully at first so you can avoid crowds, potholes, roadworks, uneven sidewalks, large ramps, or hills. You do not want to be knocking yourself or anyone else down on your first outing. Once you get more proficient, you can enhance your route to include hills and ramps, which may be a lot of fun.
Make a Lovely Day of it
Why not skate off to one of your favourite parks or countryside spots. Have a skate around the lake or even to the supermarket! Of course, you must be accompanied by a Walkman for your tunes… ok maybe something more modern. But listening to 80s music while you skate is a must. The varying speed of the tunes will mean that you inadvertently do some interval training. Changing the pace of your exercise is extremely good for your heart. With the tunes blasting, and the wind in your face, you will feel like you are having fun and not exercising at all.
Roller skating will encompass your whole mind and body and is thus great for your mental health. You need to navigate your route and thus be thinking on your feet the whole time. The exercise will increase the release of endorphins which will again make you feel really good.
