Remember when you were a child, you put on a pair of roller skates (or rollerblades) just for the fun of rolling at the rink or on the street. With the release of Whip It, staring Drew Barrymore, skating is becoming the thing to do. It’s obvious that roller skating isn’t just for kids but can be fun for adults also. Not only can it be fun it can increase your overall fitness.
Involving almost all of your body parts, Roller Skating is recognized as a fitness sport by the American Heart Association.
Combining a variety of skating techniques can serve to work many major muscle groups including the calfs, quads, thighs and buns. Twisting, or making tight turns with your knees together can work your back and abs. Crossovers (one skate over the other while turning) can help build inner thigh strength.
Skating low (squating with bent knees, using arms to pump, head leaning forward) is as good as a squat and can help build arm and chest strength and muscle tone.
Taking longer strides (power stroking) can help you increase your heart rate and strengthen your back muscles.
Overall, skating is a fun and cool activity that can be incorporated with others to help improve your overall fitness.