Get your skates on!
Roller-skating is the new trend being embraced by women of all ages. Here Jennifer Barton explains how to lace up your boots and get off to a good start
When the pandemic hit, some people baked banana bread while others turned their garden into a vegetable patch. I decided to embrace a side of myself I had ignored for a long time: the spontaneous, slightly reckless me who wanted to try new things. So I bought a pair of roller skates.
This was an interesting choice for a few reasons. As a 37-year-old mother of four, my physical fitness hasn’t been top of my priority list for many years. Also, I didn’t actually know how to skate. Mastering roller-skating had long been a fantasy of mine: I love the attitude, the style and the freedom it represents. I feel that in another life I could have been a retro 1950s’ skater girl or a fierce and athletic modernday roller derby skater.
I’m not alone in my obsession. Skating has exploded in lockdown and you’ll spot skaters of all skill levels weaving their way through the joggers in the local parks.
And it’s no surprise. Who wasn’t enraptured by Emma Corrin as Princess Diana in The Crown, roller-skating her way around Kensington Palace? Social media has also seen an explosion of roller-skaters.
Before lockdown, the last time I went roller-skating was a decade ago at London’s roller disco in Vauxhall. That night, as I tripped over myself, giggling with my friends, gawking at the pros and spilling drinks, roller-skating became something I would forever associate with a sense of self, happiness and personal accomplishment.
Four children and 10 years later, I wasn’t feeling quite so sprightly when I first laced up my funky jungle print roller-skates. I was terrible. Nothing like the skating version of me that danced around in hot pants in my head. Those first few outings, I clawed at my husband’s arm just to stay upright. But with practice and perseverance, I started to get the hang of it.
Bending my knees and pushing off from my back leg, with the sun tingling my skin and the breeze blowing around me, roller-skating was suddenly an amazing thrill.
I couldn’t remember ever feeling so happy outdoors. I became more adventurous, exploring new parks. I soon discovered another benefit of skating. My legs were sore, in a good way, as my muscles had started firing again. Roller-skating is considered a low-impact aerobic workout, with cardio and full-body toning benefits.
“While doctors are endlessly promoting the benefits of exercise, we also understand that some of the more common ways to exercise can become tedious,” says Dr Jet Khasriya (gpdq.co.uk). “If you can find something which incorporates skill, fun, social interaction and exercise, then you’re on to a winner, and roller-skating has all of these things.”
You can burn around 500 calories each hour you skate, strengthen large and small muscles in the legs and shoulders, and improve abdominal and back strength.
The more I skate, the fitter I feel, so the more I want to skate. I’ve even taught my kids, so it’s become a fun family activity that makes me really happy. While exercise releases endorphins, skating can also develop the cerebellum, which helps with coordination, timing, balance and precision, and experts now believe the cerebellum has an impact on anxiety and stress.
The best bit? I don’t even need to leave the house to have fun as I can skate around the living room on our wooden floor.
Sometimes, to alleviate the boredom of cooking yet another meal, I’ll get into character and pretend I’m running a 1950s-style diner: there’s music playing, and I’m a roller-skating cook and waitress. Plus, it’s never too late to start, says Obie Pearl, rollerskating pro and co-founder of Play Tone (playtone.co.uk), which teaches hula-hooping and roller-skating classes in person and online.
“I’m hearing and seeing some amazing stories of older skaters – I even got my 50-plus mum into skating around the park and at home,” says Obie.
Skating has brought me a lot of joy in this very difficult year. It’s opened up a whole new world for me, helped me connect with my children and made me realise I can challenge myself and learn new skills. And I’ve found a new community.
I also think it’s made me feel more youthful and adventurous. With my skates on, I can be on the boardwalk of Venice Beach or pretend I’m at a roller disco, which is where I plan to head as soon as it is open.
‘‘ I love the attitude, style and freedom that rollerskating represents
‘‘ It’s opened up a whole new world and helped me connect to my children