Inline Skating Technique — Longer Strides and Glides

By Jim Safianuk

Sometimes, especially on trails longer than 20 miles, and in high heat in the middle of the summer, you may start to fatigue due to dehydration or if your caloric burn has exceeded your caloric intake for the day. Under these circumstances, it’s good to have a way to conserve your energy until you reach the end of the trail.

One approach is to use longer strides and glides. Let me explain!

The Three Forces
There are a number of forces that act on an inline skater while he or she is in motion including the following:

• Rolling friction
• Wind resistance
• Gravitational force

When skating longer distances, we’re primarily concerned with rolling friction and wind resistance. Let’s tackle the frictional force that’s developed when your wheels roll over the pavement, and leave wind resistance for a future article.

Reduce the Rolling Friction
Rolling friction is defined as a force which opposes the motion of any body which is rolling over the surface of another. In our case, the body is the inline skater and the surface is the trail itself. The frictional force is applied against the skater’s wheels when they come in contact with the surface of the trail.

In addition, this force is in the opposite direction and hence opposes the force exerted by the skater to move him- or herself forward. The greater the rolling friction, the more force the skater needs to apply to overcome this resistance. What would happen if the skater were to reduce the rolling friction?

In this case, he or she would need to exert less force to move forward. Since work is equal to force times distance, it follows that the skater needs to do less work to travel the same distance. The skater conserves energy by doing less work. So, how does one reduce the rolling friction? Good question, let’s find out!

Enter Longer Strides and Glides
You can employ a technique dubbed, Longer Strides and Glides. The idea is to minimize the time you spend rolling on both skates, or conversely, maximize the time you spend rolling on only one skate, which in turn serves to reduce the rolling friction.

Longer refers to a greater amount of time for the striding part of the maneuver, as well as a greater distance for the gliding part of the technique. Let’s see how it all works.

To skate using longer strides and glides:

1. Make four or five normal strides to pick up speed.
2. Push outward to your left side as far as possible using the inside edges of your left skate.
3. Hold your left skate in the air and out to the side for 2 to 3 seconds.
4. Balance and glide on the right skate.
5. Circle your left skate back under your body until it returns to the home position on the surface of the trail.
6. Quickly push outward to your right side as far as possible using the inside edges of your right skate.
7. Suspend your right skate out to the side for 2 to 3 seconds.
8. Balance and glide on the left skate.
9. Circle your right skate back under your body until it returns to the home position.
10. Continue to make long strides and glides using steps 2 through 9 above for a mile or so.

Key Benefits of the Maneuver
This technique affords two, key benefits when skating on longer trails. First, it reduces the rolling resistance since you’re now spending most of your time on only one skate, either the right or left skate, but not a lot of time on both skates at the same time. This means you’re conserving much-needed energy, because you’re doing less work to travel the same distance. Second, you’re giving your leg muscles a break by keeping one leg suspended in the air followed by the other leg. Trust me, even these short breaks feel good after 20 miles on the trail.

Summing Up
Use the above maneuver when you need to conserve energy and maintain a fluid style on the return leg of a trail that never seems to end. Until next time, good luck and get fit on the trails this summer!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Safianuk

Skates – Tips On Selecting The Correct Skates

By: Lucy Bartlett

Skates can be used in many different ways. Some of the most common activities with skates are figure skating, ramp, hockey, stair riding, up and down hills, speed skating, commuting and so on. Before selecting a pair skates decide whether it is to be used for speed, hockey or multi-purpose.

The skating sports boom occurred in the 1880s and from that time onwards roller skates were mass produced to meet the demand. Richmond, Indiana based Micajah C Henley was producing more than a thousand pairs of skates every week and selling all of them. These skates were the first model to hit the markets with a provision to adjust the tension through the screws fitted at the base.

Multi-purpose skates are also known as fitness or cross-training skates and recreational skates. Correct translations of these sales terms will be “expensive skates” and “cheaper skates” respectively.

Multi-purpose skates with rugged shells, smaller and harder wheels and grind plates made of either plastic or metals are ideal for aggressive or street skating. These types of skates are very popular. For inline skating, multi-purpose skates form a large share of the market. They are made of plastic and contain an inside foam liner. Some models have only laces for tying and some have only buckles and some have a combination of both laces and buckles.

Hockey skates are made of stitched leather. They are good for use only in rinks and may not withstand the abrasion and shocks of the rough surface of the outdoors. Hockey skates can be properly fastened by using the Velcro straps and the laces.

Speed skates are provided with a wheelbase which can fit in 5 wheels. Speed skates are usually made of leather. Speed skates are sold only specialty stores.

When purchasing speed skates ensure you get a good fitting. Sit down and fasten the skates as if you are going to skate. When you stand up your toes should reach or touch the end of the skate. Bend your knees in the standing position. Straighten your legs and bend them again. Do these exercise a couple of times and check your comfort level. A small toe room should be created when you bend the knees during skating which ensures a good fit. If the toes are touching and feeling the tip of the skates, it indicates a good and proper fit. By using custom insoles you can get a perfect fit.

When the inside of the wheels appear worn or your speed is not picking up, it is time to change the wheels. Your weight, skating downhill and the terrain are some of the factors causing the wear and tear of the wheel.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=69935&ca=Recreation

The Custom Skate Garage Is Open

The Garage is open for business and our mechanics are ready to roll.

If you’re having a hard time finding exactly what you want, maybe it’s time for you to take the bull by the horns and have us build it for you.

Speed skates, Jam skates, Rec skates, indoor or outdoor, if you dream it up we can build it. And we can build it fast.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS

• Go to the Skate Garage
• Send us your custom specs
• We’ll send you the cost
• You give us the green light
• Your roll’n in style in about a week

That’s it. Simple enough, right.

So what are you waiting for? Get exactly what you want and stand out from all of those boring skates on the rink.