Friday 19 July 2013

The Fitness Effects of Rollerblading

The modern inline skate, developed by a Minnesota hockey player named Scott Olson, transformed the field of roller skating into a multimillion-dollar fitness business. While more companies than Rollerblade manufacture inline skates, "blading" enthusiasts revere the game for its calorie-burning, leg-sculpting workout. Easier around the joints than running, inline skating supplies a host of fitness advantages to beginner and expert practitioners alike.


Inline Skating, Running and Cycling
Dr. Carl Foster, associate professor of drugs at the University of Wisconsin School of medicine, points to inline skating as providing as numerous health benefits as running and cycling. The outcomes of a 1991 Rollerblade-commissioned study found that inline skating burns as numerous or more calories than the competing activities, which makes it an effective form of cardiovascular exercise. Additionally, the study noted that inline skaters made gains in anaerobic fitness, leading to stronger, more toned muscles. While skaters earned these gains primarily within the quads, hamstrings and glutes, vigorous arm-swinging led to upper body gains as well.

Low-Impact Calorie Burn
Overall, the research found that while inline skating didn't burn as many calories as running, it provided a low-impact workout that burned more calories than cycling. It is because runners can't coast, unlike bladers and bikers taking advantage of hills and must occasionally decelerate or stop. Faster skating burns more calories, and skaters who performed intervals burned probably the most calories of all. You can interval skate by alternating brief periods of sprinting with periods of recovery; for instance, sprint for one minute and recover in a comfortable pace for two minutes, repeating as frequently as desired.

ACE and Inline Skating
Along with these fitness benefits, the American Council on Exercise also notes that inline skaters increase lung capacity and strengthen the connective tissues close to the knees, hips and ankles. Stronger muscles and connective tissues result in stronger bones, which helps adults avoid injury later. ACE recommends that beginner skaters wear padding and helmets, because trips and falls sometimes cause problems for the arms, hands and wrists. Bring your first skating trip on the smooth, flat, traffic-free surface and master stopping before venturing onto busier roadways and sidewalks. Your skates should fit snugly.

Advantages of Regular Exercise
ACE also reports that individuals who exercise for 20 minutes each day for three to five days each week reduce stress, weight and also the risk of a heart attack, improve sleep and eating routine, and feel a sense of well-being. If practiced with time, inline skating produces these benefits along with an improvement in balance, agility and coordination. Indoor rinks make inline skating possible in inclement weather, and skaters are the very young to older adults, making inline skating enjoyable for the entire family.

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