Roller skating

Roller skating can be called both an active sport and a wonderful way to relax. This activity is suitable for everyone — kids and adults, women and men, professional athletes and just lovers of active pastime. Roller skating is becoming more and more popular every year among a huge number of people who use skates not only in the classic way, but also come up with new functions and features for them. This is how new skating directions appear, including jumps and various extreme elements, etc.

Although if, if we turn to history, it can be noted that roller skating did not immediately receive public recognition and well-deserved love, because the first attempts to stand on “shoes with wheels” were more than unsuccessful, and this entertainment became mass only for more than a hundred years after the invention of the first roller skates.

The history of the emergence and the first attempts of roller skating

The first mention of the prototype of modern roller skates dates back to 1743. And the first attempt at roller skating was presented in 1760. The rollers that were used for the demonstration only remotely resembled modern skates — the wheels were made of metal, and the fasteners of the wheels to the boots did not allow to control the rollers at all. That is why the demonstration ended not quite well — the demonstration performance ended in an accident in which the demonstrator and a large mirror collided. After that, everyone who participated in the event recognized roller skating as too traumatic, and at that time no one else dared to try boots with wheels on themselves.

The next demonstration of roller skating took place in 1819. The attempt was more successful. In the same year, a patent was received for the development of such a vehicle as roller skates. The patent was obtained in France, and to this day, this country is considered the birthplace of rollers.

In 1863, the design of rollers with paired wheels was first developed. Actually, this design remained the most popular until the end of the 20th century, only the material of the wheels changed (from wood in the first rollers to special silicone in modern ones), as well as the methods of attaching them to boots.

However, no matter what roller skates were offered by their manufacturers and developers, roller skating remained quite traumatic for the same reason — there was no brake in the vehicle. The first braking device was proposed only in 1876.

And the videos familiar to us were offered to the public relatively recently, in 1979. The skate looked like a boot attached to several wheels arranged in one row. After that, the basic design of roller skates did not change significantly, but only improved.

Rollersport

In the modern world, roller skating is not only a pleasant pastime. Some areas of rollersport are already candidates for the status of an Olympic sport. The most popular of them is speed skating — roller skating.

In addition, there are other types of professional roller skating, which, although not yet recognized by the IOC, are very popular all over the world. And every year more and more adherents of this or that direction appear, championships and competitions are held, which attract both professionals and amateurs to participate in them.

Among the most popular types of roller skating are:

• street hockey
• Slalom
• Freeskate
• Aggressive
• Downhill

Despite the «professionalization» of this sport, amateur roller skating has been and remains a favorite form of recreation for millions of people around the world. In addition, such a pastime is not only interesting and exciting, but also can bring tangible benefits to the whole organism.

The benefits of roller skating

Roller skating is one of the most enjoyable ways to actively spend time, enjoy training, improve your well-being and maintain health. Indeed, in addition to the fact that roller skating gives a lot of positive emotions, this activity trains the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, and almost all muscle groups of the human body (especially the muscles of the legs and buttocks), but unlike other types of cardio loads, it maximally softens the load on joints and ligaments.

Also, roller skating is a great activity for those who want to lose weight, because 30 minutes of intense skating burns an average of about 280 calories. For comparison, when exercising on the step platforms, it will take you 2 times more time to burn the same number of calories.

What to look out for when roller skating

However, deciding to go rollerblading at your leisure, remember the main rules, the observance of which will help to avoid unpleasant health consequences:

1. When choosing a place for roller skating, do not forget that such walks should be made in places with the cleanest air, since intensive inhalation of exhaust gases will only harm your body.

2. When purchasing skates, carefully study the recommendations for choosing roller skates. After all, with the wrong selection, you can make your walk not only uncomfortable, but also traumatic.

3. Regardless of whether you are an experienced skater or a beginner, always wear protection (knee pads, elbow pads, helmet, etc.). And do not forget, the higher the level of your skill, which means the speed and complexity of the tricks performed, the higher the likelihood of serious injury, especially if there is none.

4. Before you start skating for the first time, try to find someone who has experience in roller skating and can give you some practical advice and help you take your “first steps”. It is not at all necessary to take paid lessons and go to courses, but you should receive minimal knowledge of control and braking.

5. When rollerblading, remember that you risk not only your health, but the safety of others also depends on you. Therefore, try, especially at first, to choose sparsely populated places for skiing and be careful in other cases.

Let your rest be active and pleasant!

Author: Natalia Kay

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