In-line skating is more than just a fun activity. It is actually a great way to get and stay in shape. In-line skating is complex enough that it is next to impossible to teach over the internet. If you are new to in-line skating, the first thing you should do is get some lessons. Many local skate shops sponsor free clinics for people just getting started. They are also good sources for private lessons as well.

In the meantime, there are a few things worth mentioning:

Equipment

If you haven't done so already, get a helmet and wrist guards. Knee pads and elbow pads are also available. The greatest potential danger is falling and hitting your head. Wrist injuries are common because the natural tendency is to stick out your hands to break a fall.

Starting to Skate

Learn how to stop. One of the first challenges you will have is learning how to stop confidently. Also important is planning direction changes ahead of time when cruising along at high speeds, especially on downhills. You have to think like a downhill skier, picking your line ahead of time.

Seek out a car-free, relatively quiet location to start working on technique. If you don't have a park with paved paths near you, find an empty parking lot or a school campus. Just pick a place where there won't be too many other skaters, bikers and runners to distract/annoy/run into you.

The Best Exercises for In-line Skating

Strengthen your legs. Skating places tremendous demands on your muscles. Squats and lunges will work your hip and buttock muscles, as well as your quads and hamstrings. All the power needed for the skating stride comes from these muscles.

Strengthen your back and abdominals. To become faster on your skates you will have to get lower to be more aerodynamic and to get more push out of each stride. This places a strain on your lower back muscles. For many people, the lower back is the determining factor in how long they can skate.

The best way to improve back strength as it relates to in-line skating would be to do back extensions lying on the floor or on a bench made for hyper extensions at a gym. Crunch twists, side twists and standing torso rotation will also help a great deal with the torso muscle strength you are going to need for turning.

Be sure to stretch all these muscles that you're using so they won't get too tight. Stretches for the quadriceps, hamstrings, lower back, gluteals and calves should be performed after strength training and also after a skating session.

Strengthen your upper body. It is important to balance your lower body development with some upper body work. Keep in mind that for falls, you will use your upper body to brace yourself during the impact. It helps to have a strong upper body when you do this! Do push-ups at home, or do a upper body circuit at the gym a couple of times a week.

Add in some cardio work. Skating is an endurance sport, so any cardiovascular exercise will help your stamina for skating. Run, bike, use a stair stepper, an elliptical trainer or do aerobics to help increase the time you can spend on your skates having fun.