 Roller
skating’s popularity is on the rise according to USA
Roller Sports, the National Governing Body for Competitive
Roller Sports in the United States. In the past three years,
sales of quad skates have risen dramatically. One major contributing
factor is increased media exposure in recent years. We have
all seen the iPod
roller skating commercial or the Diet Coke outdoor skating
ad. The younger crowd would probably note the Jessica
Simpson music video “A Public Affair”  where
she spins the rink while not missing one single lip synching
cue. In all, the media has brought us a reminder that skating
is fun, hip and dare I say glamorous thanks to Jessica?
Roller
skating does have a “dirty little secret” that
nobody likes to acknowledge. Roller skating is great exercise!
I apologize if this ruins roller skating for you. It just
had to be said. In a time where we talk about 218
lb. 8 year olds being taken from their parents in the name
of child abuse; exercise is critical. I listened to this
story as the reporter stated that the boy was too obese to
even begin exercising due to the potential impact on his body
(joints, cardiovascular, etc.). All I can say is, “Sad!”
Could roller skating be a solution for this child?
 Roller
skating is ranked among the best aerobic exercises according
to the American
Heart Association and the President’s
Council on Physical Fitness. Roller skating is a workout
that involves almost all of the body’s muscles and in
particular the heart. The National
Institute for Fitness and Sports claims that roller skating
works most of the major muscle groups – glutes, quads
(no pun intended), abdomen, calves and arms. The AHA proclaims
that roller skating is equivalent to bicycling and jogging
as a cardio workout.
As
you have been told a million times by “fitness experts”,
many people quit their exercise regiment out of boredom. It’s
not a lot of fun to exercise by yourself, which is the case
with most forms of exercise. Roller skating is a sport where
you can find yourself in a group of literally hundreds of
people doing the same thing. They are not at the skating rink
for exercise; they are there for the fun, music, lights and
socializing. However, if you are there with exercise benefits
of roller skating in mind, I suggest staying away from the
snack bar!
It’s
easy to burn an hour roller skating, whether you are at a
rink or skating outdoors. Let’s look at what you got
out of that hour of fun from an exercise perspective. First,
you had a low-impact workout. According to
a study by the University of Massachusetts, roller skating
causes 50% less impact on your joints than
running. In other words, an aerobic roller skating workout
has the same benefit as the same amount of time spent jogging
without the joint damage.
Second,
an average 143 lb. person skating at 10 mph can experience
caloric burn of as much as 600 calories in
an hour roller skating. Most people average in the 6 mph range
and will burn an average of 350 calories or greater.
Lastly,
let’s consider the mental benefits. There’s not
much scientific data (none that I could find) to support the
positive mental benefits of roller skating. I don’t
think it takes a multi-million dollar government funded study
to recognize the fact that you never see a person
roller skating and frowning at the same time. Between
the music, lights, social aspect, health benefits and fun;
roller skating could simply be the best total body workout
there is.
Key
benefits of roller skating:
-
Low-impact exercise for joints
-
High caloric burn
-
Aerobically as good as jogging or cycling
-
Involves all the major muscle groups
-
Mentally uplifting
-
Fun, hip and possibly glamorous
Where
and when to roller skate:
-
Roller rinks (click
here for a directory or skating rinks)
-
Parks and paved exercise pathways
-
Any occasion worthy of celebrating
-
As a way to regain strength after an injury
-
If you’re in a commercial or music video
-
When you find exercise boring
-
Winter or any day it’s impossible to exercise outdoors
How
and where to buy roller skates:
-
What to look for when buying roller skates (click
here)
- “Big
Box” stores like Target will carry low end roller
skates
-
Roller rinks will carry a limited selection of low to mid-level
roller skates
-
Internet retailers like Planet
On Wheels carry all styles and price ranges
-
Older inline and quad roller skates can always be found
at Goodwill and yard sales
I
hope that the information in this article has encouraged you
to look at roller skating in a whole new way. Roller skating
isn’t just for “teens and tweens,” and roller
rinks aren’t just a day care for them. Forget about
the shag carpet walls, unbearable pop music and making out
in the corner. Most roller rinks have moved well beyond that
to become family oriented entertainment complexes.
Many have playgrounds for toddlers, laser tag, video games
and adult-oriented skating sessions. My
local rink even has a Monday Madness Dollar Night. My
family of four skates for a couple of hours for $4…
Wow! Roller skates have come a long way also. They
are lighter, faster, more comfortable and it’s now more
affordable to own a personal pair. So, consider all the benefits
of roller skating and hit your local rink for a few laps of
“good-for-you fun”.
©
2007 Planet On Wheels. No part of this article may be reproduced
without written consent from Planet On Wheels. Planet On Wheels
brought to the roller skating market the most informative,
easy to shop web site on the Internet to shop for and buy
roller skates. They continue to reinvigorate the industry
with cutting edge products from the top manufacturers in the
industry.
Press
Contact:
John Dodson
+1-770-590-8889
john@planetonwheels.com
http://www.planetonwheels.com
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