Inline Skates - Comeback

The inline skate or Rollerblade was originally designed by ice hockey players to help with their fitness training off the ice. When done properly inline skating is a fantastic way to get or stay fit and includes a whole range of other benefits, including its ability to improve coordination and balance, burn calories and reduce wear and tear on your bones and joints when compared to other forms of cardio such as jogging.

Like Sodastream and bum-bags before them, inline skates have recently made a surprise comeback, but it wasn’t so very long ago it seemed like the sport was on its last legs and very nearly died out altogether.

  

In the year 2000, over twenty-two million people used inline skates at least once, which is five million more people than played basketball. Sadly though, by 2010 the number of inline-skaters had plummeted a surprising 64%. However, Tom Hyser, a marketing manager with Rollerblade, said the brand has seen a 300% increase in demand in just the last couple of years. 

But why did inline skating nearly become an extinct sport? 

The lack of facilities to support the sport was a primary reason, also fewer professionals were providing training to beginners at the time. Plus, inline skates were not a cheap commodity to buy.

Slipping sales, abandoned sponsorships and Nike selling off Bauer $195 million less than it originally purchased the company for, were the major death tolls for the world of inline skates. In the world of extreme sports, inline skating or rollerblading lost its market share to rivals snowboarding and skateboarding, both of which even broke into the Olympics.

The sport lay dormant for a few years and looked as if it would stay that way until the first lockdown during the COVID crisis, where it appears that inline skates have made a stunning resurgence. The reason for this comeback?

As previously mentioned, inline skates were originally designed to give off-season hockey players an edge in fitness off the ice. 

So it is no coincidence that inline skates are heralded as a fantastic way to get or stay in shape for anyone looking to improve their level of fitness, not just pro hockey players. 

According to Harvard Health Publications, a 185-pound person can expect to burn 311 calories during 30 consistent minutes of roller skating; that’s more or less in line with 30 minutes of running at a 12-minute mile pace (which will burn 355 calories).

It is recommended that a healthy adult gets at least 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise each week. Consistent cardio will lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, reduce risk of osteoporosis, strengthen the lungs, help you get a decent amount of sleep and facilitate blood flow. An extended cardio routine can also lead to a longer life, and importantly, more high-quality years with regards to health and fitness, as that life plays out. But it’s not always as simple as committing to cardio; your body needs various options to avoid injury, and your brain needs aerobic diversity to avoid boredom.

Inline skating is an ideal suiter to this goal. Compared to running or jogging, Rollerblading demandes more effort out of the core and glutes glutes while being less demanding on the joints. You can cruise for an extended period of time and work up a casual sweat, target hills to build resistance, or try a HIIT workout called “interval blading,” which involves alternating periods of all-out sprints and rest.

Word to the wise: when you do try to go faster, get low. Bend the knees and pump the arms.

So now that inline skates are sitting back at the “cool table” in the cafeteria, perhaps it’s time to dust yours off and get blading - keep fit whilst having fun!. Alternatively, get yourself to the UK’s premiere skate store - Skate Attack at www.skateattack.co.uk and order online today! You can also call them on 0208 8867979 and speak to a friendly and helpful professional who can guide you in all your inline skating related wants and needs.