How to rollerskate downhill?

After mastering the basics of inline skating, you will have to learn how to skate down hills, which are a normal occurrence in most areas and at times unavoidable. Skaters have been clocked going as fast as 75 miles per hour, according to the Inline Online website, so being prepared with the proper techniques and equipment is important. To practice, choose a hill that has plenty of grass along the side so that you have an opportunity to step off the hill should you feel like you are losing control.
How to rollerskate downhill?

Step 1
Put on your helmet, knee pads, elbow pads and wrist guards.

Step 2
Skate or walk up the hill until you are about a third of the way from the bottom of the hill. This will be your starting point while you get comfortable with the proper technique. Stand in the grass while practicing the proper stance for going downhill.

Step 3
Place your hands on your knees while keeping your ankles at a 90-degree angle. By getting closer to the ground, you are lowering your center of gravity, which makes you more stable. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart at all times, which will also keep you more stable than having your feet close together.

Step 4
Put your weight on your heels. You should have no weight on your toes. In fact, if you hit a bump or imperfection in the road, your toes should hit the tops of your boots while all your weight stays back on your heels.

Step 5
Step onto the hill once you are prepared for your first run. Stay near the edge so that you can step out onto the grass if you absolutely need to stop.

Step 6
Get into your correct stance as you place your second foot onto the hill so that you do not spend much time setting yourself while you are coasting downhill. You must commit to the hill once you are going down. Do not move from the downhill position until you reach the bottom of the hill, at which time you can resume skating until you slow yourself down. Repeat these steps until you are comfortable with this amount of hill.

Step 7
Walk two-thirds of the way up the hill. Step off the grass and into position as you coast down the hill. If, at the top of the hill, you feel a need to slow yourself, you can push back onto your heel brake slightly, but once you have committed to the hill, stay in position until you reach the bottom.

Step 8
Walk to the top of the hill once you have become comfortable going down two-thirds of the hill. Step onto the flat top of the hill and get into the downhill position. Push off the top of the hill with one foot and then place it back at shoulder width and stay set until you reach the bottom of the hill.

Warnings
Hills that have debris can cause accidents.

Tips
You do not have to accomplish a large hill in one day. Take your time so that you do not get hurt.

 

The original article from: www.livestrong.com

Written by Raven Inline Skates