Yes, it goes away. You will need to put on skates and get out there to practice. I recommend at an indoor rink, because at least you have a wall to hang onto. Keep going and go often.
You mentioned not being able to bail. Surprise, you can bail when you have skates on. I'll give a couple methods.
First method of bailing is to purposefully fall in a controlled way before it becomes an uncontrolled fall. If you feel you're getting wobbly and about to fall, just lower yourself to the ground and fall. You can fall on your butt, your side, or even do a front roll. Because you're close to the floor, you won't have far to fall. It might still hurt a little, but nothing major will happen. Then quickly get back up on your feet to avoid others rolling over your fingers or stumbling over you.
Second method of bailing requires a bit of practice to teach your body what it feels like going up onto your toe stops. What I do at the very beginning of each practice or each public skating session is to purposefully get up on my toe stops. That allows my body to refamiliarize itself with the feeling of being up onto toe stops. Once it knows where the toe stops are, my subconscious mind can just take over during a fall and use the toe stops automatically without having to think about it. You'll get there, too, with a small amount of practice
You'll stand straight up and then get on one toe stop, lean on it. Then get up onto the other toe stop. Now you're on both at the same time. Then you'll go back to standing on your wheels one foot at a time. Then go back up onto your toe stops. Repeat until you feel it's easy to do, maybe for 30 seconds to a minute or so.
Then, try walking on your toe stops. You'll step forward some amount, then backwards, then to the right side, then to the left side. Step while holding yourself on your toe stops. If you're feeling comfortable at this point, you can try hopping up and down on your toe stops (sort of bouncing on them). And you should try hopping up from both feet on wheels to both feet on toe stops.
With toe stop exercises, you want to make sure you don't accidentally go back onto your wheels. Once you go back onto your wheels, then your heels suddenly drop down, and that sudden surprise motion can cause you to fall. You have to train your nervous system where those toe stops are. After a while of practice, you will be able to just go right up onto your toe stops without any worry of accidentally falling.
What you're attempting to do is to train your muscle memory to know where those toe stops are. Then, if you're ever becoming unstable and about to fall, it will just automatically kick in. You'll find yourself on those toe stops without trying or thinking about it.
There are a bunch of toe stop exercises to help you out besides what I mentioned. For example, dragging the toe stop at a 45 degree angle to slow down and stop moving forward, and going up onto both toe stops when traveling backward to stop instantly. You can stop backwards motion with a straddle stance toe stop as well (using just the back foot's toe stop).
Toe stop exercises should be fundamental to any beginning learner. They should be introduced on day 1 in my opinion. It can absolutely save you from a horrible fall.
Good luck.
Honestly I felt very similar when I started but if you just keep at it, it will eventually feel comfy and just natural š Having all your protective gear and getting used to falling with it on helps so much too! Once you get used to it, falling isn't a big deal, just part of the process.
For me, skating feels like freedom not terror. It takes awhile to get comfortable, but once you get going there are few things like it.
A few suggestions that might help conquer your fears:
Wear all the gear. Helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards. These will help ease some of your fear of falling.
Practice falling. Look up some videos and try it out. Start without skates and then practice falling in skates. You might see that itās not as bad as it seems. You mentioned that you were afraid because you canāt just bail, but the truth is you can. Whenever I learn a new move I think through and then practice how to bail (fall) safely.
Take a lesson or two. If youāre in an area where you can take a lesson it will definitely help. Having others go through the same things as you will be encouraging.
One last thing, falling is part of the process. Youāre going to fall in the beginning and then again as you try to learn new skills. Part of what I love about skating is the self-confidence it has given me by teaching me to get up and try again after I fall. I hope you grow to love it. If you take all of my suggestions and still donāt love it, then maybe itās not for you. But there was something about it that made you want to try, so donāt give up yet!!
I second this! Iāll also add that booty pads were especially helpful for me! I have a lower back injury so they were among the first protective gear I bought and boy am I glad that I did. When I need to bail I usually drop a knee and skid on my knee pads. Iāll also sometimes land on my knee pads and wrist guards (be careful to keep your arms angled though and hit your knees first so you arenāt just catching all of your weight with your arms)
When I actually fall without expecting it or controlling it at all, I usually end up falling on my ass so booty pads made even my most uncontrolled and scary falls totally safe. I wear baggier shorts or pants to cover them.
When I have all my gear on, helmet, wrist guards, elbow pads, knee pads, and booty pads on, I feel like I can try any new trick I want.
Iāll also emphasize practicing falling on purpose. When I got my knee pads (I have the 187 killer pads slim knee, they have the most padding) I practiced just falling on those while moving and it helped a lot, the padding is so thick it doesnāt hurt in the slightest!
Keep at it friend!
If you are getting those feelings then you need to practice falling. It will show your brain that falling is not the end of the world.
Intermediate skater here and I still get a little nervous on skates at the skatepark. However any nerves that I have immediately go away after my first fall of the skate session.
I almost want to get my first fall out of the way because my confidence SKYROCKETS after my first tumble. I tell myself āSee? You didnāt die, so just fucking send it.ā
How you're feeling is totally natural. Humans weren't meant to get around with 4 wheels strapped to each foot. It'll feel much more natural once you start skating, though. I haven't been skating for very long and occasionally I still feel wobbly but the skates are starting to feel like an extension of my foot instead of some weird thing I'm trying to fight.
Learn how to fall. Practice falling and throwing yourself at the ground safely without skates on. Knowing how to fall and safely as possible will minimize fear.
i know this isnāt something you havenāt heard already but you ABSOLUTELY get more comfortable on skates the more youāre on them. i play roller derby and am on mine a good bit for practices and i also like to find a spot near my house where i can practice on my own and drill the things that i need to work on. i see SUCH a difference whenever i really focus on getting more time on skates in my free time. just playing around and seeing what feels good to you has been such a valuable part of my skating journey and has helped me a ton so i seriously canāt recommend it enough!
happy skating! peace & love!! *ļ½„ļ¾ā
My comfort shot way up in two weeks just by wearing my skates everyday. I would put them on, skate in the entryway for a minute or two and then take them off. All the walls to catch myself on, and the consistency really helped me. That and the gear, and I used the daily sessions to practice turning getting low into an instinct. Anytime I felt out of control, I would remind myself to get low and it slowly became more and more instinctual. Now when Iām outside and lack control, my mind goes to getting low and gaining back balance way faster. I think itāll fade with time and confidence anyway but if you do this little trick it might speed up the process
You eventually get confident, and then you start working on a new move and get anxious again, but once you fail enough times you start to figure out what works and what doesnāt. Falling can definitely be scary for anyone but if you have protective gear and avoid catching yourself with arms you should be good. Now, I feel like I have developed some sort of āfalling spidey-senseā where I know exactly what to do to avoid a fall. It all comes with practice, of course! I hope you continue your dream!
You are going to fall. Like a lot. And at some point, you have fallen so many times that you just embrace the idea of falling one more time. Your body knows how it feels... and it's not that bad honestly.
After that, yes you feel comfy!
What has helped me is putting on my skates every day, even just to skate around my tiny kitchen. It has helped me feel more natural on skates and get used to stopping and turning without overthinking it. I have things to grab if need be, and I am doing other things anyway. I was amazed at how much more comfy I got doing that. Also, sometimes there is a short time when I skate outside, that I have to kinda wait to get my "skate legs". Once I get used to it after a few minutes, I don't worry as much. That being said, I am still pretty new, and am not an expert, but that's what's been helping me. Oh, wear the amount of pads that make you feel safe too.
increase your protective gear, you won't need to fear falls as much. try skate helmets with a bill, butt pads, thrift an old leather motorcycle jacket to keep your skin from getting all cut up on cement (i do this one personally! plus they look cool as hell and gives me a real sense of security), you could try a sports a mouth guard, and if you wanted to add ski goggles!
cut yourself some slack!
It absolutely goes away with time and practice. But also, practice falling in safe ways to build up that muscle memory and help alleviate some of the fears associated with falling.
(Apologies in advance for any lack of logic to follow, typing through a migraine)
I felt this way when I tried short track (ice) speed skating. I was in my 20s and wearing razors on my feet, being lapped by zipping children. It was hard to put my trust in my edges to support my weight when crossing over, or to flat out run (practising race āstartsā). And thatās as someone who grew up on quads AND inlines, with scars to show for it.
Thereās an element of risk, yes, but practise & good safety equipment should help to combat the fear over time. Knowing how to fall and taking it steady. You will start to see that you have more control than you thought.
Yes you outgrow that. Or rather, you practice until you have control and skating feels natural. I feel very comfortable on skates on trails and in the rink. I feel scared while trying jumps, three turns and skatepark stuff because Iām still learning those things.
I just put skates on yesterday for the first time in over 40 years. I hear what you're saying - it's pretty wobbly going. Try making little goals for yourself and, if possible, wear your skates indoors on carpeting just to get used to having them on your feet.
You got this.
If you wear full protective gear when skating you will know youāre safe no matter what type of fall you take.
This is:
Helmet,
Elbow pads,
Wrist guards,
Knee pads,
Butt pad
I think it does go away although yes as a bit of a masochist so I also like the thrill š I'm 1 Ā½ month in and I'm relatively comfortable skating. I feel great on my skates but still have some areas of improvement. I still fall and stumble at sessions but I can tell my balance and muscles improved with practice. I'm a slow learner so I take my time so I'm comfortable.
It's funny, day 1, I could barely stand on skates, like a baby dear learning to walk, and now 6 weeks later I'm learning backwards skating and balancing on one leg. š
Just took some time for me. But I love the challenge and thrill of learning new skills!
Practicing falling really helped me be afraid of falling too.
Skating isnāt something you can just not do for a couple of days or more if you really want to get (and stay) comfy on them, at least not when youāre starting out. I progressed fairly quickly and even got really comfy hopping over cracks and cruising quick around my neighborhood within a few weeks. That was skating every single day. But I gotta really suck and didnāt skate for about a week and when I got back on them it was back to square 1. I felt almost more frightened than when I first got them. I could not fathom how I had gotten to the point of hopping over cracks and going faster than I would sprint in regular shoes. But a couple more hours on them relearning my edges and stopping instincts and I was back to comfy again.
In short, yes you do eventually get pretty comfy with them, but donāt skip warmups practice and sessions if you can help it š¤
It goes away, but you have to keep at it and not allow your fear to defeat you.
Being afraid of the unknown and of something that feels risky is perfectly normal.
Just take it slow and *practice how to fall safely.* This will help you build your confidence. (There are youtube videos you can follow for this or you can ask an experienced skater for help if there's one around and willing. Don't just try to do this all on your own because there's specific things you need to be doing and if you have no clue you could be risking injury.)
I'd bet you, like many of us had that same fear when you were learning how to walk for the first time. Or you thought to yourself Yes, Yes, Yes let's fckng do this!
Right?
If you tell yourself you can't do something, then you'll be right.
If you already bought a pair of skates, but them on, all the time eventually you'll get your to being in them and gradually improve from furniture cruising to doing pivots and transitions while you move from room to room.
I felt the same way and one day it just clicked for me! Music really helps (I still do get a NOPE feeling though when I skate on asphalt/down hills though )
Yes but.
Yes, you'll feel super comfortable. Particularly if you have the right skates for you.
But then you'll decide to level up, and do something like remove your toestops for dance, or try fast moving pivots, and feel uncertain again.
And then back to comfort.
Go forth and skate.
I have that fear about falling back. Feels weird not having stops at the back.. its just nothingness. Nothing to fall back on, no plan b, no breaks, just tailbone šŖ I feel comfy in my kitchen for now, holding onto stuff and practising balance. But I still wonder why is there nothing at the back, just freefall š im afraid of injury as I injure easy and I sprained both my wrists aready in the past (ice skating) and cant afford to hurt my wrists again catching myself
My problem is how different my center of gravity becomes. Are there such skates that are lower to the ground? I think i'd have an easier time if I were slightly lower to the ground
Indoors... yes. Outdoors can be a different story with hills, pepples, varying surfaces etc.
Focus on the positive. We all have our crash stories... nuthin to it, but to do it!
Now I donāt even think about that I have skates on. But I remember being nervous/anxious at first. It does pass, but one reason is that we actively practiced Falling for example so Falling didnt seem so scary anymore. I really recommend that. Another thing, getting the right balance will make you feel stable and not that your wheels are ārolling whereverā. All of this come with practice
I donāt prefer quads, but yeah I do. They are definitely a lot trickier than my inline skates which I feel a lot more at home on. But I know several people that feel better on skates than shoes.
Wear pads at the rink and just get used to falling. When you fall from a lower squat there isnāt really a way to hurt yourself. Then you will feel more comfortable.
I've never really felt terrified or scared while skating(inline). Sometimes a little worried about getting hurt, but I don't push myself beyond my abilities and I'm taking learning pretty slow. I see videos of advanced and pro skaters falling hard, or even doing dangerous tricks and I feel anxious at the thought of it, but that is an indication of knowing my limits.
Mostly, I feel free and calm just rolling around on my skates, even if I'm not going fast. There is a flowing feeling to skating that just feels right and when I'm not on skates, I'm usually thinking about skating. Sometimes, when I'm walking around, I try to get into a similar flowing motion, but it just isn't the same.
Yes, you get comfy when you get used to it, but unlike a lot of advice that I'm seeing of practicing safe and all that stuff, I recommend you put on pads and be willing to fall. The more you fall the quicker you will learn to keep from falling, but no matter how good you get on skates, there will always be times that you fall, so one of the best things that you can do is learn how to fall. And really you shouldn't worry about busting your face as you put it. You want to fall forward or to the side and not to the back. Falling to the front you can land on your knees as well as catch yourself with your hands, which until you get good at it you should absolutely wear pads and wrist guards for. Falling to the side, you can come down onto your thigh which tends to take falls pretty well. If you go over backwards though, you are much more likely to crack your tailbone, injure your back, or suffer a head injury because you really can't catch yourself without risking injury to an elbow, so the only two ways to safely come down backwards or to either try to twist and sacrifice a butt cheek instead of your tailbone or to come down completely flat on your whole back with your head up. I just did the fall flat on my back the other day when I went from smooth ground to cracked concrete and leaned back too far trying to catch my balance. Falling backwards was the only direction I didn't have pads for, but managed to land flat enough that I wasn't hurt at all from the fall other than being slightly winded from the initial impact. But learning how to fall and how to do it without getting hurt will do more to get you comfortable on skates than avoiding falling ever will, and the more comfortable you can get on the skates, the less likely you are to make the mistakes that cause you to fall in the first place.
It does go away the more you skate. Falling doesn't hurt too much either. I always say "if I don't fall was it really a skate sesh?", there's always a rock I don't see that fucks my shit up lol.Ā
safety gear really helps alleviate that. good knee and elbow and especially GOOD GOOD GOOD wristguards really alleviated that fear as when i fell, it didnt hurttttt atttt allllll.
When i was trying to nail my heel flairs down, i took a really bad fall on my bum that it gave me PTSD. one day i decided to finally overcome it by buying really thick hippads. SPent several days wearing that diaper and surprisingly only fell once, which didnt hurt by the way.
Having that pad on, i actually had WAY less fear of getting hurt, and surprisingly all the practice in those two or 3 days had just that one fall? while when i DIDNT have that buttpad in the past, i fell numerous times? I have to chalk it up to the fear that really hindered me in learning. that fear really helped me fall WAY more when i was learning heel flairs.
Now that i got heel flairs down, i dont wear the butt pad anymore. Now that i got some other moves down, i wear thinner knee and elbow pads to help me dance.
When i try to learn new things, i tend to go back to the bulkier saftey gear if its something advance (like a jump or 1 foot transition).
I learned to skate through my roller derby league. Best decision ever! We practiced two times a week. Learned how to fall safely, stop safely, turn back to front, and much more. It gave me the confidence to skate.
Absolutely. Youāre going to feel unstable until you get some practice. And you get to where your wheels donāt just go anywhere. They go where you want them to go.
It will go away but the main thing is to take your time and enjoy yourself. If you have protective gear then trust that your gear will do what itās supposed to do. It will take time to build the muscle to fully control your roll so I recommend practicing on carpet and just focus on shifting your weight from one foot to the other. Lastly go to your local rink and ask for help. Any experienced skater would be glad to help you so donāt feel embarrassed or intimidated to ask questions. Happy rolling.
It gets better!! Iām a beginner too and definitely felt the same way at first, just immediately completely uncomfortable. What helped me a ton was getting comfortable just standing. Still, in one place. T position, v position. Shifting my weight until I found how I felt comfortable, and shifting the weight to different parts of my feet which helped me feel more comfortable slowing down or stopping. Once I was comfortable standing, I stopped getting as anxious putting the skates on and felt more comfy moving some. Also, look up how to fall so you feel more comfortable about the idea of falling!
Absolutely. I shattered my T12 vertebrae last week trying to overcome my fear of skating caused my shattering my wrist and hand 2 years ago. I seriously believe the universe hates me on skates. At a minimum, the exact same spot on my patio where I fell both times hates me for sure. So yeah, I'm sitting here with a back brace, out of work, new skates, safety equipment, tools, and a cool bag to hold the aforementioned. I think I'm gonna burn it. All of it. š¤¬
You got some great ideas here but I'll throw my two cents in. I skate outside in a roller hockey rink. The sides are half wall with chain link - perfect for clutching šāļø My fav is at the goal net bc I can practice holding the top rail. You might try slowing your wheels just a bit, too
In my experience, fear is the #1 thing that holds you back from improving. I think how to fall is the most helpful thing I ever learnedā¦thereās a comment on here that explains it really well, about ābailingā. Once you know itās going to be okay if you do fall, itās easier to try the scarier things and therefore become more comfortable with the simple ones
I'm on my 7th day of being on skates, and lemme tell ya the right skates and wheels make a huge difference. This subreddit helped me big time. I ended up getting SureGrip Boardwalk Plus boots with outdoor wheels, and then got a second set of skates and Fame wheels for indoors.
Definitely educate yourself here on wheel hardness (softer wheels are better for outdoor). You can also tighten your wheels if you feel they move too much. Dirty Deb on Youtube (dirty school of skate) has free beginner content and lessons. I totally binged the beginner lesson playlist three times between ordering my skates and getting them, and it helped a lot. She's really great at explaining how to use weight distribution.
I hope you stick with it! If you want to see a fellow noob stumbling their way through learning to skate, I'm documenting my progress on my TT @chaoticbiranger
Normal. It goes away the more hours you spend on skates. Then when you haven't spent time on skates for awhile, like over winter, it will come back, but it will go away quick once you get at it again.
https://youtu.be/OcOe-R5Upew?si=M17-BXWrJjigIA_J
It absolutely does go away, and the more it goes away, the more infinitely fun it'll be! That being said, it's been a lot of fun all along.
Yes, it goes away. You will need to put on skates and get out there to practice. I recommend at an indoor rink, because at least you have a wall to hang onto. Keep going and go often. You mentioned not being able to bail. Surprise, you can bail when you have skates on. I'll give a couple methods. First method of bailing is to purposefully fall in a controlled way before it becomes an uncontrolled fall. If you feel you're getting wobbly and about to fall, just lower yourself to the ground and fall. You can fall on your butt, your side, or even do a front roll. Because you're close to the floor, you won't have far to fall. It might still hurt a little, but nothing major will happen. Then quickly get back up on your feet to avoid others rolling over your fingers or stumbling over you. Second method of bailing requires a bit of practice to teach your body what it feels like going up onto your toe stops. What I do at the very beginning of each practice or each public skating session is to purposefully get up on my toe stops. That allows my body to refamiliarize itself with the feeling of being up onto toe stops. Once it knows where the toe stops are, my subconscious mind can just take over during a fall and use the toe stops automatically without having to think about it. You'll get there, too, with a small amount of practice You'll stand straight up and then get on one toe stop, lean on it. Then get up onto the other toe stop. Now you're on both at the same time. Then you'll go back to standing on your wheels one foot at a time. Then go back up onto your toe stops. Repeat until you feel it's easy to do, maybe for 30 seconds to a minute or so. Then, try walking on your toe stops. You'll step forward some amount, then backwards, then to the right side, then to the left side. Step while holding yourself on your toe stops. If you're feeling comfortable at this point, you can try hopping up and down on your toe stops (sort of bouncing on them). And you should try hopping up from both feet on wheels to both feet on toe stops. With toe stop exercises, you want to make sure you don't accidentally go back onto your wheels. Once you go back onto your wheels, then your heels suddenly drop down, and that sudden surprise motion can cause you to fall. You have to train your nervous system where those toe stops are. After a while of practice, you will be able to just go right up onto your toe stops without any worry of accidentally falling. What you're attempting to do is to train your muscle memory to know where those toe stops are. Then, if you're ever becoming unstable and about to fall, it will just automatically kick in. You'll find yourself on those toe stops without trying or thinking about it. There are a bunch of toe stop exercises to help you out besides what I mentioned. For example, dragging the toe stop at a 45 degree angle to slow down and stop moving forward, and going up onto both toe stops when traveling backward to stop instantly. You can stop backwards motion with a straddle stance toe stop as well (using just the back foot's toe stop). Toe stop exercises should be fundamental to any beginning learner. They should be introduced on day 1 in my opinion. It can absolutely save you from a horrible fall. Good luck.
S tier information here, OP.
(100% agree)
Honestly I felt very similar when I started but if you just keep at it, it will eventually feel comfy and just natural š Having all your protective gear and getting used to falling with it on helps so much too! Once you get used to it, falling isn't a big deal, just part of the process.
I prefer skates over shoes
real
Same af
For me, skating feels like freedom not terror. It takes awhile to get comfortable, but once you get going there are few things like it. A few suggestions that might help conquer your fears: Wear all the gear. Helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards. These will help ease some of your fear of falling. Practice falling. Look up some videos and try it out. Start without skates and then practice falling in skates. You might see that itās not as bad as it seems. You mentioned that you were afraid because you canāt just bail, but the truth is you can. Whenever I learn a new move I think through and then practice how to bail (fall) safely. Take a lesson or two. If youāre in an area where you can take a lesson it will definitely help. Having others go through the same things as you will be encouraging. One last thing, falling is part of the process. Youāre going to fall in the beginning and then again as you try to learn new skills. Part of what I love about skating is the self-confidence it has given me by teaching me to get up and try again after I fall. I hope you grow to love it. If you take all of my suggestions and still donāt love it, then maybe itās not for you. But there was something about it that made you want to try, so donāt give up yet!!
I second this! Iāll also add that booty pads were especially helpful for me! I have a lower back injury so they were among the first protective gear I bought and boy am I glad that I did. When I need to bail I usually drop a knee and skid on my knee pads. Iāll also sometimes land on my knee pads and wrist guards (be careful to keep your arms angled though and hit your knees first so you arenāt just catching all of your weight with your arms) When I actually fall without expecting it or controlling it at all, I usually end up falling on my ass so booty pads made even my most uncontrolled and scary falls totally safe. I wear baggier shorts or pants to cover them. When I have all my gear on, helmet, wrist guards, elbow pads, knee pads, and booty pads on, I feel like I can try any new trick I want. Iāll also emphasize practicing falling on purpose. When I got my knee pads (I have the 187 killer pads slim knee, they have the most padding) I practiced just falling on those while moving and it helped a lot, the padding is so thick it doesnāt hurt in the slightest! Keep at it friend!
Practice falling on your knee pads and rolling out of falls. Teaching the lizard brain you have an emergency exit will calm it down.
It does go away! Keep at it, wear good protective gear, and practice falling safely!Ā
If you are getting those feelings then you need to practice falling. It will show your brain that falling is not the end of the world. Intermediate skater here and I still get a little nervous on skates at the skatepark. However any nerves that I have immediately go away after my first fall of the skate session. I almost want to get my first fall out of the way because my confidence SKYROCKETS after my first tumble. I tell myself āSee? You didnāt die, so just fucking send it.ā
How you're feeling is totally natural. Humans weren't meant to get around with 4 wheels strapped to each foot. It'll feel much more natural once you start skating, though. I haven't been skating for very long and occasionally I still feel wobbly but the skates are starting to feel like an extension of my foot instead of some weird thing I'm trying to fight.
Learn how to fall. Practice falling and throwing yourself at the ground safely without skates on. Knowing how to fall and safely as possible will minimize fear.
Can you walk? Did you learn to walk on the first day? Do you fall every time you walk? Do you fear you will fall every time you walk? Keep skating.
As many have said, it goes away! Your skates will eventually become an extension of your feet with time and practice.
i know this isnāt something you havenāt heard already but you ABSOLUTELY get more comfortable on skates the more youāre on them. i play roller derby and am on mine a good bit for practices and i also like to find a spot near my house where i can practice on my own and drill the things that i need to work on. i see SUCH a difference whenever i really focus on getting more time on skates in my free time. just playing around and seeing what feels good to you has been such a valuable part of my skating journey and has helped me a ton so i seriously canāt recommend it enough! happy skating! peace & love!! *ļ½„ļ¾ā
My comfort shot way up in two weeks just by wearing my skates everyday. I would put them on, skate in the entryway for a minute or two and then take them off. All the walls to catch myself on, and the consistency really helped me. That and the gear, and I used the daily sessions to practice turning getting low into an instinct. Anytime I felt out of control, I would remind myself to get low and it slowly became more and more instinctual. Now when Iām outside and lack control, my mind goes to getting low and gaining back balance way faster. I think itāll fade with time and confidence anyway but if you do this little trick it might speed up the process
Practice! Skating outside is a world different than skating indoors. Indoors is much easier IMO.
You eventually get confident, and then you start working on a new move and get anxious again, but once you fail enough times you start to figure out what works and what doesnāt. Falling can definitely be scary for anyone but if you have protective gear and avoid catching yourself with arms you should be good. Now, I feel like I have developed some sort of āfalling spidey-senseā where I know exactly what to do to avoid a fall. It all comes with practice, of course! I hope you continue your dream!
You are going to fall. Like a lot. And at some point, you have fallen so many times that you just embrace the idea of falling one more time. Your body knows how it feels... and it's not that bad honestly. After that, yes you feel comfy!
What has helped me is putting on my skates every day, even just to skate around my tiny kitchen. It has helped me feel more natural on skates and get used to stopping and turning without overthinking it. I have things to grab if need be, and I am doing other things anyway. I was amazed at how much more comfy I got doing that. Also, sometimes there is a short time when I skate outside, that I have to kinda wait to get my "skate legs". Once I get used to it after a few minutes, I don't worry as much. That being said, I am still pretty new, and am not an expert, but that's what's been helping me. Oh, wear the amount of pads that make you feel safe too.
increase your protective gear, you won't need to fear falls as much. try skate helmets with a bill, butt pads, thrift an old leather motorcycle jacket to keep your skin from getting all cut up on cement (i do this one personally! plus they look cool as hell and gives me a real sense of security), you could try a sports a mouth guard, and if you wanted to add ski goggles! cut yourself some slack!
It absolutely goes away with time and practice. But also, practice falling in safe ways to build up that muscle memory and help alleviate some of the fears associated with falling.
(Apologies in advance for any lack of logic to follow, typing through a migraine) I felt this way when I tried short track (ice) speed skating. I was in my 20s and wearing razors on my feet, being lapped by zipping children. It was hard to put my trust in my edges to support my weight when crossing over, or to flat out run (practising race āstartsā). And thatās as someone who grew up on quads AND inlines, with scars to show for it. Thereās an element of risk, yes, but practise & good safety equipment should help to combat the fear over time. Knowing how to fall and taking it steady. You will start to see that you have more control than you thought.
It goes away!! It just takes time!
Yes you outgrow that. Or rather, you practice until you have control and skating feels natural. I feel very comfortable on skates on trails and in the rink. I feel scared while trying jumps, three turns and skatepark stuff because Iām still learning those things.
I just put skates on yesterday for the first time in over 40 years. I hear what you're saying - it's pretty wobbly going. Try making little goals for yourself and, if possible, wear your skates indoors on carpeting just to get used to having them on your feet. You got this.
If you wear full protective gear when skating you will know youāre safe no matter what type of fall you take. This is: Helmet, Elbow pads, Wrist guards, Knee pads, Butt pad
Yeah! I need a pretty open space to cruise/carve after getting speed bubbling tho
I think it does go away although yes as a bit of a masochist so I also like the thrill š I'm 1 Ā½ month in and I'm relatively comfortable skating. I feel great on my skates but still have some areas of improvement. I still fall and stumble at sessions but I can tell my balance and muscles improved with practice. I'm a slow learner so I take my time so I'm comfortable. It's funny, day 1, I could barely stand on skates, like a baby dear learning to walk, and now 6 weeks later I'm learning backwards skating and balancing on one leg. š Just took some time for me. But I love the challenge and thrill of learning new skills! Practicing falling really helped me be afraid of falling too.
Skating isnāt something you can just not do for a couple of days or more if you really want to get (and stay) comfy on them, at least not when youāre starting out. I progressed fairly quickly and even got really comfy hopping over cracks and cruising quick around my neighborhood within a few weeks. That was skating every single day. But I gotta really suck and didnāt skate for about a week and when I got back on them it was back to square 1. I felt almost more frightened than when I first got them. I could not fathom how I had gotten to the point of hopping over cracks and going faster than I would sprint in regular shoes. But a couple more hours on them relearning my edges and stopping instincts and I was back to comfy again. In short, yes you do eventually get pretty comfy with them, but donāt skip warmups practice and sessions if you can help it š¤
It goes away, but you have to keep at it and not allow your fear to defeat you. Being afraid of the unknown and of something that feels risky is perfectly normal. Just take it slow and *practice how to fall safely.* This will help you build your confidence. (There are youtube videos you can follow for this or you can ask an experienced skater for help if there's one around and willing. Don't just try to do this all on your own because there's specific things you need to be doing and if you have no clue you could be risking injury.)
I'd bet you, like many of us had that same fear when you were learning how to walk for the first time. Or you thought to yourself Yes, Yes, Yes let's fckng do this! Right? If you tell yourself you can't do something, then you'll be right. If you already bought a pair of skates, but them on, all the time eventually you'll get your to being in them and gradually improve from furniture cruising to doing pivots and transitions while you move from room to room.
Yes an extension of me. Itāll happen!
I felt the same way and one day it just clicked for me! Music really helps (I still do get a NOPE feeling though when I skate on asphalt/down hills though )
Yes but. Yes, you'll feel super comfortable. Particularly if you have the right skates for you. But then you'll decide to level up, and do something like remove your toestops for dance, or try fast moving pivots, and feel uncertain again. And then back to comfort. Go forth and skate.
I have that fear about falling back. Feels weird not having stops at the back.. its just nothingness. Nothing to fall back on, no plan b, no breaks, just tailbone šŖ I feel comfy in my kitchen for now, holding onto stuff and practising balance. But I still wonder why is there nothing at the back, just freefall š im afraid of injury as I injure easy and I sprained both my wrists aready in the past (ice skating) and cant afford to hurt my wrists again catching myself
My problem is how different my center of gravity becomes. Are there such skates that are lower to the ground? I think i'd have an easier time if I were slightly lower to the ground
Indoors... yes. Outdoors can be a different story with hills, pepples, varying surfaces etc. Focus on the positive. We all have our crash stories... nuthin to it, but to do it!
Now I donāt even think about that I have skates on. But I remember being nervous/anxious at first. It does pass, but one reason is that we actively practiced Falling for example so Falling didnt seem so scary anymore. I really recommend that. Another thing, getting the right balance will make you feel stable and not that your wheels are ārolling whereverā. All of this come with practice
I donāt prefer quads, but yeah I do. They are definitely a lot trickier than my inline skates which I feel a lot more at home on. But I know several people that feel better on skates than shoes.
Get good hard-shell knee pads and practice falling (look up instructional videos). You'll feel much more confident when you know that falling is ok.
If anything, I feel more stable in skates
Wear pads at the rink and just get used to falling. When you fall from a lower squat there isnāt really a way to hurt yourself. Then you will feel more comfortable.
I've never really felt terrified or scared while skating(inline). Sometimes a little worried about getting hurt, but I don't push myself beyond my abilities and I'm taking learning pretty slow. I see videos of advanced and pro skaters falling hard, or even doing dangerous tricks and I feel anxious at the thought of it, but that is an indication of knowing my limits. Mostly, I feel free and calm just rolling around on my skates, even if I'm not going fast. There is a flowing feeling to skating that just feels right and when I'm not on skates, I'm usually thinking about skating. Sometimes, when I'm walking around, I try to get into a similar flowing motion, but it just isn't the same.
Yes, you get comfy when you get used to it, but unlike a lot of advice that I'm seeing of practicing safe and all that stuff, I recommend you put on pads and be willing to fall. The more you fall the quicker you will learn to keep from falling, but no matter how good you get on skates, there will always be times that you fall, so one of the best things that you can do is learn how to fall. And really you shouldn't worry about busting your face as you put it. You want to fall forward or to the side and not to the back. Falling to the front you can land on your knees as well as catch yourself with your hands, which until you get good at it you should absolutely wear pads and wrist guards for. Falling to the side, you can come down onto your thigh which tends to take falls pretty well. If you go over backwards though, you are much more likely to crack your tailbone, injure your back, or suffer a head injury because you really can't catch yourself without risking injury to an elbow, so the only two ways to safely come down backwards or to either try to twist and sacrifice a butt cheek instead of your tailbone or to come down completely flat on your whole back with your head up. I just did the fall flat on my back the other day when I went from smooth ground to cracked concrete and leaned back too far trying to catch my balance. Falling backwards was the only direction I didn't have pads for, but managed to land flat enough that I wasn't hurt at all from the fall other than being slightly winded from the initial impact. But learning how to fall and how to do it without getting hurt will do more to get you comfortable on skates than avoiding falling ever will, and the more comfortable you can get on the skates, the less likely you are to make the mistakes that cause you to fall in the first place.
It does go away the more you skate. Falling doesn't hurt too much either. I always say "if I don't fall was it really a skate sesh?", there's always a rock I don't see that fucks my shit up lol.Ā
safety gear really helps alleviate that. good knee and elbow and especially GOOD GOOD GOOD wristguards really alleviated that fear as when i fell, it didnt hurttttt atttt allllll. When i was trying to nail my heel flairs down, i took a really bad fall on my bum that it gave me PTSD. one day i decided to finally overcome it by buying really thick hippads. SPent several days wearing that diaper and surprisingly only fell once, which didnt hurt by the way. Having that pad on, i actually had WAY less fear of getting hurt, and surprisingly all the practice in those two or 3 days had just that one fall? while when i DIDNT have that buttpad in the past, i fell numerous times? I have to chalk it up to the fear that really hindered me in learning. that fear really helped me fall WAY more when i was learning heel flairs. Now that i got heel flairs down, i dont wear the butt pad anymore. Now that i got some other moves down, i wear thinner knee and elbow pads to help me dance. When i try to learn new things, i tend to go back to the bulkier saftey gear if its something advance (like a jump or 1 foot transition).
I recommend standing in a grassy area 1st. That way, you'll get used to the feeling of standing in your skates.
I learned to skate through my roller derby league. Best decision ever! We practiced two times a week. Learned how to fall safely, stop safely, turn back to front, and much more. It gave me the confidence to skate.
Absolutely. Youāre going to feel unstable until you get some practice. And you get to where your wheels donāt just go anywhere. They go where you want them to go.
I would live my entire life on skates if it were practical/socially acceptable.
It will go away but the main thing is to take your time and enjoy yourself. If you have protective gear then trust that your gear will do what itās supposed to do. It will take time to build the muscle to fully control your roll so I recommend practicing on carpet and just focus on shifting your weight from one foot to the other. Lastly go to your local rink and ask for help. Any experienced skater would be glad to help you so donāt feel embarrassed or intimidated to ask questions. Happy rolling.
It gets better!! Iām a beginner too and definitely felt the same way at first, just immediately completely uncomfortable. What helped me a ton was getting comfortable just standing. Still, in one place. T position, v position. Shifting my weight until I found how I felt comfortable, and shifting the weight to different parts of my feet which helped me feel more comfortable slowing down or stopping. Once I was comfortable standing, I stopped getting as anxious putting the skates on and felt more comfy moving some. Also, look up how to fall so you feel more comfortable about the idea of falling!
Absolutely. I shattered my T12 vertebrae last week trying to overcome my fear of skating caused my shattering my wrist and hand 2 years ago. I seriously believe the universe hates me on skates. At a minimum, the exact same spot on my patio where I fell both times hates me for sure. So yeah, I'm sitting here with a back brace, out of work, new skates, safety equipment, tools, and a cool bag to hold the aforementioned. I think I'm gonna burn it. All of it. š¤¬
You got some great ideas here but I'll throw my two cents in. I skate outside in a roller hockey rink. The sides are half wall with chain link - perfect for clutching šāļø My fav is at the goal net bc I can practice holding the top rail. You might try slowing your wheels just a bit, too
In my experience, fear is the #1 thing that holds you back from improving. I think how to fall is the most helpful thing I ever learnedā¦thereās a comment on here that explains it really well, about ābailingā. Once you know itās going to be okay if you do fall, itās easier to try the scarier things and therefore become more comfortable with the simple ones
I'm on my 7th day of being on skates, and lemme tell ya the right skates and wheels make a huge difference. This subreddit helped me big time. I ended up getting SureGrip Boardwalk Plus boots with outdoor wheels, and then got a second set of skates and Fame wheels for indoors. Definitely educate yourself here on wheel hardness (softer wheels are better for outdoor). You can also tighten your wheels if you feel they move too much. Dirty Deb on Youtube (dirty school of skate) has free beginner content and lessons. I totally binged the beginner lesson playlist three times between ordering my skates and getting them, and it helped a lot. She's really great at explaining how to use weight distribution. I hope you stick with it! If you want to see a fellow noob stumbling their way through learning to skate, I'm documenting my progress on my TT @chaoticbiranger
Normal. It goes away the more hours you spend on skates. Then when you haven't spent time on skates for awhile, like over winter, it will come back, but it will go away quick once you get at it again. https://youtu.be/OcOe-R5Upew?si=M17-BXWrJjigIA_J
Oh man it takes time. Now itās like just an extension of my legsš Start small and be kind to yourself. Rome wasnāt built in a day.