Inline skating, also known as rollerblading, is a fun, low-impact activity that offers fitness benefits similar to running. Inline skating has significant cardiovascular and muscle strengthening benefits, and burns almost as many calories as running. Calorie charts show that a 150 pound person skating 11 miles per hour burns about 10 calories per minute. Consequently, a half hour of skating can burn about 300 calories. Inline skating can be fun way to burn calories and manage your weight. Here are some tips to getting started:
1. Safety-
Protective gear such as a helmet, kneepads, elbow pads and wrist guards are essential for safe skating. Many inline-related injuries can be prevented by wearing the proper protective gear.
2. Good fitting skates-
Invest in skates that fit properly. Skates should fit snugly with proper ankle support. There should not be uncomfortable pressure points. Try out the skates before buying or renting to get a feel for them.
3. Master the basics-
Invest in skating instruction to learn the proper technique for stopping and striding. You can find skating instructors online or inquire at your nearest inline rental shop or specialty skating shop.
4. Skate for weight loss-
An individual needs to burn 3,500 calories to lose one pound. Since inline skating burns about 10 calories per minute or 600 calories per hour, you can lose weight without having to change your eating habits. In order to lose 1 pound, you would have to skate 350 minutes, or about 6 hours. So if you skate one hour a day for six days a week, you can lose about 1 pound a week. However, the weight you lose can vary depending on your body weight, skating speed, and caloric intake.
REFERENCES:
1. Smooth Skating, American Council on Exercise:
http://www.24hourfitness.com/html/fitness/articles/skating/
2. How to Skate Off 20 Pounds, skatelog.com:
http://www.skatelog.com/fitness/lose-weight-skating.htm
Posted by Elaine Gavalas on September 18, 2006 02:51 PM
