If you’re searching for a fun, invigorating, and just plain good exercise, look no further than roller skating.
Roller skating is a great, low impact exercise, ideal for increasing endurance, building muscle, burning fat, improving speed, balance, and coordination, and helping you to lose weight. On deciding whether you should begin roller skating daily, it’s best to look at the pros and cons of roller skating and decide whether the advantages of roller skating outweigh the disadvantages of the exercise.
With all the benefits roller skating has to offer, let’s go into the benefits that provide the greatest impact to your fitness and health.
Is Roller Skating a Good Exercise? (Pros)
Advantages of Roller Skating:
#1 Roller skating is good exercise because it’s great for cardio and endurance
Even though you may not think you are working too hard to keep your body moving, roller skating is a great exercise for increasing your endurance.
Anytime you work your body for an extended period, your endurance will improve, along with your heart health, and overall body health.
Does roller skating count as cardio?
Many people often wonder if roller skating counts as cardio. It most certainly does, especially if you do it for extended periods of time.
Even if you roller skate for 10 minutes a day, you’re going to get many of the health benefits of a standard exercise routine.
#2 Roller skating is good exercise because it builds muscle
Even though you may not notice it, roller skating is working your muscles the entire time your skating.
Your muscles need to be in constant and at least partial muscle tone to maintain stability and balance during the skating session.
What muscles does roller skating work?
The muscles that roller skating work include:
- Quads
- Glutes
- Calves
- Back
- Obliques
- Abs
- Hamstrings
What part of the body does roller skating tone?
Roller skating will especially tone the quads.
These muscles will be in constant tension and will receive the most benefit from a roller skating session.
Is roller skating a good leg workout?
Roller skating is a fantastic leg workout, toning and strengthening the entire leg over time.
If you roller skate enough, your leg muscles will being to tone and tighten.
#3 Roller skating is good exercise because it’s low impact
One of the best reasons to roller skate rather than run is to do it because it is a low impact exercise.
Roller skating is easy on the joints and keeps you from pounding the ground over and over.
Running can cause shin splints and joint pain, often leading new runners to quit the cardio all together.
What’s great about roller skating is you go a long distance without putting a lot of stress on your joints.
#4 Roller skating is good exercise because it burns calories
Any time you exercise, you are going to burn a certain number of calories.
The harder and longer you roller skate, the more you will burn.
If you are a good enough skater to do sprints and skate as a HIIT workout, then you will burn a lot of calories very quickly.
How many calories do I burn roller skating?
A person weighing 200 pounds burns approximately 500 calories per hour with Roller skating.
Does roller skating burn more calories than running? (Roller skating vs. Running)
A runner will burn about 500 calories for every 5 miles ran.
If you run 5 miles in more than an hour, then roller skating will be the greater calorie burn.
#5 Roller skating is good exercise because it improves speed, balance, coordination and agility
If you like to make skating fun by going fast, skating from side to side, skating backwards, and doing spins and circles, then skating will be a great exercise to improve your speed, balance, coordination, and agility.
Many speed skaters, hockey players, and dancers are going to receive these benefits as they focus on challenging skating workouts.
#6 Roller skating is good exercise because it helps you lose weight
Roller skating is great for burning calories and helping you to lose weight.
If paired with a healthy eating plan, skating will do wonders for health and your waistline.
If you skate for an hour a day, and burn 500 calories per hour, you can expect to drop one pound per week.
If you stick to this routine over time, the weight loss you get over time from roller skating will become obvious in your before and after photos.
#7 Roller skating is good exercise because it can be done anywhere
Roller skating is one of those exercises that you can do anywhere at any time.
You can roller skate outdoors, indoors, morning, noon or night.
Roller skate at the park, along the beach, or even around your house.
Take your dog out for a spin with a long roller skating session.
#8 Roller skating can provide you great mental benefits
Roller skating is a great exercise for your brain.
It can improve your mood, reduce stress and anxiety, and increase happiness and longevity.
Roller skating will increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain, and if done enough can provide you with a runner’s high that so many people get from long or intense bouts of exercise.
Is Roller Skating a Good Exercise? (Cons)
Disadvantages of Roller Skating:
#1 Roller skating can be difficult to pick up for beginners
Roller skating can be harder than it looks.
You may watch skaters gliding across the street or sidewalk and think you can easily pick that up yourself.
Roller skating for the first time can be a challenge but if you stick with it, can be rewarding and fun.
#2 Roller skating can be dangerous
One of the biggest disadvantages of roller skating is the exercise can cause injuries to the wrist, arms, shoulders, legs, knees, tailbone, ankles, back, head and neck.
Common roller skating injuries from falls and collisions include fractures, sprains, bruises, road rash, joint separations, concussions, and jams.
One study showed that of 111 cases of roller skating injuries, 86% were serious injuries and 28% of required surgical treatment.
The wrist was the commonest region to be injured, followed by the shoulder, the elbow, and the ankle.
Skater collisions and loss of control were the main factors leading to injury.
In order to make roller skating safe and prevent injuries, make sure you are always aware of your surroundings, keep control of your body, and wear protective gear like a helmet, wrist guards, elbow pads and knee pads.
#3 Roller skating could cause harm to others
If you are a beginner and roller skating for the first time, you might not be able to control your speed or body position as well as someone who’s been skating for a long time.
This may cause you to run in to something or someone you aren’t supposed to, inflicting pain and injury to them.
To counter this, you need to become a good skater before you start skating among a large group of people.
Is roller skating harder than rollerblading?
If you are a casual skater, roller skating is just as easy as rollerblading. If you want to skate more aggressively as a sport than rollerblading is the way to go. Inline skates make it easier to cut and shift your body around, making it better for aggressive maneuvers and tricks. If you are a street hockey player, inline skates are the way to go.
How long does it take to learn how to roller skate?
If you are a beginner to roller skating, learning to skate could take weeks or even months. It’s best to learn with something or somebody you can hold onto near as you begin the journey. You can use a wall, some ski poles, or even another person to assist you while you figure out how to roller skate. Just make sure you are always equipped with the best protective equipment.
Summary: Is Roller Skating Good Exercise?
The short answer is yes! Roller skating is a good exercise and if you do it often enough, you will increase your endurance and stamina, build muscle and strength, burn calories and lose weight, and improve your speed, balance, coordination and agility. Roller skating, as part of a roller skating exercise program, is one of the best low impact exercises on the planet. If you think the pros of roller skating outweigh the cons and disadvantages, then roller skating just might be the right exercise for you. Start incorporating roller skating into your life today!