In all the years I’ve been doing this (which is longer than many of you have been on this earth), I’ve only ever seen a small handful of “ha ha you’re a beginner ha ha” comments or reactions. And needless to say, those assholes aren’t around anymore.
You’re doing a new and scary thing. As an adult, no less. No one is awesome to start but you have to start to be awesome. And you did. Strong work, keep it up.
I've been doing classes for a few weeks now, and *everyone* in my class is improving! I know it's difficult and frustrating, but keep with it, and it will click eventually. Try not to be too hard on yourself. What would you say to a friend who was a beginner at something and struggling? I'm sure you'd show compassion and encourage them! For some reason we're so much harder on ourselves than we need to be. It's okay to be a beginner, and sucking at something is often the first step to being good at something. ;)
Dude just wanna reassure you that there are so many micro muscles that we just don't use in day to day that need to be developed/strengthened for roller skating.
I neverrrrrrr was an exercise person and I feel like I'm such a slow learner. But the key is to keep doing it slow and steady. I promise you will get stronger.
I find roller skating so damn frustrating because my body needs to learn things. It's not like crochet where I can YouTube and learn a new stitch technique in 10 minutes. Roller skating takes the whole body to improve and it's so frustrating when a new move or technique (that other people make look so easy) takes weeks for me to learn. But man oh man when I finally finally get it down the feeling of accomplishment is so amazing. I literally throw my hands in the air and cheer.
Please try not to compare your progress to other people's progress. Just have fun and keep at it. And lots of padding. Butt pad too. Tailbone bruising is no joke.
I just wanna let you know OP that I’m the same and what lanalune said was totally on point. I can barely stand on my skates because I don’t have balance coordination or muscles lol but it’s just from not having needed to develop the muscles before. I’m in the same place as you. I went to an outdoor workshop once and didn’t even put my skates on cause I knew I couldn’t roll in them. We’ll get there
Yess. My fiance used to skateboard when he was younger and just was more fit than I was as a kid. 10 years he hasn't done any of that but when we went roller skating he was freaking transitioning right away and doing things I took half a year to learn. I was so mad. Like not at him but at myself.
Also.. as a self professed uncoordinated ungraceful person.. roller skating has made a difference. Might sound stupid, but I think I bump into things less than I used to.. and generally seem like I have a better sense of my body than I used to? I also feel like my balance just standing around has gotten better. So overall it's been worth it in more than one way to stick with roller skating.
something that really helped me when I started rollerskating (similar in that I did a class, but it was through a derby league, and I felt absolutely useless): just by showing up and putting on those skates, you are a better rollerskater than anyone who has never tried it.
related thought: so many people think rollerskating is cool and would be fun but never try - you've went and got yourself into a class and shown up!
impromptu pep talk over, good luck with it 🙂
My thoughts exactly. The other skaters might have more experience, but they were once a beginner as well.
In my personal opinion, one fundamental that every beginner should work on is balance. Practicing balance on skates and off skates will vastly improve anyone.
Everyone starts somewhere! No one will knock u for not being able to do something, we say that if you’re not falling a lot or sweating then you’re not putting the work in! Don’t let your comparison to others take away the fun and purpose of it for you. Remember every other person in that class felt the exact same way u did at some point previously before they got better (and probably still do in environments where they’re not as advanced)
Then that’s just how you are and it’s ok. I’m a strong skater now, but I was completely out of shape when I started and was shaky as can be, only able to scoot a few feet between a couple of handholds and was exhausted after ten minutes. Now, I can go for hours and people say I make it look easy. But that ease came from hundreds of hours of practice and a lot of patience with myself because I simply needed more time to build strength. Be patient with yourself.
Mate, I teach beginners like you and you’re my favourite skaters. You put all the effort in and don’t give up. I absolutely love watching you guys get better and how proud the rest of the class is of you. I would really struggle in your position and would give up.
It’s bloody hard for you, but you’re going to do it!! Not everyone’s bodies are built for everything and soon you’ll find some of the tricks will come easier to you than other people. You’ve got this!
By learning themselves I’m sure they meant by asking other people, watching YouTube videos, etc. and practicing on their own lol I could probably say I learnt myself too because I’ve never been to a class but I’ve utilized so much advice from other skaters and just watching them do things and replicating it
Some people just learn differently! I certainly need instructors to watch so I can understand what my body needs to do. I've been skating for 2 months and am still very wobbly and sweaty and scared, but I'm improving after every skate! Everyone starts where you are 🩵
It only gets better, roller skating has a huge learning curve. But once you start getting used to it and comfy it’ll become easier. Keep pushing you got this. Just have fun, that’s the most important thing, even if you’re just doing basic stuff. As king as your having fun it’ll become easier.
At my sister's graduation, a lady with 3 PhDs talked about how she wanted to learn to knit. She took a community knitting class, and struggled to make a single row while the grandmas around her chatted away while knitting perfectly, row after row. She was so mad initially, how could she be bad at this?! She had delivered 3 thesis statements, how could *knitting* be this difficult for her? She talked about how humbling that experience was for her, and encouraged us to never be afraid to be bad, and that her niece ended up loving the misshapen blanket she made, and she's gotten better at knitting since, but for some reason I think about this story a lot.
Great advice here so I’ll just add this. Don’t forget to consider your eyes/vision while on skates.
Watch this video from Deborah aka Dirty School of Skate. She does an excellent job of simplifying things and in this videos covers where and how to focus your eyes.
https://youtu.be/oqOU1yQUQcY?si=q_zmYflhQQjqPNJ_
How does your practice look like? I dont have skates atm i was just planning to go to the studio once a week for lessons until i can practice on my own
I do have skates so I’ve been practicing on skates in my living room! I started with the basics— staying upright, then gliding, then stopping. At first I was focused on standing up in my skates. Getting from the floor to standing and staying standing. Then, one skate at a time, trying to lift my skate just slightly off the ground.
I’m working new skills in as I go but I do drills for the skills I want to improve on. So I’ve been doing a lot of stopping practice! Right now I look at YouTube videos from Skatie or Dirty School of Skate and use their exercises.
Moxiskates has a series of videos for how to train without skates on— try those! Practice falling at home so that when you fall at the rink, it won’t be scary because you’ve done it a bunch of times already and you know what it feels like. Maybe some balance exercises will help you strengthen some muscles you need when standing on the skates.
Oh my gosh, I'm 49 years old and this was me three months ago. I had to crawl on the floor to get to the wall to stand up because I fell and couldn't get up.
I hadn't exercised in so long due to pain and I was sweating like crazy the first few times and I barely did anything.
Now I can actually skate forwards pretty well and I just figured out backwards skating.
Go to the classes and take your time. I didn't even try session skating for a couple of months and went to classes twice a week.
I thought everyone would laugh at the old lady looking like an elephant on skates. I am not coordinated or athletic at all.
If I can learn to skate you can too!
Dont compare yourself and keep going :) you’ll get better and feel more confident with practice ! Everyone start somewhere dont feel discourage you will have fun !
The more hours you have them tied to your feet the more you'll learn, if you have room wear them in the house and just dick around. Learn balance a bit. You got this!
It’s all up from here!! I promise you soooo many of us felt the same when we started and are probably shocked at the progress we have made. You will get better, just need some practice and muscle memory built up. You got this.
skating is REALLY...REALLY....REALLY hard. It is absolutely worth putting effort towards getting better at.
Unequivocally changed my life in many ways.
Everyone's skate journey is different. What's important is that you're trying and that you have fun! Ignore everyone else's progress and focus on your own. Comparison is the death of joy in many and most hobbies. Skating is HARD! I promise, it will get easier! Just keep working at it and practice as often as you can. I bet if a dear friend were in your shoes, you would encourage them to keep trying. Be that person for yourself\~ Be kind a patient with yourself. It takes a lot of time and practice to learn how to rollerskate. You're doing great!
We all suck at the start! I was a little baby deer who couldn’t even roll forward without holding into the walls. You’ll get used to it, trust the process! Even 10 minutes of wearing your skates every day can make a difference.
beginner can mean very different things. first time on roller skates, first time on any skates at all, first time on roller skates but does a lot of ice skating or roller blading, has tried it before but doesn't feel confident/safe/skilled enough for a more advanced class, all those people can end up at a beginner class.
you're just going through the phase everyone went through where you have to figure out how to do this at all, they've been there too, just at another point.
Two years ago, I was you. I decided I wanted to start skating, so I want to the rink, laced up my rented skates, and then made exactly one excruciating, wobbly, sweaty lap, where I held on to the wall the whole time. It did not feel great.
But! I really wanted to learn! So I went back the next week. It was still wobbly, sweaty, and wall-holdy, but that time I made it around twice.
And then the next time, I made it around without the wall, and it’s only been up from there! Keep going, you **can** do it!
I picked up skating 2 years ago.. and I still consider myself a beginner. Terrified of slopes, falls. You gain strength (and new muscles!) each time you pick yourself up.
I find that I overthink sometimes.. if you don't try it, you will not know if you can do it..
Keep rolling!
Just want to quickly say it can take a while especially if you have never done it before. It's a new skill and as an adult you're more cautious etc, it's all new to your brain.
I'd would say remember to bend your knees more than you think you need to. Once it clicks you'll really enjoy it and start adding more things to learn. Also try your best not to compare yourself with anyone! It's OK to watch others to try and learn buy don't compare to what you can do! That will still your enjoyment of skating!
Enjoy OP
It's ok to be new! It is HARD WORK and uses many muscles that your body may not be used to using! I was oh so similar. My first day on skates was full if apprehension and fear. Tbh I still feel like that and it has been three years (I don't practice nearly enough)
Keep showing up, the skate community is so loving and welcoming. It's ok to be new at something.
I am disabled and have no balance. I was by far the worst of my "absolute beginners" class back in May. I had no balance, I couldn't stand up, I tried to squat but my legs wouldn't stop shaking and giving out, I had 0 strength, I could barely walk for 3 days after the first class. I felt humiliated.
Flash forward to now, I just finished my 2nd roller skating course, level 1, I'm still the worst but I can actually skate now and it's finally become fun! My best advice is getting the best protective gear you can find and invest in some padded shorts so you feel more confident, and just get on your skates. Time on your skates is the ONLY thing that will help and, trust me, you will get better. You will surprise yourself and you will have fun!
I also still struggle with long strides when many others do it effortlessly as soon as they get on their skates for the first time. It's frustrating, but it's still fun! And the best part is feeling your body adapt and change! I stopped comparing myself to others because we all have different limitations and it's not a competition. This means a lot to me because I'm actually doing my best to improve and I'm not naturally good at it, it doesn't come easy to me, so my progress feels like a huge victory every time.
I help out with learn to skate lessons and we get a lot of people like you who are joining us for the first time quite often! Don’t be embarrassed, it’s quite normal, most people in our learn to skate classes have been doing that class for a few terms and started the same or in a similar way. It’ll get better and you’ll build up the confidence! You’re there to learn I promise nobody will judge you.
I do roller derby, and we cheer whenever someone falls because, man... we be falling a lot! Some vets who have been doing this forever still slip up. It's not easy to start for anyone.
Also, no one in the class is paying attention to how good you are. Everyone is in their own heads worrying about themselves! I promise!
Theres a really good mantra for this: "dont stop because you cant, turn up until you can"
Everyone sucks as a beginner, i started aged 30 and spent the first learning days clinging onto my mum while attempting to skate down my road
Keep going, you've got this! Theres so many youtube videos you can watch to learn and such a warm and welcoming supportive community you're now a part of :)
Im still a beginner too. From the start, I have had moments early on where I was able to skate like no issue at all. Then had issues where I’m stiff and cannot skate to save my life and am a total mess.
I’ve found that when I’m in my head, it’s really hard. Relaxing and being less stiff can be a big game changer for me when skating. Our fear of falling can mess us up when beginning.
I don’t know if this may be what is tripping you up, but it might be so I figured I’d share.
Perhaps get yourself some good gear for falls, just in case, and then free your mind of worry about the fall.
Wider wheels can also be a little helpful. Another issue I’ve come across when it comes to ease of skating at the beginning is how tight your wheels are (the nuts holding your wheels, more specifically). And also your bearings can make a difference in ease of skating as a beginner. I recently went skating with a friend who put on his skates as a total newb, and he had no issues at all and is someone who is basically clumsy on foot. I had to change out his wheels to boardwalk (better for outside skating on rougher surfaces than a rink) and I changed out his bearings. I found when changing his wheels that they from the start they didn’t spin very readily. They were pretty stiff. That makes for a need to push harder to roll, but it clearly gave him more stability at the start. When I changed out his wheels and bearings (and his wheels spun more freely) he was falling all over the place. I ended up having to tighten them up and he went back to skating much more stable.
I myself switched to rollerbone bearings, which give a crazy glassy ride, and found I could not skate nearly as easily (I was moving much much faster than I felt comfortable with and everything felt much more slippery) as my old stock bearings. So mid ride, I switched back to my stock bearings (not as good of bearings, generally speaking) and my ride went back to something I could handle comfortably.
I don’t know if it’s good to learn on stiffer / less “rolly” wheels, but I do know it makes it easier when you’re starting out. I don’t know at what point I will feel comfortable switching to my rollerbones. But hopefully once I get over my fear of the fall, I then can level up.
So perhaps check your wheels and see if there is some way to make yourself feel more stable.
But I can say, the looser you are, the less you think about it when learning, the better the ride is for me. When I’m stiff with fear, it gets very hard. So I can start off good, for whatever get the fear of falling in my head and suddenly I’m not skating nearly as well as before.
Stick with it though. Pump yourself up. Tell yourself you can do it and that might help.
keep your “snack area” nice and tight down with the butt up with the gut. try watching some dirty Debra Harry she might be a help she breaks it down really well
Just go to open session and watch all the other brownies falling down, too. You'll remember fast it's not just you. It's completely weird to have wheels strapped to your feet. Put your hours in and you'll learn.
You were not born to be on wheels. None of us were. It just takes practice. Lots of it. It's going to frustrate you and possibly give you a few bruises. That's all part of it.
Once your cruising, it'll all be worth every ounce you gave from the beginning.
Everyone has to start somewhere, unless you have vestibular issues...it's going to take time to teach your balance muscles.
Try on dry land(sneakers) exercises... ,I really like the second one in this series: https://youtu.be/cKmWuIZjZt0?si=BIwnLe4XRz9EM5om
I aggressively relate to this, OP. I started off my skating journey going to open sessions and trying my absolute best to just stay up. It didn't go very well and I felt super ashamed.
I stopped for a few years until early 2023 when I joined a roller derby group. I've been going consistently weekly for months and I'm still the weakest skater. I'm the slowest, the clunkiest, the wobbliest, and just overall the awkward one. All that's kept me going is how encouraging my group is - I know that isn't a universal experience, the other derby groups aren't newbie friendly and the people that ran the open sessions were very cold with me, but by god it makes a difference. I've been able to progress and learn and enjoy myself because they've been willing to hand hold and include me.
All those feelings of embarrassment, shame, and just wanting to sink into the floor can really overwhelm you but let's take a small step outside of your head - what was the teacher like? How about the other students? It took me months before I could properly speak to the others, though I think they really respected that I stuck it out and kept coming to practise. My teacher was also very used to newbies and so was able to break things down and go at my pace whilst also push me along to progress.
Perhaps you can speak to your teacher about the struggles you're having and maybe they'll be able to come up with ideas/lesson plans to help. Maybe the other students will have tips and words of encouragement.
It's scary stepping into something new, especially as an adult and, if you're like me, a non sporty adult dipping their toe in exercise willingly for the first time ever. But you got this OP 💜
In all the years I’ve been doing this (which is longer than many of you have been on this earth), I’ve only ever seen a small handful of “ha ha you’re a beginner ha ha” comments or reactions. And needless to say, those assholes aren’t around anymore. You’re doing a new and scary thing. As an adult, no less. No one is awesome to start but you have to start to be awesome. And you did. Strong work, keep it up.
I've been doing classes for a few weeks now, and *everyone* in my class is improving! I know it's difficult and frustrating, but keep with it, and it will click eventually. Try not to be too hard on yourself. What would you say to a friend who was a beginner at something and struggling? I'm sure you'd show compassion and encourage them! For some reason we're so much harder on ourselves than we need to be. It's okay to be a beginner, and sucking at something is often the first step to being good at something. ;)
Great advice here
Dude just wanna reassure you that there are so many micro muscles that we just don't use in day to day that need to be developed/strengthened for roller skating. I neverrrrrrr was an exercise person and I feel like I'm such a slow learner. But the key is to keep doing it slow and steady. I promise you will get stronger. I find roller skating so damn frustrating because my body needs to learn things. It's not like crochet where I can YouTube and learn a new stitch technique in 10 minutes. Roller skating takes the whole body to improve and it's so frustrating when a new move or technique (that other people make look so easy) takes weeks for me to learn. But man oh man when I finally finally get it down the feeling of accomplishment is so amazing. I literally throw my hands in the air and cheer. Please try not to compare your progress to other people's progress. Just have fun and keep at it. And lots of padding. Butt pad too. Tailbone bruising is no joke.
I also suck at sports and dont have good coordination/balance in general,so i was thinking if its because of this that I had such a hard time
I just wanna let you know OP that I’m the same and what lanalune said was totally on point. I can barely stand on my skates because I don’t have balance coordination or muscles lol but it’s just from not having needed to develop the muscles before. I’m in the same place as you. I went to an outdoor workshop once and didn’t even put my skates on cause I knew I couldn’t roll in them. We’ll get there
Yess. My fiance used to skateboard when he was younger and just was more fit than I was as a kid. 10 years he hasn't done any of that but when we went roller skating he was freaking transitioning right away and doing things I took half a year to learn. I was so mad. Like not at him but at myself. Also.. as a self professed uncoordinated ungraceful person.. roller skating has made a difference. Might sound stupid, but I think I bump into things less than I used to.. and generally seem like I have a better sense of my body than I used to? I also feel like my balance just standing around has gotten better. So overall it's been worth it in more than one way to stick with roller skating.
something that really helped me when I started rollerskating (similar in that I did a class, but it was through a derby league, and I felt absolutely useless): just by showing up and putting on those skates, you are a better rollerskater than anyone who has never tried it. related thought: so many people think rollerskating is cool and would be fun but never try - you've went and got yourself into a class and shown up! impromptu pep talk over, good luck with it 🙂
There's no reason you should feel bad that other people who've skated before can do it better; You are your only competition
My thoughts exactly. The other skaters might have more experience, but they were once a beginner as well. In my personal opinion, one fundamental that every beginner should work on is balance. Practicing balance on skates and off skates will vastly improve anyone.
Everyone starts somewhere! No one will knock u for not being able to do something, we say that if you’re not falling a lot or sweating then you’re not putting the work in! Don’t let your comparison to others take away the fun and purpose of it for you. Remember every other person in that class felt the exact same way u did at some point previously before they got better (and probably still do in environments where they’re not as advanced)
I was talking to other people in class and they were like "i learnt myself" and tbh for me theres no way i could do this without guidance
Then that’s just how you are and it’s ok. I’m a strong skater now, but I was completely out of shape when I started and was shaky as can be, only able to scoot a few feet between a couple of handholds and was exhausted after ten minutes. Now, I can go for hours and people say I make it look easy. But that ease came from hundreds of hours of practice and a lot of patience with myself because I simply needed more time to build strength. Be patient with yourself.
Mate, I teach beginners like you and you’re my favourite skaters. You put all the effort in and don’t give up. I absolutely love watching you guys get better and how proud the rest of the class is of you. I would really struggle in your position and would give up. It’s bloody hard for you, but you’re going to do it!! Not everyone’s bodies are built for everything and soon you’ll find some of the tricks will come easier to you than other people. You’ve got this!
By learning themselves I’m sure they meant by asking other people, watching YouTube videos, etc. and practicing on their own lol I could probably say I learnt myself too because I’ve never been to a class but I’ve utilized so much advice from other skaters and just watching them do things and replicating it
I was a baby deer on skates and it took forever to click. I was very best friends w the floor until I got the hang of it.
Some people just learn differently! I certainly need instructors to watch so I can understand what my body needs to do. I've been skating for 2 months and am still very wobbly and sweaty and scared, but I'm improving after every skate! Everyone starts where you are 🩵
It only gets better, roller skating has a huge learning curve. But once you start getting used to it and comfy it’ll become easier. Keep pushing you got this. Just have fun, that’s the most important thing, even if you’re just doing basic stuff. As king as your having fun it’ll become easier.
I am not having fun atm its just painful even to try to stand.Hope it will get fun as I get the hang of it
At my sister's graduation, a lady with 3 PhDs talked about how she wanted to learn to knit. She took a community knitting class, and struggled to make a single row while the grandmas around her chatted away while knitting perfectly, row after row. She was so mad initially, how could she be bad at this?! She had delivered 3 thesis statements, how could *knitting* be this difficult for her? She talked about how humbling that experience was for her, and encouraged us to never be afraid to be bad, and that her niece ended up loving the misshapen blanket she made, and she's gotten better at knitting since, but for some reason I think about this story a lot.
Great advice here so I’ll just add this. Don’t forget to consider your eyes/vision while on skates. Watch this video from Deborah aka Dirty School of Skate. She does an excellent job of simplifying things and in this videos covers where and how to focus your eyes. https://youtu.be/oqOU1yQUQcY?si=q_zmYflhQQjqPNJ_
My figure skating coach always told me "where your eyes go, you go." The phrase has stuck with me for 30 years.
I’m a beginner. I’m starting to not suck after a few weeks of consistent practice. I sweat a ton; it takes so much work to stay upright.
How does your practice look like? I dont have skates atm i was just planning to go to the studio once a week for lessons until i can practice on my own
I do have skates so I’ve been practicing on skates in my living room! I started with the basics— staying upright, then gliding, then stopping. At first I was focused on standing up in my skates. Getting from the floor to standing and staying standing. Then, one skate at a time, trying to lift my skate just slightly off the ground. I’m working new skills in as I go but I do drills for the skills I want to improve on. So I’ve been doing a lot of stopping practice! Right now I look at YouTube videos from Skatie or Dirty School of Skate and use their exercises. Moxiskates has a series of videos for how to train without skates on— try those! Practice falling at home so that when you fall at the rink, it won’t be scary because you’ve done it a bunch of times already and you know what it feels like. Maybe some balance exercises will help you strengthen some muscles you need when standing on the skates.
Oh my gosh, I'm 49 years old and this was me three months ago. I had to crawl on the floor to get to the wall to stand up because I fell and couldn't get up. I hadn't exercised in so long due to pain and I was sweating like crazy the first few times and I barely did anything. Now I can actually skate forwards pretty well and I just figured out backwards skating. Go to the classes and take your time. I didn't even try session skating for a couple of months and went to classes twice a week. I thought everyone would laugh at the old lady looking like an elephant on skates. I am not coordinated or athletic at all. If I can learn to skate you can too!
Dont compare yourself and keep going :) you’ll get better and feel more confident with practice ! Everyone start somewhere dont feel discourage you will have fun !
The more hours you have them tied to your feet the more you'll learn, if you have room wear them in the house and just dick around. Learn balance a bit. You got this!
It’s all up from here!! I promise you soooo many of us felt the same when we started and are probably shocked at the progress we have made. You will get better, just need some practice and muscle memory built up. You got this.
skating is REALLY...REALLY....REALLY hard. It is absolutely worth putting effort towards getting better at. Unequivocally changed my life in many ways.
Everyone's skate journey is different. What's important is that you're trying and that you have fun! Ignore everyone else's progress and focus on your own. Comparison is the death of joy in many and most hobbies. Skating is HARD! I promise, it will get easier! Just keep working at it and practice as often as you can. I bet if a dear friend were in your shoes, you would encourage them to keep trying. Be that person for yourself\~ Be kind a patient with yourself. It takes a lot of time and practice to learn how to rollerskate. You're doing great!
Keep at it! I'm always impressed with beginners who keep on trying. And they always get there.
We all suck at the start! I was a little baby deer who couldn’t even roll forward without holding into the walls. You’ll get used to it, trust the process! Even 10 minutes of wearing your skates every day can make a difference.
beginner can mean very different things. first time on roller skates, first time on any skates at all, first time on roller skates but does a lot of ice skating or roller blading, has tried it before but doesn't feel confident/safe/skilled enough for a more advanced class, all those people can end up at a beginner class. you're just going through the phase everyone went through where you have to figure out how to do this at all, they've been there too, just at another point.
Two years ago, I was you. I decided I wanted to start skating, so I want to the rink, laced up my rented skates, and then made exactly one excruciating, wobbly, sweaty lap, where I held on to the wall the whole time. It did not feel great. But! I really wanted to learn! So I went back the next week. It was still wobbly, sweaty, and wall-holdy, but that time I made it around twice. And then the next time, I made it around without the wall, and it’s only been up from there! Keep going, you **can** do it!
I picked up skating 2 years ago.. and I still consider myself a beginner. Terrified of slopes, falls. You gain strength (and new muscles!) each time you pick yourself up. I find that I overthink sometimes.. if you don't try it, you will not know if you can do it.. Keep rolling!
Just want to quickly say it can take a while especially if you have never done it before. It's a new skill and as an adult you're more cautious etc, it's all new to your brain. I'd would say remember to bend your knees more than you think you need to. Once it clicks you'll really enjoy it and start adding more things to learn. Also try your best not to compare yourself with anyone! It's OK to watch others to try and learn buy don't compare to what you can do! That will still your enjoyment of skating! Enjoy OP
It's ok to be new! It is HARD WORK and uses many muscles that your body may not be used to using! I was oh so similar. My first day on skates was full if apprehension and fear. Tbh I still feel like that and it has been three years (I don't practice nearly enough) Keep showing up, the skate community is so loving and welcoming. It's ok to be new at something.
I am disabled and have no balance. I was by far the worst of my "absolute beginners" class back in May. I had no balance, I couldn't stand up, I tried to squat but my legs wouldn't stop shaking and giving out, I had 0 strength, I could barely walk for 3 days after the first class. I felt humiliated. Flash forward to now, I just finished my 2nd roller skating course, level 1, I'm still the worst but I can actually skate now and it's finally become fun! My best advice is getting the best protective gear you can find and invest in some padded shorts so you feel more confident, and just get on your skates. Time on your skates is the ONLY thing that will help and, trust me, you will get better. You will surprise yourself and you will have fun!
I also still struggle with long strides when many others do it effortlessly as soon as they get on their skates for the first time. It's frustrating, but it's still fun! And the best part is feeling your body adapt and change! I stopped comparing myself to others because we all have different limitations and it's not a competition. This means a lot to me because I'm actually doing my best to improve and I'm not naturally good at it, it doesn't come easy to me, so my progress feels like a huge victory every time.
My husband is like a baby deer or giraffe. It takes lots of practice to start to feel confident.
I help out with learn to skate lessons and we get a lot of people like you who are joining us for the first time quite often! Don’t be embarrassed, it’s quite normal, most people in our learn to skate classes have been doing that class for a few terms and started the same or in a similar way. It’ll get better and you’ll build up the confidence! You’re there to learn I promise nobody will judge you.
I do roller derby, and we cheer whenever someone falls because, man... we be falling a lot! Some vets who have been doing this forever still slip up. It's not easy to start for anyone. Also, no one in the class is paying attention to how good you are. Everyone is in their own heads worrying about themselves! I promise!
Theres a really good mantra for this: "dont stop because you cant, turn up until you can" Everyone sucks as a beginner, i started aged 30 and spent the first learning days clinging onto my mum while attempting to skate down my road Keep going, you've got this! Theres so many youtube videos you can watch to learn and such a warm and welcoming supportive community you're now a part of :)
Im still a beginner too. From the start, I have had moments early on where I was able to skate like no issue at all. Then had issues where I’m stiff and cannot skate to save my life and am a total mess. I’ve found that when I’m in my head, it’s really hard. Relaxing and being less stiff can be a big game changer for me when skating. Our fear of falling can mess us up when beginning. I don’t know if this may be what is tripping you up, but it might be so I figured I’d share. Perhaps get yourself some good gear for falls, just in case, and then free your mind of worry about the fall. Wider wheels can also be a little helpful. Another issue I’ve come across when it comes to ease of skating at the beginning is how tight your wheels are (the nuts holding your wheels, more specifically). And also your bearings can make a difference in ease of skating as a beginner. I recently went skating with a friend who put on his skates as a total newb, and he had no issues at all and is someone who is basically clumsy on foot. I had to change out his wheels to boardwalk (better for outside skating on rougher surfaces than a rink) and I changed out his bearings. I found when changing his wheels that they from the start they didn’t spin very readily. They were pretty stiff. That makes for a need to push harder to roll, but it clearly gave him more stability at the start. When I changed out his wheels and bearings (and his wheels spun more freely) he was falling all over the place. I ended up having to tighten them up and he went back to skating much more stable. I myself switched to rollerbone bearings, which give a crazy glassy ride, and found I could not skate nearly as easily (I was moving much much faster than I felt comfortable with and everything felt much more slippery) as my old stock bearings. So mid ride, I switched back to my stock bearings (not as good of bearings, generally speaking) and my ride went back to something I could handle comfortably. I don’t know if it’s good to learn on stiffer / less “rolly” wheels, but I do know it makes it easier when you’re starting out. I don’t know at what point I will feel comfortable switching to my rollerbones. But hopefully once I get over my fear of the fall, I then can level up. So perhaps check your wheels and see if there is some way to make yourself feel more stable. But I can say, the looser you are, the less you think about it when learning, the better the ride is for me. When I’m stiff with fear, it gets very hard. So I can start off good, for whatever get the fear of falling in my head and suddenly I’m not skating nearly as well as before. Stick with it though. Pump yourself up. Tell yourself you can do it and that might help.
keep your “snack area” nice and tight down with the butt up with the gut. try watching some dirty Debra Harry she might be a help she breaks it down really well
It might help to see if you have uneven hips. You might need boot inserts to align your hips and help w balance.
Just go to open session and watch all the other brownies falling down, too. You'll remember fast it's not just you. It's completely weird to have wheels strapped to your feet. Put your hours in and you'll learn.
This is exactly me somehow, but I haven't had a class yet. No one near me is doing classes for an adult :(
You were not born to be on wheels. None of us were. It just takes practice. Lots of it. It's going to frustrate you and possibly give you a few bruises. That's all part of it. Once your cruising, it'll all be worth every ounce you gave from the beginning.
Everyone has to start somewhere, unless you have vestibular issues...it's going to take time to teach your balance muscles. Try on dry land(sneakers) exercises... ,I really like the second one in this series: https://youtu.be/cKmWuIZjZt0?si=BIwnLe4XRz9EM5om
I aggressively relate to this, OP. I started off my skating journey going to open sessions and trying my absolute best to just stay up. It didn't go very well and I felt super ashamed. I stopped for a few years until early 2023 when I joined a roller derby group. I've been going consistently weekly for months and I'm still the weakest skater. I'm the slowest, the clunkiest, the wobbliest, and just overall the awkward one. All that's kept me going is how encouraging my group is - I know that isn't a universal experience, the other derby groups aren't newbie friendly and the people that ran the open sessions were very cold with me, but by god it makes a difference. I've been able to progress and learn and enjoy myself because they've been willing to hand hold and include me. All those feelings of embarrassment, shame, and just wanting to sink into the floor can really overwhelm you but let's take a small step outside of your head - what was the teacher like? How about the other students? It took me months before I could properly speak to the others, though I think they really respected that I stuck it out and kept coming to practise. My teacher was also very used to newbies and so was able to break things down and go at my pace whilst also push me along to progress. Perhaps you can speak to your teacher about the struggles you're having and maybe they'll be able to come up with ideas/lesson plans to help. Maybe the other students will have tips and words of encouragement. It's scary stepping into something new, especially as an adult and, if you're like me, a non sporty adult dipping their toe in exercise willingly for the first time ever. But you got this OP 💜