Okay I know it is the middle of winter and with all the snow we have had we will be lucky to have clean roads by the fourth of July but now is a great time to start planning your sun shine activities. In addition to being inspired to exercise during these dark days you will also have all of your duck s in a row come spring time.

Inline skating or “Rollerblading” is an excellent outdoor fitness activity. It is very low impact and thus greatly reduces your risk of injury and it works all your big muscle groups in the legs and butt forcing your body to use lots of fuel (read Calories).

Here are a few things to keep in mind when you do lace up those skates.

First, try to sit into your skating. What I mean by that is don’t lean forward. This is a common error which is bad both in that you use more of your joint strength and less of your muscle strength but also, it makes you more likely to fall and thus risk injury. Try to concentrate on having all four wheels of each skate maintaining contact with the ground at all times  especially during your push. The tendency is to lean forward and then push with only your front wheels. This will make your push weaker as you will end up using your calf muscle as opposed to your Quads and Glutes.

Second, keep your knees bent. You should feel like your knees are shock absorbers going from bent to even more bent as you get a feel for the terrain. Never straighten your legs. In addition to being less stable and thus more likely to fall, you also run the risk of jamming one of your joints by hitting  a bump and not having anything else to absorb the shock.

Third, I know I don’t need to say this but wear safety equipment. A helmet, knee pads and wrist guards may not be the fashion statement you are looking for but it is way better than skinned knees and missing teeth. Even a small stick can send you flying so protective gear is a must.

Lastly, do it to have fun. As soon as it becomes a chore you are not going to do it. Push and glide and push and glide and you can go for hours.

I hope you guys give it a shot. It is a great fun exercise for your legs. And for a few bucks you can buy an old pair of ski poles and add an arm workout too.

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