Sunday, December 16, 2007

Skater Was Bitten Twice by a Pit Bull

From SwedeInHouston: "While skating today I was bitten twice by a pit bull! I'm usually not scared of dogs but this one was pretty scary..."

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Two Roller Derby Associations: OSDA and WFTDA

What's the difference between the Old School Derby Association and the Women's Flat Track Derby Association?

Breathing Tips for Cold Weather Skaters

From Boazarad: "I can keep my body warm while skating in cold weather, but there comes the issue of breathing. After my last practice, I was left with a sore throat, and probably infected sinuses "

Why Have Heels on Roller Skate Boots?

What is the purpose of having a raised heel on a roller skate boot? What kind of skaters like them and what kind of skaters typically avoid them?

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Best Quad Skate Setup for Speed on Outdoor Trails

If money is no object, what are the best boots, plates, and wheels for quad speed skating on paved outdoor trails?

Best Songs for Shuffle Skating

What are your all-time favorite songs for shuffle skating?

Tips for Practicing Crossovers

If your feet get all tangled up and you trip over yourself when you practice crossovers, these tips will help you get past that.

Anti-Skating Devices

What do you think about the anti-grinding devices and the pavement specifically designed to be UN-friendly to skaters that is seen more and more around public buidings?

Sunday, November 25, 2007

What Skates Do You Dream of Owning?

If you could have any skates in the world, and money was no object, what skates would you buy?

Have You Ever Heard of Inline Figure Skating?

Most people don't know it's even possible to figure skate on inlines. How did you first learn about artistic inline skating? Or have you also never heard of it?

How Hard is Moving from Quads to Inline Speed

How hard is it to transition from quad roller skating to inline speed skating?

SkateLog 2008 Montreal 24 hour Team - Who's In?

Last year's team had a blast! Who's in for 2008?

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

What Is the Definition of "Old School" Skating?

What exactly does "Old School" skates or skating mean?

Monday, November 12, 2007

How Much Room Do Your Toes Need?

From 73watermutt: "Do you like your toes to touch the ends of your skates or do you like a little room in the toe area?"

Sunday, November 11, 2007

How often do you clean your bearings?

From sk8rmom: "I clean my bearings every three months but I wonder if that's too often. Is there such a thing as too often?"

What is the correct pronounciation of "Roces"?

From Bill in Houston: "Anyone know how to pronounce Roces?"

Saturday, November 10, 2007

How to Deal With Skating Obsession

We all have it. We have it bad. Here what you and your family can do about it.

Monday, November 5, 2007

Pro Skater Brian Shima Seriously Injured

Legendary pro skater Brian Shima was severely injured when he collided with another skater as he was coming down a ramp at Eisenberg's 11th Annual Hoedown. He injured both of his...

Friday, November 2, 2007

He Thought He Could Skate Until He Tried Indoor Speed

From Birgit: "Welcome in the club of beginning speed skaters who thought they could skate until they went indoors... "

Thursday, October 25, 2007

FIRS Confirms Positive Doping Result at 2007 Inline Speed Worlds

FIRS, through its Vice President Dr. Carlos Trimming Ferreira has confirmed that a single positive case of doping appeared during the 2007 Speed Worlds in Cali, Colombia. [Read More]

Beautiful Photos of Skating in Nansha China

From Clemens: "This time my conference and skating venue is Nansha, China. Don't worry if this does not ring a bell for you. It is right in the middle of nowhere..." [View Photos]

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Are Women Naturally Better Skaters Then Men?

Do the shapes of women's bodies make it easier or harder for them to skate?

Monday, October 8, 2007

Stories About Disasters on Skates

What is the worst disaster or near-miss experience you've had on skates?

Saturday, September 15, 2007

2007 Northshore Marathon Results and Reports

This year's Northshore Marathon is over and results, reports, and photos are starting to come in.

Horseback Riders vs. Skaters in Scotland

Here's what can happen when skaters meet horses on the trail.

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Inline Figure Skaters Start Their Own Federation

The new federation will use ice figure skating rules instead of the rules currently used at competitions sanctioned by the International Roller Sports Federation (FIRS).

Grim Reminder of Why To Wear a Skating Helmet

A 53 year old doctor wearing inline skates was found unconscious and bleeding from a head wound on the side of the Benjamin Trail in New Jersey. He died in the hospital the next day.

Who's Going to the Houston Inline Marathon?

The Houston Inline Marathon is scheduled for Sunday November 4th and there will be a vendor expo and skater's party on Saturday, November 3rd. Who's going?

Skaters Share Heart Attack and Recovery Experiences

From MNRon: "For the past month I have been tired all the time. Very tired. Thought I'd been overdoing it so I took some time off. Still tired. Ate a little better and gained a couple pounds, but still tired. So I go to the doctor and here's what he said...."

79 Reasons For the Decline of Skating

Wow, almost 80 replies to our discussion about the decline of skating and opinions are still coming...

Hardness of Sure Grip Fugitive Wheels

From zinger: "Sure Grip Fugitives seemed to get good reviews as decent,mid-priced wheels, but practically every website advertising Fugitives gives different information about the hardness of those wheels..."

Memories of Skateland San Diego in the 1960's

From Nomad66: "Hi from an OLD Rexer who skated at the old Skateland roller rink in San Diego in the early sixties. It's hard to remember ever being that young or in that good of shape. Does anybody out there remember the good times and parties we had at Skateland? "

What Was Your First Roller Derby Bout Like?

A roller derby girl preparing to skate her first bout is wondering what to expect.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Is Slalom Possible in Rockered Fitness Skates?

From zombiestyle: "My new skates fit really well, but being fitness skates they have a longer frame then slalom skates. With some rockering, will slaloming be possible on my fitness skates?"

Lightweight Boots and Plates for Dance?

From NYsk8m8: "I'm a skinny little thing and would like to get new light weight boots and plates for dance. Does anybody have any recommendations?"

Vertical Roller Skaters Do it Like a Crab

What's up with that weird side stance?

Carrying Skates Onto Airplanes - Is It OK?

Will the airlines let me carry my skates onto the plane?

Who's Skating the London Marathon?

The 2007 London Inline Marathon is coming up this weekend - it's Sunday, September 2. Who's planning to be there?

Monday, August 20, 2007

How to Avoid Pronating in Speed Boots

From Npawn: "When doing crossovers, I find myself pronating HORRIBLY on my right leg. This causes me to slip pretty badly on that foot..."

How to Cover Scuff Marks on White Boots

From Kennedy: "My jamskates have white 695 boots. Is there any easy way to cover scuff marks on white skate boots?"

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Amsterdam Friday Night Skate - 10th Anniversary

From harmen: "The Amsterdam Friday Night Skate on August 31, 2007 will be the 10th anniversary of the oldest night skate in Holland. "

Paris Friday Night Skate - Largest in the World?

I read somewhere that the Paris Friday Night Skate had 28,000 skaters at their largest night skate. Is that true? What is it like to roll with that many skaters?

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Help! I'm getting killed out there!

Derby Girl: "I joined a roller derby team about two months ago, and do pretty good at keep my arse off the ground, but there is always one fall that gets me really bad. My hips are swollen and bruised..."

Does Ohio Have the Most Roller Rinks?

Does the state of Ohio have more roller skating rinks per square mile then any other part of the world? It sure seems that way...

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Best Way to Lace Up Artistic Boots

From MWehmeier: "How you lace up your skates depends on your foot, the type of boot your wearing and what type of skating you're doing." [Read More]

Best Way to Lace Up Speed Boots

From an article by Glenn Koshi: "Make sure your laces are laced up going over the top of the eyelet. In other words, as you lace up the boot, lace in the next eyelet by going from up - down through the hole." [Read More]

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Bridging the Gap Between Recreation and Speed

Sometimes recreational skaters have not felt welcomed when then ventured into the world of speedskating. What can be done to encourage more fitness and recreational skaters to try speedskating?

Is Simmons Making Speed Boots in Korea?

From Simmons/Schankel Racing: "We will still be making boots in the United States but we will be offering the choice of... "

Skating Almost Naked in a Muscle Suit

You have to watch this video clip all the way to the end to "appreciate" it.

USA Roller Sports Regional Web Sites

From ChristyS: "Is there any reason why the U.S. regional Web sites can't be subdomains of usarollersports.org? "

Monday, August 6, 2007

Do Male Skaters Wear Too Many Sequins?

From Dennis Belkofer: "I was taken aback by the costumes worn by the men at U.S. Artistic Nationals. Why all the sequins and flowing sashes? Forgive me for not being politically correct, but all those gaudy decorations are far from masculine!"

Difference Between Stock and Custom Speed Boots

From j nolesfan: "I don't think I need to spend all that money for a custom boot, plus waiting for molding, plus waiting while they're made, unless they are going to bring me more than just a perfect fit, which I can get with a heat gun on almost any stock boot. Why buy customs?"

Monday, July 23, 2007

Live WebCast of 2007 U.S. Artistic Nationals

From MWehmeier: "USA Rollersports is WebCasting for FREE the entire 2007 U.S. Artistic Roller Figure Skating Championships live from Omaha, Nebraska between July 22 and August 5, 2007. All levels of skaters will be included in the WebCast, from beginner to World Class Senior competitions." More

Skating Alone for 24 Hours Straight

From Cowbell Lawrence: "I had expected most of the Montreal 24 hour solo skaters to start fast, but I was still surprised to find myself in last place after the first lap, with nearly the entire field out of sight. "That's okay," I told myself. "Just stick to the plan...." More"

Skating in 100 Degree Weather

Tips from our forum visitors about skating in really hot weather. Hydration, sunscreen, what to wear... More

Guide to Being an Old Guy Skater

(1) Roll up with your wife and kids in a mini van, (2) listen to Country music the whole way there... More

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

How to Skate With Cars

From Ken Roberts: " I like skating on public streets with cars and trucks because of the better surface, interesting terrain, bigger audience. But it's a different game with different risks..."

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Is Single Push Faster Then Double Push?

From Ken Roberts: "I was watching some race videos and it seems like sometimes the classic single push is faster than the double-push."

Show Us Your Roller Derby Uniform

Roller derby girls, guys, and referees - show us your unforms!

Monday, May 28, 2007

How Long Does It Take to Learn Artistic Jumps and Spins?

From roller dudette: "How long did it take you to learn the basic jumps and spins of freestyle roller figure skating? What were some of your struggles in the beginning?"

How Can a Skater Measure Their Speed?

From smoo: "What is the best way to measure your speed when skating? I keep seeing on this and other forums comments like "when I'm skating at 15-17 mph" etc, but I must admit I haven't really got a clue how fast I skate, especially when sprinting..."

Friday, May 25, 2007

Breaking the Over-Age-Fifty 24 Hour Record

A skater in Croatia wants to try it!

What Gear Does a Hockey Goaltender Need?

From lundqvist: "I'm new to buying hockey equipment and I'm wondering about the chest protection I purchased. The shoulders on these pads are not that big. Am I supposed to wear shoulder pads on top of my chest protection? I notice most goalies have big padded shoulders. Here's what I bought..."

Show Us Your Skating Dresses and Costumes

Artistic skaters - which of your skating dresses or costumes was your very favorite?

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Should Speed Skaters Shave Their Legs?

Do any of you male speed skaters shave your legs? If you do, does it really make a difference in your speed?

Rules for Representing a Country in Competitions

From skatersclub: "I know several skaters that were adopted from other countries but are now residing in the United States. What are the rules for representing different countries at the world championships?"

Best Socks for Roller Skating

What kind of socks - fabric and style - are best for roller skating?

Friday, May 11, 2007

Skaters - Show Us A Picture of Your Feet

The good, the bad, and the truly scary.

Reasons for the Decline of Skating

From oldiesk8er: "What do you think is the main reason for skating to be in decline?"

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Long Distance Training vs. Sprints and Intervals

From excelsk8: "I keep reading about all the things you guys do to train and I am realizing most of you are training the wrong way. All you are doing is skating miles and miles, day in and day out. That is great for overall endurance but it does not do anything at all for... "

Monday, May 7, 2007

Butt Pads for Skaters

From roller dudette: "What kind of skater butt pads do you recommend that are not too bulky, not restrictive, yet good for hitting the asphalt?"

What Slalom Tricks Are You Working On?

From Kelly: "I thought it might be fun to keep each other informed about the tricks we are working on. This may also be an intresting topic for people just getting started in slalom."

How to Spin On Your Toes

From MikeQ: " I always see skaters spinning on their toes. Can anyone explain how to do this?

Real Men Lift Girls Over Their Head

From Latinboy: "What's the big deal about speed skating. All you do is go fast, go forward, and do front cross overs. You speed skaters think you are all that. Artistic skaters are truly better. You don't have to jump, spin, wrap, or even go backwards. Yeah, and do you have to lift a 130 pound girl over your head and spin with her? Yeah, that's what I thought"

Friday, April 27, 2007

Quad Speed Skating's Glory Days (Photos)

Share your best photos from the past of quad speed roller skating.

Does Anybody Skate With Ski Poles?

From Ken Roberts: "I just started using ski poles while I'm skating and it's fun. Is anybody else doing that?"

Do Derby Girls Dress for Success or Dress to Look Hot?

What is the strategy behind the all-girl roller derby uniforms?

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Show Us Your Worst Helmet Hair

Who wants to go first?

Julie Glass Had Twin Baby Girls!

Inline speed skating world champion Julie Glass had twin baby girls on April 15, 2007.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Cone Placement for Indoor Speed Meets

From BlackCrow1515: "I'm trying to find the measurements of cone placements for indoor meets. I found a rink that will let my team practice, but I have no idea of exact cone placement."

Crowded Roller Rinks Can Be Dangerous

Have you ever had any close calls skating in a crowded roller skating rink?

Artistic Jumps Without a Jump Bar

Can artistic roller skating jumps be done on skates without a jump bar and should trucks be lose or tight when executing those jumps?

Speed Skating at the 2010 Asian Games

From godzilla: "In a major step towards inline speed skating becoming an Olympic sport, inline speed skating has been accepted into the Asian Games."

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Julie Glass Had Twin Baby Girls

Congratulations Doug and Julie and welcome to our world Valentina and Victoria Glass!

The Decline of Roller Skating Rinks

Five years ago Sydney Australia had 14 roller skating rinks and now they only have 2. Why is the number of roller skating rinks declining all over the world?

Photos of Police on Skates

Pictures of law enforcement officers on inline skates in Paris and other cities around the world.

Is It OK To Skate in the Rain?

From Falhurk: "How much rain is too much rain? Is it that if the asphalt is even a little wet it becomes a rough slip-and-slide or should I just be wary of puddles/real rain?"

Bladers vs. Skateboarders

Why do borders hate bladers so much?

Where are These Artistic Roller Skaters Now?

What are the artistic roller skating greats from the past doing now?

Quad Speed Skating's Glory Days (Photos)

Pictures of roller speed skaters from the 1940's and other past eras.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Inline Skates for Kids

Rollerblade just released a new adjustable skate for kids called the Micro II.

Speed Skaters Have Beautiful Bodies

These photos will convince you.

Saturday, April 7, 2007

Photos of Skating in China

Clemens Suerbaum of Germany, founder of the "24 Hour Skate Areound the World" took some great pictures of skating and sightseeing in Xi'an China.

Sunday, April 1, 2007

What I Saw Skating in Venice Beach

Photos from a fun day of skating up and down Venice Beach and Santa Monica Beach in Southern California.

Friday, March 30, 2007

Who is Skating the Disney Marathon?

Are you skating the 2007 Disney World Inline Marathon this weekend in Orlando, Florida?

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Roller Skating Songs

Anybody know any songs that reference roller skating or inline skating?

Monday, March 26, 2007

Buying Skates Online - Good and Bad Experiences

Which online shops are your most and least favorites?

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Aggressive Skating in Saudi Arabia (Video Clips)

Three cool video clips of aggressive inline skaters doing tricks in Saudi Arabia.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Skaters With Strange Knee Angles

From desertkiwi: "I tend to over-supinate on the right foot and tend to recover with my foot pointing to the right. In trying to correct this, I found that to I had to rotate my knee way to the inside, which throws off the whole nose/knee/toe alignment equation."

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Referee Chuck Needs a Roller Derby Name

Can you think of a good Roller Derby name for a referee named Chuck?

Indoor Speed Skating Start Drills

From Ingo: "Anyone have suggestions on drills that would improve starts. Particularly, drills that would help the timid skaters get through the pack before or just after the first turn."

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Inversion Therapy for Speed Skaters

From Code Monkey after 15 minutes of inversion therapy: "Normally I get into the speedskating position and hold it for 15-20 minutes then I have to straighten up. This morning I held a speedskating positon for 45 minutes."

Saturday, March 17, 2007

2007 Squiggy Inline Classic - Results and Photos

Results, reports, and photos of the 2007 Squiggy Inline Classic on the Flatwoods Trail in Tampa, Florida.

How to Remove a Stripped Frame Mounting Bolt

From More Cowbell: "I was trying to loosen a frame mounting bolt when the wrench slipped and tore up the slot in the head of the bolt. I can't turn the bolt! What now?"

Artistic Pro Skaters Moving From Roller to Ice

World champion Luca D'Alisera of Italy and other top pro artistic roller skaters are transitioning from roller skates to ice skates this year. Do they have their eyes on the Olympics?

Friday, March 16, 2007

How Do You Clean the Crud Off Your Skate Wheels?

From squiznat: "My skate wheels are hard and they often pick up crud from the rink floor. This stuff is really horrible - thick and black and tar-like. You can peel it off if you want to pick at it. How do you clean your skate wheels?"

How Can I Tell If I Am Overtraining?

From Dev Gnoll: Simple question. What is overtraining and what are the symptoms of overtraining?"

Best Flat Setup for Grinding

From Fablemaker2: "Can anyone tell me the best frames out there that I can use as a flat setup, but that allows for a bit of grinding? I like the flat setup, but I trip up a lot cuz my wheels catch."

Artistic Inline Plates Made in Italy

Lots of great information about Italian artistic inline plate makers, from tguido56.

What Type of Helmet Do You Wear?

What style and brand of helmet do you wear for skating and why did you select it?

Let's Form a "Le Mans 24 Hour" Team

This is a 24 hour team relay race on the famous 24 hour racing circuit in Le Mans, France. This year's event will take place June 30 - July 1, 2007. Camping is available on an area next to the race track. Sign up now - it's a great event!

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Father Indicted for Giving His Son Steroids

James Gahan of Tampa Florida is facing federal drug distribution charges for giving his 14 year old inline speed skating son the anabolic steroid testosterone.

Friday, March 2, 2007

Advice for First Time Marathon Skaters

Can I skate a marathon wearing a backpack hydration system? Will knee pads and elbow pads slow me down? How close to race time should I eat? How long should I plan warm up?

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Skate Wheels That Won't Turn Backwards

The wheels on these skates will only turn forward... never backward.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Artistic Skater Having Partner Problems

From NYsk8m8: "Am I the only one who has encountered personal problems with a dance or pairs partner? Is it common to have personal conflicts within a skating partnership?"

Quad Roller Skate Flex Plates

From LASCOLARRY: Back in the 1980's I owned a set of black plastic (Nylon I was told) skate trucks that would flex when you held onto each set of wheels with both hands and twisted. Does anybody remember those trucks and are they still available?"

Rockering Wheels for Slalom Cone Skating

From djbwhizz: "Wy wheels now are 78mm 80A. If I want to rocker them, what size and type of wheels should I put in? I am assuming that the rockering wo;; ne like hockey skates rockering."

Best Inline Skates for Roller Dancing?

From lglrgl: "I am considering venturing into rollerdance, however I would like to use inline skates. So far it seems that roller hockey skates would be the best. Any suggestions or tips for rollerdance with inline skates?"

Roller Skating Rink Games

Does your local roller skating rink organize any good games during their public skating sessions or birthday parties?

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Cadomotus 104 Millimeter Wheels and Frame

The new Mogema spin-off company - Cadomotus - has finally posted its catalog online.

Artistic Roller Skate Boot Makers

Do you know about any artistic roller skate boot manufacturers that are not included in this discussion?

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Opinions on the K2 Radical Pro?

From Kelvis97: "The K2 Radical Pro has two 110 millimeter wheels in the rear of the skate and two 100 millimeter wheels in front. Has anyone had any experience with these skates?"

Skating to Relieve Aggression

From chunchmeow: "Do you guys ever skate to relieve aggression after an argument? I've found that its all I want to do after a heated argument or disagreement with someone."

Roller Skating Rink Pet Peeves

From hikkergurl: "When I first learned to skate, there were rules at roller skating rinks. If we didn't follow them we were pulled off the skate floor. What I observe at my local rink is kids skating in all directions. The rink does have skate guards but they do nothing to enforce any of the rules. Most of the guards don't even put their skates on..."

Monday, January 15, 2007

Daily Bread Magazine is DEAD

From Best Skater: "Inline Warehouse informed me that Daily Bread Magazine went belly up and we are all out of luck..."

Night Skates in Germany

Think about planning a summer holiday around one of these group night skates in Germany. Did I miss any?

Friday, January 12, 2007

Roller Skating Rink Games

From sk8er: "I own a small roller skating rink in a small town and I am looking for new game ideas to play. Have you played any interesting games at rinks?"

Thursday, January 11, 2007

New Skater is Getting Foot Cramps

From Drew24 : "I have a unique problem - my feet cramp up so fast I have to stop every 5 or 10 minutes to take of my skates and actually stretch my feet. I was wondering if anyone would know if that is a common problem for certain types of skates. My main point: I was wondering there would be a difference between inline skates and what I'm guessing you call quad skates..."

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Happy Birthday to Tanja Romano!

Beautiful and incredibly talented Italian artistic roller skating world champion Tanja Romano was born on January 10, 1983. Here are some photos of Tanja...

Tuesday, January 9, 2007

SkateLog Team at the Montreal 24 Hour

  • Montreal 24 Hour Relay: July 14-15, 2007
  • Let's Form a "Montreal 24 Hour" SkateLog Team

  • Skater's Feet Keep Falling Asleep

    From j nolesfan: "Any advice on feet falling asleep in skates? I've always felt I had poor circulation in my feet. Is there a recipe for tying speed boots that will help me out? I've decided having the toe box tight is of no value but leaving it loose doesn't help much with keeping my feet "awake" either..."

    Thursday, January 4, 2007

    Luigino Sting Speed Skate Review

    A Spanish skater just received one of the first Luigino Sting speed skate boots and he is sharing his first impressions and opinions.

    Where Are These Artistic Roller Skaters Now?

    Does anybody know what these artistic roller skating champions from the past are doing now? Are any of them still involved in skating?

    Wednesday, January 3, 2007

    Are Roller Rinks a Poor Man's Sport?

    From chunchmeow: "It might just be a regional thing, but rinks are closing in my area because they just can't afford the taxes and fees to keep open. The survivors seem to be in poor neighborhoods where security is an issue so they end up getting a bad rap. Also, because of the rise in condos and the slow disappearance of the middle-class blue collar worker, rinks are being sold for storage to the highest conglomerate bidder. The few remaining are in areas I would not frequent..."

    Skaters - Show Us Your Tattoos

    Is anybody sporting some ink? Show us a picture of your tattoos!