How to teach a child to roller skate

Inline skating, as one of the ways of entertaining in the summer and, in part, in the autumn season, has proved to be excellent among children and young people, as well as among adults. This is due, first of all, to the fact that with their help you can have fun at the same time playing various games (for example, hockey on asphalt), and at the same time significantly lose weight, since almost all muscles are involved in the process of roller skating: the main load is taken by the legs, repulsive-raking movements are made with your hands, which give an impetus to the move, all the muscles of the back “follow” the correct posture and its position.

The rollers can also serve as a kind of preliminary stage in learning to skate on classic winter figured or hockey skates: the principle of movement is exactly the same, with the exception that the latter require a little more to feel the balance of your own body due to the smaller contact area of ​​the rubbing elements.

Roller skate selection

Obviously, the fastest way to learn to roller skate is only possible on such skates, which provide the best friction and adhesion to asphalt. Although there is nothing complicated in the design of the rollers, some manufacturers prefer to save on the materials of the wheels, which leads to the fact that when riding on such skates the child shakes as if he was riding through bumps and pits. Since the child is only learning to ride, it is necessary to think in advance about the possibility of installing the brake system on the rollers.

It is important to understand that rollers, unlike skates, should never be bought for growth or for two children at the same time, if only because no one will put on a woolen sock in the summer. The inner shape of the roller should, if not exactly, then at 95% describe the shape of the foot. The leg should not inside them even move in any direction, even a millimeter or two, it should be clearly fixed in them, as tight as possible. This is necessary for:

1. The quick acquisition of the "feeling" of the video and, as a result, the technique.
2. Full control over the video, which is especially necessary in some emergency situations, for example, when you should turn sharply somewhere.
3. Prevention of the appearance of corns and plantar warts.
4. Increases in riding time (the stronger the leg is fixed, the less tired the child is).

Since the demand for commercials is only growing, in sports stores you can easily find middle-class brands that meet all the above requirements. Many coaches for the physical training of skaters and hockey players, whose students practice rollerblading in the summer, are advised to purchase products from Roller Blade, Roces, Seba and Powerslide.

If the chosen model fits the foot in its length and width, then you should not buy skates right away: you need to give them a little time to show themselves. The child should at least walk a little in them in the store, literally 10 minutes. If his inexperienced leg after this is not tired, then this will confirm the correct choice, otherwise it is better to try on another pair.

Purchase accessories

Very often, sales consultants, seeing that the child’s videos are bought for the first time, are advised to purchase various personal protective equipment: knee pads, helmet, elbows, etc. The choice here should be based on purely individual preferences, since in the vast majority of cases these tools make the movement process more cramped and somewhat uncomfortable, and the children, having barely been a little further from the gaze of their parents' eyes, will immediately remove the interfering things.

By the way, the opinion is quite widespread that without falls, the process of learning to skate is impossible.Of course, it has the right to life, but it should be borne in mind that it went more due to the fact that earlier the rollers were made of sufficiently rigid materials, “thanks to which” the frame and the roller itself jumped from the slightest crack in the asphalt. Now the skate wheels are much softer and able to calmly endure such bumps.

The frequency of falls also depends on the child's riding style: often children try to accelerate as quickly as possible in the very first days on rollers, which, of course, leads to falls and, as a result, injuries, bruises and abrasions. If the child prefers to first verify his abilities, then he will not need improved protective equipment, just normal knee pads.

First steps and movements

Before you start directly learning to skate, you should explain to the child how to stand on their feet so that they do not move in different directions. The legs should not stand perfectly straight, as if on a “Stand”, but their socks should be directed towards each other at a slight angle. At the same time, one foot should go forward a little, five to seven centimeters.

Before putting on rollers on a child, it is important to make sure that he preheats a little by doing a couple of squats. This is necessary for a small organism, not yet used to such loads.

It was mentioned above that the key to a long and pleasant ride is the correct position of the back, which will correctly distribute the load. So, it is determined:

1. The body is slightly inclined forward, as if it is necessary to lift something from a high table;
2. Bent knees (in this state, they are ready for sharp turns, turns and other movements);
3. With arms outstretched forward, alternately replacing each other;
4. One roller in front, which is the leading one (it is he who sets the motion vector).

It is very important to explain to the child that one should not be afraid to fall, because everyone, even the most experienced skaters, passed through it.

At the stage of determining the best position for movement, all attempts by the child to bend or curl somewhere should be stopped. If you see that he is experiencing discomfort, you should directly ask about this (it may be in the rollers, insole, etc.).

To understand how to move, you can use one simple exercise: you just have to stand on the rollers and carefully lean forward, after bending backward. Thus, the child himself will understand how exactly to stand on skates is easiest for him. Once the optimal position is found, you can try to move without turning on your hands, holding them just a little in front, shoulder width apart. If there are two relatives with the child, then you can learn the basics of movement even faster: one should only slightly push the child under the shoulders, directing him to the other.

In no case should you push the child in the back! This is fraught with a loss of balance due to pressure in the lower back and, as a result, a fall on the face.

Exercises to improve your riding technique

As soon as the future roller has figured out how to balance and not be afraid of a potential fall, you should gradually bring him to a little more complicated exercises that focus on one or another riding element:

1. "Ski videos." Exercise focuses the child's attention on the feeling of the wheels of the roller, helping to understand the principle of their movement. To perform the exercise, you should move your legs with sliding movements without lifting the heels off the ground, similar to how it is done on skiing.
2. "Mugs." The exercise hones the skill of owning the roller, as a result of which the child finally understands that the skate is literally an extension of the leg. On the pavement, you should first draw a few relatively small circles. The starting position is with the heels together, the toes apart.The meaning of the exercise is that the child, having mastered the implementation of the previous one, must roll to the circle, spread his legs along the length, enveloping him. A few laps is necessary for the child to understand that you should not relax for a second. At the end of the route, you can make a wide reversal semicircle.
3. "Eight". A classic exercise familiar to every hockey player: you need to move forward, crossing and spreading your legs so that they describe a given number. In fact, the "eight" is a slightly complicated version of the "circles".
4. "The snake." This exercise is probably familiar to all parents since passing exams to obtain automobile rights. Its meaning and principle are absolutely identical.
5. "Broken." This exercise is a repetition of all the previous ones with the addition of new elements: the goal is to go through a non-smooth route, which should describe a broken line in space connecting any points (flags, cones, water bottles, etc.).

It is important to note that the implementation of these exercises is not a universal key to gaining control of your body by a child, but a real practical way that will help you understand what exactly can hamper your movements and what you need to work harder in the future.

If you take at least two days to complete the exercises (three to four hours a day), then almost certainly every child will be able to master the principle of roller skating.

Braking technique

As soon as the child has learned to roller skate and travel relatively quickly from one point to another, he will probably want to feel the speed and experience the excitement of chasing another roller skate. And here there is a very important point: does he know how to brake in the right way.

As you know, you can brake on rollers using a standard brake, which is a plastic, rubberized at the end, arcuate part, mounted at about the level of the ankle and ending at a distance of a centimeter from the ground (this parameter is adjustable, because you can either raise the brake or lower it )

The regular brake is just suitable for beginners: it is easy to use it, it does not take too much time to install it, and the device is so simple that there is simply nothing to break, therefore it cannot fail. The braking process can be briefly described as follows:

1. The roller, on which the brake system is fixed, is slightly advanced (it is preferable that the brake is installed on the leading leg).
2. Gradually, not sharply, it is necessary to transfer the weight to the heel, as if wishing to stand on it. Having hardly felt the brake touching the ground, the child should continue braking, not being afraid of possible light shaking.

Obviously, sharply putting your foot with the roller on your heel means that in 50% of cases, ensure forward flight through your head. This can be compared to a sudden stop of the cyclist, who suddenly decided to use the front brake, and not the rear.

But the brake has a number of drawbacks, the main of which is its gradual attrition and, as a consequence, the need to acquire a new one. Therefore, each child should be able to slow down in a natural way, without using a standard brake system. Below are a number of ways you can quickly and efficiently brake:

1. The slalom method, which consists in creating your own braking distance, resembling a snake. The high speed gained at the beginning of the route will gradually be extinguished due to passing several turns. At the same time, it is advisable for the child to actively use his hands, which will additionally help him keep his balance.
2. Roll out to lawn or ground. To some extent, this method can be classified as emergency; it should be applied only in case of emergency. It is also better to master it in advance, since it is fraught with a fall.At the same time, the child must understand that if you had to slow down by rolling out, then after it became possible to return to the asphalt, it is necessary to clean the space between the wheels, as dirt or small stones that have gotten can greatly impair grip.
3. Braking by skid or u-turn. A fairly original method of braking, which consists in using the extended leg as a carrier barrier. The forward leg is placed perpendicular to the second so that the spinning wheels quench speed through friction. If it is possible to make a U-turn, then the first leg can be set not at a right angle, but at a fairly steep angle.

Correct fall

Falls are part of skating training, so you should make sure that the child falls correctly so that he does not accidentally severely injure vital organs. An ideal fall is one in which the main blow falls on the knees, and then on the elbows and the rest of the body. With it, there is much less chance of receiving a sensitive blow to the head or other important organs.

Always fall forward, never on your back! Absolutely all falls that fall on the back of the body are very sensitive and after a long time remind of themselves.

conclusions

Since almost any child is easy enough to distract, you should correctly approach the choice of a place to learn skating. The more colorful shop windows, pretty trees, ponds and other elements that captivate children in the park or on the playgrounds, the higher the chance that the little skater will learn to ride unconsciously, constantly looking around.

At first, the child must ride roller skates either with his family or in the company of friends, who have already mastered all the principles of movement. Being in such a company, he will again and again try to move his legs in the right way, which will lead to success.

Video: inline skating basics