Don’t you get amused when you see your friend glide past you spinning in the rink or the roadway? It’s just so arresting (leaves you in awe)and looks like a piece of cake.
It takes a great deal of practice, and if you ask me, the only formula that works like a pro is “ CONSISTENCY.” Keep practicing, keep falling, keep rising, and after all this, nothing stops you from spinning like a top.
Roller skating itself is a sport that is not a cup of tea for everyone, and spinning over that can give you a tough time, but to make it easy for you, I have exclusively penned down this article that will help you become a master of this trick in no time.
Types of spins on roller skates
Once you can stop at full extension, then you can move onto trying different types of spins.
Basic Spin Tips:
- Keep your shoulders level while rolling forward or backward. Your head shouldn't tilt much past 45 degrees.
- Try to maintain good posture while performing a spin. Don't slouch or hunch over.
- Practice making minor adjustments to your position every couple of seconds. These changes could include adjusting your arm placement, bending your knees, leaning further forward, or tilting your torso farther back. The goal here is to gradually increase the amount of force required to perform the spin.
- Make sure that you don't allow your elbows to come outwards. They should remain tucked against your ribs.
- Avoid crossing your ankles together. Doing this causes you to lose stability and increases the risk of falling.
Advanced Spin Tips:
If you want to learn how to do multiple rotations, you first need to master the single basic spin. After that, you can add additional spins by alternating directions. For example, instead of just going clockwise, go counterclockwise after completing a complete circle. Or, instead of just going forward, reverse direction once you finish a quarter-turn. By using this technique, you can create many unique combinations of spins. Some examples include:
Forward/backward – Roll forwards and immediately reverse direction.
Backward/forward – Reverse direction as soon as you start moving in the other direction.
Clockwise/counterclockwise – Alternate between rotating clockwise and counterclockwise.
Left/right – Rotate left before turning right.
Right/left – Turn right before rotating left.
As we progress, I would like to address two of 2 most commonly googled spinnings
how to do a one-foot spin on roller skates
how to do a two-foot spin on roller skates
how to do a two-foot spin on roller skates
Before attempting any spin, you need to understand where exactly you should place your feet during each rotation. When spinning laterally, you must keep both legs straight and parallel to one another. This means that if you were standing still, your left leg would be directly behind your right foot. You may find it easier to think of these positions like an airplane taking off from the ground. Imagine yourself sitting down in the middle seat of a plane. Now imagine that you stand up and start walking towards the back of the plane. As long as you continue to walk straight ahead, you won't fall over. However, if you turn too far to either side, you'll lose your balance and end up falling. That's why it's best to stay close to the centerline when rotating laterally.
When spinning forward or backward, you should always try to keep your knees bent slightly. This allows you to lean into turns without losing your balance. Also, remember not to cross your ankles together. Doing so makes it harder to rotate smoothly. Instead, spread them apart and make sure that there is enough space between them to let your toes touch the floor.
Once you've mastered the basics of spinning laterally, you're ready to begin practicing spinning forwards and backward. Start by placing your hands near your hips. Then slowly bring your arms closer to your sides until they reach shoulder height.
How to do one-foot spin roller skates?
Now that you know which way you should be turning, it's time to practice doing it correctly. First, take a few steps away from the starting line. Next, bend your knees and lower your upper body until your chest almost touches the skating surface. Finally, push off with your rear wheels and roll forwards or backward until you feel comfortable stopping. If you do this properly, you will notice that your momentum carries you through the entire motion. It doesn't matter whether you use all four wheels or only three. Just focus on keeping your weight balanced evenly throughout the movement.
If you'd prefer to practice using inline skates instead of quad roller skates, follow the same procedure except that you should hold onto the handrails located beside the tracks rather than pushing off against the wall. In addition, you can also practice spinning backward by holding onto the rails with your front wheels facing outward.
Advanced Spin Moves - Advanced moves require more skill and coordination than simple spins. Some advanced tricks include:
Front flips – While rolling forwards, lift your front wheel off the ground and flip it around 180 degrees. Try to land flat-footed on the opposite edge of the track.
Reverse 360s – Roll backward until you come to a complete stop. Then immediately reverse direction and roll forwards again. Repeat this process several times.
Suggestions :
If you can not afford daily skate classes, you can host weekly roller-skating parties, invite newbies and ex-derby roller skaters, or maybe circus performers. Choose a theme and VIOLA!
Take out 20 mins daily from your tight schedule and go practicing; you will start noticing a big difference in your skating angle, skating tricks, body movements, be able to identify innovative tips and various directions of spin.
The key to mastering any skate spinning is taking baby steps, record videos to monitor your progress, NEVER GIVE-UP, and in no time, you will find yourself gliding in your signature step.
Happy learning - Happy Skate spinning!