Ooty skating rink where I learnt skating under Jagatheeswaran in the 70s Now in dilapidated condition! Pic courtesy Manoj kumar Nilgris history weblink
A quick net search reveals that the first patented roller skate was introduced in 1760 by Belgian inventor John Joseph Merlin.Eventually, roller skating evolved from just a pastime to a competitive sport; speed skating, racing on skates, and inline figure skating, very similar to what can be seen in the Olympics on ice. In the mid 1990s roller hockey, played with a ball rather than a puck, became so popular that it even made an appearance in the Olympics in 1992. The American National Sporting Goods Association statistics showed, from a 1999 study, that 2.5 million people played roller hockey. Roller skating was considered for the 2012 Summer Olympics but has never become an Olympic event. Other roller skating sports include jam skating and roller derby.
Can you lose weight by roller skating?
In fact an hour of inline skating can burn up to 600 calories! As a cardiovascular activity it also gets your heart in shape. 30 minutes of roller skating can raise your heart rate to 148 beats per minute resulting in weight loss and a reduced risk of weight related ailments like heart disease and diabetes.
Skating your way to health
Roller skates, skating blades, urban push cycles..... anything that involves physical power to transport yourself without using fossil fuels or batteries is what this page is all about I dedicate this page to the memory of my good friend Jagatheeswaran whose commitment to roller skating is unparalleled and largely went unsung. See my blogpost for more details.
HEALTH BENFITS
The American Roller Skating Association's web page offers some health benefits of roller skating. Some of the benefits they list include:
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Providing a complete aerobic workout
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Burning 330 calories per hour while skating 6 miles per hour (9.7 km/h) for a 143-pound person or 600 calories while skating 10 miles per hour (16 km/h).
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A study from the University of Massachusetts found that in-line skating causes less than 50% of the impact shock to joints compared to running.
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Roller skating is equivalent to jogging in terms of health benefits
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The American Heart Association recommends roller skating as an aerobic fitness sport.
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