Roller skating is known as a fun activity for kids and adults, but what many people don’t know is that there are actually many different activities that all fall under the umbrella of roller skating.
Depending on the environment where you skate, the type of equipment you use and the type of skills and tricks that you practice is the type of roller skating you are doing.
If you are interested in learning more about the world of roller skating and all the different types of roller skating available for you, keep reading!
Types of Roller Skating You Should Know
Before thinking about the type of roller skating that you want to do, you also have to understand that there are many different types of roller skates:
Roller skates first debuted in the 1760s with a version of roller skates that was much more archaic than the types of roller skates we have today. Currently, we have six different types of roller skates catered towards different styles of skating. Depending on what you want to do, you will need to consider getting the proper skates.
- Artistic Skates: These skates are also known as indoor skates, recreational skates, and traditional skates. Artistic skates are most similar to ice skates but with wheels instead of blades.
- Jam Skates: Unlike the artistic skates, jam skates have a low-cut design and don’t have a toe stop to allow for more flexible movement.
- Speed Skates: Speed skates can be in both quad or inline form, although most people associate the term with inline skating. Quad speed skates, in particular, look more like shoes. They have little padding and cut off just below the ankle.
- Derby Skates: Derby skates are similar to speed and jam skates because of their low-cut design but are unique in that they have laces, a Velcro strap, and more padding. These features keep your foot in place, which is especially important in roller derby, a high-contact form of roller skating.
- Rhythm Skates: Rhythm skates look more like artistic skates in boot design but have a wider range of movement like the jam skates.
- Inline Skates: The inline skates are distinct from quad skates because of their single row of wheels that resemble a blade. Inline skates can be further broken down into recreational, racing, and roller hockey skates.
Learn more about the history of roller skating and how roller skates where invented.
With that in mind, the different types of rolling skating available are as follows:
- Casual Skating: This is your normal everyday skater that you see at the rink, park, or sidewalk. Almost everyone starts here before transitioning into other types of roller skating.
- Artistic Roller Skating: Artistic Roller Skating is a sport consisting of various events. Usually these are accomplished on quad skates, but inline skates are also used for some events. Many types of events are organized according to age and experience. There are several areas of artistic skating similar to ice skating, with individual and couples competitions, figures, dance, and synchronized groups.
- Jam skating: This offshoot of freestyle skating grew out of the roller disco days, but has continued to evolve over the years. It now incorporates gymnastics, dance, and skating into one highly entertaining and creative discipline. If you love to bust a move on the dance floor (or skating rink) jam skating might be the right activity for you.
- Freestyle Roller Dancing: In freestyle roller dancing, the physical movements are based on music. This type of dance is neither choreographed nor pre-planned so any level of athlete can come and dance.
- Speed Skating: speed skating revolves around speed and racing. While it appears that way superficially, there is a lot involved in this sport. Skaters are not just trying to outrace each other but are also challenged to maneuver and strategize quickly on their way to the finish line.
- Aggressive inline skating: This action sport has more similarities to skateboarding and BMX than most roller skating activities. You need to wear protective skating gear along with those aggressive inline skates, which feature smaller wheels and other design tweaks to make them sturdier for doing tricks on vert ramps or street obstacles.
- Group Skating: In this type of skating, a large group of skaters skate on the streets. Previously the touring was limited only to quad roller skate club but later on it also started in inline skate competitions.
- Roller Derby: This type of roller skating calls for two opposing teams that have to push each other to win. During a typical game, a “jammer” and “blockers” from each team skate counter-clockwise around a track. For every opposing member they lap, the jammer scores a point for their own team. Blockers prevent the opposing jammers from getting past them while helping their own jammers get through. It is a high-contact sport that requires you to be more aggressive.
- Roller Hockey: Roller hockey is another name for a roller sport which existed long before inline skates were even invented. Quad skates were used to play roller hockey in many countries all over the world and has many names.
- Singles and Pairs: In this either a single or a pair of skaters perform on the music. The factors to judge are their ability to skate and also creativity. Movements like jumps, turns and spins are expected in this type of performance. Sometimes two songs are played for an individual or couple of skaters.
Check out more benefits of rollerskating.
Famous Roller Skaters to Inspire You
Are you ready to learn how to skate? There are many excellent roller skaters in the world who have inspired thousands of people with their skills in competitions and even in the Olympics.
Here are some pro roller skaters that you can check out to give you more inspiration if you are an adult learn to skate and want to become a pro:
- Giselle Soler: Giselle Soler is an Argentinian artistic roller skater. Soler competed at the Pan American Games in 2015, where she won a gold medal in the free skating event, and in 2019, where she won a silver medal in the same event.
- Bill Bogash: Bill "Flash" Bogash was a roller derby skater and coach. Born in Chicago, he began his career in 1935 during the Great Depression, and skated until 1958. After racing with many teams throughout the 1940s, Bogash led the New York Chiefs to their first Roller Derby World Championship in 1949. Towards the end of his career, Bogash skated for the Los Angeles Braves.
- Bruna Wurts: Bruna Wurts is a Brazilian artistic roller skater. Wurts competed at the 2018 South American Games, where she won a gold medal, and at the 2019 Pan American Games where she won a gold medal in the free skating event.
- Anastasia Antonovna Nosova: she is a Russian inline artistic roller skater. She is two-times Russian national champion, three-times WIFSA World Open champion, two-times European champion, World champion 2016, vice-champion of World Roller Games 2017 in Junior Ladies Inline, vice-World champion 2018 in Senior Ladies Inline.
- Hydra: Hydra was a founder member of the United Leagues Coalition (ULC), and in 2004 was already envisaging it becoming a national governing body. The ULC later became the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), and she served as the WFTDA's first president.
Find more places for roller skating in Canada.
Learn How to Skate with Superprof
Are you ready to find rollerblading near me and learn how to skate with the help of a private instructor? If that is the case, you have come to the best place to connect with a roller skating instructor in Canada: Superprof.
Superprof is a platform that helps students connect with tutors, teachers and instructors all over Canada. These tutors and instructors are all pros at different subjects and are there to share their knowledge and tips with you.
In the case of roller skating, there are plenty of excellent options of instructors that can help you reach your goals. Whether you are looking for in-person or online lessons you will undoubtedly find the right roller skating instructor for you.
All you need to do is conduct a quick search for roller skating instructors in your area and find the one that best aligns to your expectations. Make sure to ask about their hourly rate, as well as their teaching method and professional experience.
Also, we advise you look at reviews from previous students so you can get a clearer idea of what roller skating classes with said instructor will look like.
Don't forget to ask questions and get ready to become a roller skating pro with the help of a Superprof instructor!
Is roller skating popular in Canada? Find out here.
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