How to Get Better at Roller Skating? – 8 Tips for Beginners

If you are looking for advice on how to get better at roller skating, you are in the right place.

In this blog post, we have compiled a list of things you can do to improve your roller skating skills. Briefly, these include:

For details on each, read on! Towards the end, we also address a few relevant FAQs. These might help you know what to expect in your roller skating journey.

5 Ways to Get Better at Roller Skating

1 – Invest In Your Own Gear

One of the first things you can do to get better at roller skating is to invest in your own gear. It can sound a bit ridiculous, but it makes a lot of difference!

More often than not, rental skates and protective wear do not fit like they are supposed to. Thus, they can limit your roller skating skills progression.

When you wear skates and accessories that fit, you have better peace of mind to reach your full potential, which is fundamental to get good at roller skating.

So, go ahead and visit a skate shop. Pick a pair for yourself and the necessary protective gear, including a helmet, wrist guards, elbow pads, and knee pads. You can also get padded shorts and a mouth guard for ultimate protection.

Make sure you invest in high-quality equipment. There are good skates and accessories with affordable price tags on the market; you just need to do a bit of scouring.

2 – Track Your Progress By Filming Yourself Practicing

Something else you can do to improve your skating skills is film yourself skating, watch the recordings to pinpoint areas you need to work on, and practice accordingly.

This is done in a lot of other sports, such as basketball and volleyball. It is particularly great for kids, but if you are learning to roller skate as an adult, you can benefit from it too.

You do not need any fancy filming equipment. Your phone or tablet will suffice. You should have a couple of devices, though. It is more helpful if you can film yourself from different angles and get a full picture.

This approach will make sure you are nailing the roller skating posture and other basics of roller skating, such as how to turn on and stop on roller skates.

It can be useful when you are trying easy tricks on roller skates, like roller skate backwards, as well.

3 – Work Out To Ensure Your Muscles Are Always Good To Go

To roller skate smoothly and safely, you need muscles that are up for the task. Committing to building and strengthening your muscles can help you skate better. One way that it does this is by allowing you to practice for longer periods without feeling tired. And with more practice, you are bound to improve.

The muscles you should focus on are those in your core, glutes, thighs, and legs. You can consider exercising with the following work-outs:

4 – Connect With Other Skaters Offline & Online To Learn From Them

Another great way to level up your roller skating skill is to connect with other roller skaters. You can make friends in person, perhaps at a rink or park, or join skater communities online. Simply do a Google search, and you will find groups on Reddit and different social media platforms.

You can get a lot of specific roller skating tips for beginners and professionals alike. Roller skating tips and tricks from fellow skaters can take you from good to great.

It is possible to join niche skater groups, such as those specifically for people learning to roller skate at 40. As a result, you can relate to and rely on your new connections more easily.

5 – Follow An Advanced Skate “Idol” To Learn From Them

You can also ramp up your skills by following and keeping tabs on advanced skaters who publish and share their experience online.

Even though these skaters are no longer beginners, they often offer beginner roller skate tips and insights into roller skating exercises for beginners. You can count on their instructions to brush up your roller skating fast.

Moreover, they can serve as a source of inspiration and motivation for you to diligently practice and hone your roller skating skills.

3 Helpful Tips to Skate Like a Pro

1 – Be Patient With Yourself & Trust The Process

A lot of new skaters become impatient or frustrated with their slow process. However, it is important to understand that there is no shortcut to learning how to skate.

You will need to put in the hours. Be patient with yourself and trust the process. If you rush, you might get hurt. It can also backfire and stump you from truly progressing as a skater.

For example, if your posture is wrong, but you do not spend time correcting it because you want to move on to learning how to turn, you will fail on both accounts. You will not be able to pass basic roller skating skills and get stuck at the beginners’ level.

So, invest time and effort and go through the entire process diligently. Rest assured that you will get better at roller skating.

2 – Set Clear Short-Term & Long-Term Goals

As with other sports, setting clear goals can help you learn and get better at roller skating. When there are specific goals for you to work towards, you have a sense of direction and control, which fuels your confidence and prompts you to optimize your performance. In addition, you maintain your motivation.

It is a good idea to set both short and long-term goals. To set good goals, apply the “S.M.A.R.T” goal-setting framework: your goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based.

For example, your goal might be to practice roller skating at home for 2 hours every day until you can do the T-stop. Alternatively, aim to roller skate outside once each week to get used to the rugged terrain.

3 – Don’t Settle For Good Enough

If you want to become a pro skater, good enough will not cut it. You will need to strive for more, and when you do have that more strive for more again.

The key to this is to always stay hungry! Practice regularly and learn new techniques or tricks once you have conquered the latest one.

A good way to stay motivated for this is by subscribing to roller-skate sites that share new trends and the likes. You can also follow Youtube channels and podcasts.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Is it hard to roller skate?

Roller skating is tough, especially at the start, because you need to learn how to balance on skate wheels and conquer your fear of falling. However, once you have gotten past that, it should not be too hard to improve your roller skating skills.

If you still find roller skating so hard, this guide is made for you.

Does roller skating get easier?

Yes. In the beginning, roller skating can be tricky, simply because you have never done it before. But as you learn and practice roller skating, it will become easier.

How long does it take to get better at roller skating?

This is different for everyone. Some people have a knack for picking up sports. So, they might be able to conquer the learning curve quicker and get better at roller skating in just a short amount of time.

However, some are the complete opposite. It might take them a lot longer to achieve the same feat. Think of roller skating as a journey rather than a destination, and my motto is always “Journey before destination.” You don’t have to get good fast.

Conclusion

Now, you know how to get better at roller skating. There is no secret hack for improvement overnight, but there are things you can do to progress well. Getting your own gear, videotaping yourself to track growth, and doing exercises to build and strengthen your muscles are some of these things.

It also helps to reach out to other skaters, follow a skating star, and adopt a mindset—always trust the process, set clear goals, and strive for more. You will become an excellent roller skater for sure!