Roller skating is all about the excitement that comes with speed. Expert speed skaters can skate super fast while maintaining a perfect balance.
You can speed up your roller skates using several techniques and endurance training. You can also speed up your performance by upgrading your roller skates’ frame, bearings, and wheels.
Roller Skate Upgrades
Many roller skaters don’t realize how important it is to upgrade their skates. Like all sports gear, a can upgrade roller skates to give you better performance.
Your skating sessions will be more enjoyable if you upgrade your skates.
You can upgrade three components of your skates:
- Wheels
- Bearings
- Frame
Let’s take a closer look at each component and examine how it affects the speed of our skates.
Wheels
Your roller skate wheels can be classified into one of two categories: indoor wheels or outdoor wheels.
Outdoor wheels have a lower rebound rate and are generally softer than indoor wheels.
Check the wheels to ensure they are appropriate for indoor or outdoor purposes.
If you plan on skating indoors or outdoors, you can purchase both wheels and swap them around according to where you are going. Or, if you don’t have the option, get the outdoor wheels. It is not difficult to switch between indoor wheels and outdoor ones, even though it sounds complicated.
Indoor skating is possible with indoor wheels that have different levels of hardness. These are called Durometer ratings. These hardness ratings are 95A, 92A, and 97A. The lower number, the softer your wheels will be.
You must know where you’ll be skating indoors. If you plan to skate on an indoor surface with a standard thickness, then choose 97A. 95A wheels can be used for slippery indoor surfaces. For very slippery indoor surfaces, use 92A.
There is a range of Durometer ratings for outdoor skates. The range goes from 78A (the softest) to 85A (the hardest). Consider how hard you need the wheel to be before choosing the wheel that best suits your Durometer ratings.
Upgrade your skates by adjusting the hardness, softness, and the size of your wheels.
The larger your wheels are, the more rolling you’ll get with the wheels using the least force. Not only that, but large wheels also ignore the uneven textured floors (primarily due to impurities) outdoors.
Skaters generally prefer sizes between 58 and 70 mm. However, 62 mm is the most common size.
Smaller wheels will be more appealing for indoor and artistic skating because they offer greater manoeuvrability and precision.
However, these wheels are best for experienced skaters. It is better to have larger wheels if you are just starting with roller skating.
Bearings
Upgrade the skate bearings if you are looking to make a small upgrade to your roller skates.
If you purchase a cheap roller skate, the bearings will be lower quality, and your wheels will not move as smoothly as those with high-end skate bearings.
Because the bearings are not high quality, they do not reduce friction between your axle and your wheels. Thus results in resistance to high speeds.
Higher quality bearings roll at a faster and smoother pace.
The question is: How do you find out what type of bearings your original roller skates came with?
Most skate bearings are rated according to the ABEC (Annual Bearing Engineering Committee) scale.
Depending on the quality of the bearing material and how smooth these bearings are polished, the ABEC ranges for roller skates can be anywhere from 1 to 9. Skate bearings will move faster if they have a higher ABEC number.
The Swiss bearing is a second bearing rating slightly different from the ABEC ratings.
It doesn’t matter which bearing rating system you choose. Remember that these bearings take time to break in once installed (or you can ask your local skate shop for help).
While your first few upgrades may not be your fastest, you’ll soon find that you are skating faster when your bearings start to coordinate with your skates.
Frame
You can also upgrade your skates to make them more agile by changing the plates on the bottom of the boots. These plates can be metal-based (mostly aluminium) or plastic-based, such as high-quality vinyl and nylon.
Roller skates with metal plates are usually cheaper than those with plastic plates.
Metal plates are heavier than plastic plates, which can negatively impact the speed of your skates. While the plastic plates might be more expensive, they are lighter and therefore easier to manoeuvre.
It is best to use metal plates if you plan on doing a lot of jumping with your roller skates. Vinyl and plastic are less strong.
You should choose metal plates if you’re a serious rider. But if speed skating is your thing, you can upgrade your skates with a high-quality vinyl/plastic plate.
Proper Technique
Your skating and balance skills play an important role in speeding up your skating.
Begin by standing still, then balance on one skate. Next, alternate between the skates. Next, balance on one skate and roll. You want to be able to balance well while skating fast.
Then push one of your skates forward, and the other straightens as it glides. It’s almost like you’re on a skateboard. Repeat the process with the other foot.
Balance is essential for faster speed. Your body posture and proper weight transfer are also important.
You should not rotate your shoulders or chest. The motion should be below your waist. It will allow you to increase your speed with minimal effort. You can lean forward and swing your arms back and forth to prevent your shoulders from twisting.
When you are striding, make sure your strides are diagonally moving outwards. Each stride should be perpendicular to the previous one. You should not use your skates to move in a straight line. Because this will reduce your speed and absorb your energy.
You can increase your speed by striding diagonally. It is also true for skating backwards. Ensure your hockey pants don’t get too tight and restrict your movement.
Endurance Training
Roller skating can be tiring, but it is fun. You need to keep going even if you feel tired. Many beginners feel physical and mental pain during their skating sessions.
It is normal to feel tired from the strides. However, it is important not to let this feeling stop you from moving forward.
Endurance drills can help you focus and get the speed you need to be able to skate for long periods. Either you can sign up for endurance training programs or do it on your own by practising speed skating.
You can set benchmarks and push yourself to go faster every time you go out skating. Set yourself challenges and competitions. You will improve your performance each time you surpass your “best” performance.
How Can You Stop on Roller Skates Fast?
Roller skating is a great way to have fun and gain freedom. We will teach you advanced stopping techniques, whether you are an experienced skater or a beginner.
Stopping in a tight turn
This technique can be used when you need to avoid trouble or stop quickly. You skate at a steady pace, with your body tilted inward when making the turn and straightening out as you exit it.
This braking follows these steps: first, make tight turns by tilting inside them (the equivalent foot forward in direction); next time around, they will feel less daunting because there’s no need for fear!
The power slide
This technique can be used to slow down skaters who are skilled in backwards skating. When you’re going backwards, keep your supporting foot aligned with the trajectory and move it so that one is ahead of where on land they would normally be standing while facing forward (ease! ).
It is important to keep your weight forward, but not too much to lose balance. The braking system will help you even further.
The parallel
This technique allows skaters to glide several meters without losing their wheel grip. It is the most advanced and efficient skating move, but it still follows a simple principle: at full speed, ski both feet parallel to where you want your sliding to end.
How long does it take to improve your skating speed?
Everyone is different regarding the time required to improve their skating speed. It may take several weeks or months, depending on your skill level. The most important thing to do is keep practising.
Is it possible to get seriously hurt when skating faster than usual?
Yes, You can be seriously injured if you skate faster. If you skate too fast, it can lead to a loss of control and a fall. It could lead to broken bones and concussions.
How do I Avoid a Skating Injury?
Safety first, You must ensure that you are wearing the right gear.
To reduce injury risk, skaters should have helmets, elbow pads and wrist guards.
Also, It is important to skate in a safe environment that suits your skill level. To avoid injury, always stretch before you start skating. Finally, learn how you can fall correctly.
Conclusion
You can skate faster and for longer periods if you have the right techniques.
Also, You should not hesitate to upgrade your roller skates, regardless of whether they are frames, bearings or wheels. They will bring you better top speed and thus higher performance.
