Learn to skate safely outdoors
When the world shut down, a lot of people either bought new skates or dusted off the skates in their closet and headed outside. What a lot of learned really quickly is that skating outside is very different than skating at the rink. First of all, it’s possible that the rink skates are miles better than the skates you found at the bottom of a pile in the garage, or for 5 bucks at the thrift store. This might sound crazy, but rink skates are actually pretty good. They have sturdy boots, metal plates, and wheels that are designed for the surface that they are being used on. A good rink will clean and maintain those skates as well. If you found an old pair of skates laying around, chance are none of those things will be true. I am going to cover beginning hardware in a different post, so we will move on for now.
The second thing thing that may have become apparent when you hit the streets is that it’s a lot scarier than rink skating, especially at first. There is no wall to hold onto, there are bumps, cracks, and uneven surfaces. You may encounter cars or bikes or ROCKS! When you hit the ground, it’s really, really hard. All of these things make it even more important that you take time to learn some skills and learn to skate outdoors safely.
I have gathered a few videos from some of my favorite skate teachers who will give you the basics for learning to skate outdoors, and for basic learning to skate as an adult.
First up, I love this video from Rebel at Queer Girl Straight Skates. This was my first tutorial when I bought my skates back in March and hit the streets. It provides a lot of really useful info about sidewalks, and safety info for skating in the street.
This next video is near and dear to my heart. I discovered it about a month into outdoor skating, and it gave me a serious confidence boost. Not only does Dirty Deb give the best technique tips, but she opened my eyes to different strides and styles of skating, and gave me a whole new skill to practice. This video also inspired my to find a parking lot to skate in, rather than sticking to the narrow path I had been using. With a wide open lot, there is more room for playing around, and there were less people to avoid in my case! Definitely check out this video if you are learning to skate or just learning to skate outdoors and pay attention to all of her tips!
This next one is a bit longer, but it’s full of really great tips. It’s like a class! Take notes! Estro Jen started this series right after lock down hit the west coast in March, and she made some really good videos. I think I actually watched this on live! Oh, those were the days. Set aside an hour and listen to what this pro skater has to say, it just might save you someday if you find yourself on a hill or rolling into traffic!
As always, if you want to look fabulous while you are learning to skate outside, you need an Attack Cat Bag!
