Figure Skating vs. Roller Skating/Blading? | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Figure Skating vs. Roller Skating/Blading?

Arwen17

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 20, 2017
Mom and the grandparents loved quad skating. Nothing fancy, just backwards skating at most. But since they loved it, we went many times when I was a kid. I started out in quad skates since that’s what they did. But eventually switched to roller blades because I decided I liked those better. Once again, the most I ever did was skate backwards in them. I didn’t even know artistic roller skating existed until the past year!!! I’d never seen anything like that and my mom and grandparents crazy enough never knew it existed either! So our family and town was 100% roller skating is something you do for fun. There’s no such thing as artistic tricks.
I learned about figure skating’s existence from seeing Michelle Kwan on TV around 2001-2002. Love at first sight. Mom took me to our ice rink a couple times, but I hated it because the rental skates made my feet bleed every time and I couldn’t stand up without holding onto the wall. Completely different from quad skates or roller blades. I still desperately wished I could skate like Michelle Kwan, just had no freakin clue how to make it happen. Mom wasn’t aware our rink had lessons and didn’t bother to find out. Eventually, I found out myself when I made another attempt to skate another public session at age 14 and spotted some local figure skaters on the session. Begged mom for lessons and managed to get a year of lessons of out her before she forced me to quit.

I haven’t been roller skating in years, but any time I do, I generally hate it, because it feel like I’ve got rocks tied to my feet. I can’t do anything in roller skates like what I can do on ice. It’s all wrong and feels wrong.
I always felt like I was “upgrading” to the smoother experience: quad skating -> roller blades -> ice skates.
Each upgrade was smoother and less clunky than the previous. The only reason I struggled with ice skates at first is because it was too smooth and too slippery.

It seems really strange, but everyone seems to know about figure skating, while hardly anyone knows about artistic roller skating. Even though it seems like artistic roller skating is how a lot of people transferred into figure skating....



EDIT: I think roller skating is way easier for a total beginner to enjoy because they’re easy enough to stand up in without hugging the wall. But I think in the long run, especially if you want to do tricks, figure skating is way easier and more pleasant.
 

mystery905

Rinkside
Joined
Jan 22, 2018
As a child I tried ice skating in some second hand skates that didn't fit properly and fell multiple times ending up with several cuts and bruises.

Then I tried quad roller skates at an outdoor rink and had a blast. Still fell but not as many, and the added 'stability' of the wheels allowed me to enjoy it a bit more. I grew up within 5 minutes walking distance to a roller rink and went at least once a week. Learned a few 'dance' moves on them, and was thrilled to learn crossovers, forward and backward. Remember doing 'shoot the duck'.

After twenty years, I transitioned to roller blades, and was quite an adjustment. Learned previous moves, and did a couple of waltz jumps (didn't know the correct term at the time; thought it was a 1/2 axel lol; technically it is a 1/3 axel of course).
With roller blades I was able to learn outside spread eagles (stable 'blade). I did this for about 10 years.

3 years ago I took up ice figure skating as the nearest roller rink then was 45 km away. It was again an adjustment, but not as big when going from quads to the inlines. Was able to do most moves from inlines, and took proper group then private figure skating lessons to learn 3 turns, edges, waltz jumps, salchows, toe loops, and loop jumps in combination/sequence. I also do my outside spread eagles (now both ways), and do inside spread eagles (both ways), and ina bauers.

2 years ago I purchased some PIC skates and had a blast at first (way better than traditional inlines), and most moves translate from ice, but everything is harder requiring more precision.

I am currently an ice figure skater at heart (can do a lot more in them), and believe my experience with quads as well as inline/roller blades helped me with ice.
 

sandraskates

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Country
United-States
I have to backtrack on my first reply to this thread.

With the rinks closed and Pic skates like gold dust, I bought myself a new pair of Moxi Lolly quads (and a lot of body protective gear!) to keep my skating muscles in shape. Skating on quads came back to me somewhat easily but I have to be super-conscious of any debris lying on the road. Thus I tend to skate looking down a lot, which I don't do on the ice.
The whole quad setup is much, much heavier than my ice skates so I think my legs will be in good shape once ice skating resumes.

I am also hoping to buy a pair of Pic or Off-ice inline skates once the demand dies down, although with my bad outing on regular inlines years ago I'm not sure how well I'll adjust to them.
 

Schpanky

Rinkside
Joined
May 25, 2016
I can relate! After 20+ years of inline slalom skating on a rockered plate/frame, and looking down EVERY MINUTE, to see the debris on the road and also to see the cones, it has been an on-going challenge not to look down on ice. Actually it's still a challenge.

I can appreciate that everyone here wants Pic skates, but Seba makes a fantastic inline skate and the Daria model comes with a rockered plate/frame. I'd recommend getting a size smaller than the size recommended to fit your foot.
 
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