Oh god, yes I’m here. Not complaining or anything and sending negative vibes here!! But it’s busy as hell at work, I fell off my bike on the way home due to slippery road conditions, and and…..Oh there is no other reason that I should feel shitty and not writing here on my blog again on monday. Like I promised, mostly to myself and my future readers 😉
Because here we are, it’s blue monday. On this third monday of january the media is trying to tell us that today must be the most depressing day of the year and all my and your good new year’s resolutions are failing today. Please don’t buy this. And if you have even a bit of common sense, I’m sure you won’t. Because I and you are not quitters. This year will be a succes, but only if we keep going 💪
And today’s blog is an important one, because the topic of this week (as I promised) are the best influencers I can find at this moment for improving the following goals:
- Really improving my inline skate technique 🛼
- Getting stronger 🏋️ and enhancing stamina for overall fitness and supporting my inline skating
- Developing my writing skills for this blog 📝 So I can hopefully inspire more people getting on their wheels and working on their health
- Understanding how to get and stay motivated, even in more difficult times
Well, I think these are (more than) enough skills for now! Let show some influencing 🚀
Positive coaching with Skatefresh
As a student, you are not looking for a teacher who is drilling you. At least I am not. And if you a bit like me, you are looking for someone who can push you in the right directions and can be honest in a sort of nice way when you suck. Because as a beginner we suck big time, it’s just true. And who is really up for this? I think it is Asha from skatefresh.com. I attended a course of her here in the Netherlands last year. And I have to say that – besides she really knows what she is talking about – she’s encouraging, patient and a nice coach in person.
You will find all kind of free lessons on her youtube channel. And on her website there are online courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced skaters. I’m following the intermediate course now. The benefit I have from it that it’s providing step by step instructions how to tackle the most usable skills. And it stops me from wanting to go too fast and skipping important elements.
Oh and by the way. If you read this Asha: thank you for the – always positive – comments you give on my Instagram posts. Much appreciated ☺️
Power skating with Bill stoppard
Ok, TBH: the way Bill Stoppard skates is way way way (did I say way?) beyond my skillset. But he is most inspirational. My favourite video of him is about the powerstop “the most kick ass street stop on the planet”. Just watch ⬇️
Short and practical with Polly Morris
I don’t know when and where I found Polly Morris. But sure she has a striking appearance and stands out from the rest. Next to that, also she has some really great videos, also for beginners, like:
- What are the most common problems mistakes doing a T-stop (I master all those mistakes by the way)
- How to go downhill. A very usefull tip for my was to make sharp turn, which I am practicing now on a flat road, before going downhill. And yes there are some hills in The Netherlands. And in places where it is flat we have those nice bicycle tunnels.
- How to make turns. I do admit that in the beginning I couldn’t make turns.
It’s so nice to see someone explaining how to tackle fairly “easy” problems, in stead how to do grinds and jump from ramps (which she can do also btw). So also a big round of applause for Polly 👏
Advancing your fitness
I had a (short) discussion with my physiotherapist this week. She asked me what I did for sports. And when I said I practice inline skating (which she said “cool”, which of course it is 😇), her opinion it was quite a intensive way of exercising. While I don’t agree with her entirely. Especially in the beginning you’re making short distances. And because we don’t want to fall, we are quite carefull and our moves are small. So yes, you may get the feeling of some training, but I think it is nowhere near the intensity of interval training or running.
Which is a shame. Because with my humble opinion I think that a descent stamina and muscle power can really back up your inline skate practices. And if you agree, but are still looking for some (or a lot) of example of excercises? Please look at the website of Fitnessblender. Just like Asha, Daniel and Kelli bring such positivity. Although you’re training with them or their colleagues, you’re still having fun and getting a great workout. On the website you can find a lot of free (and also paid) workout video’s, from easy stretching to a 1000 calorie workout 😅.
The last training I did was the following upper body workout, because I irritate myself of my flappy upper arms (also a nice 40+ side effect…..)
Giving less f*cks and get going with Mark Manson
If you haven’t already read his book “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck”, than you should (or shouldn’t, you may choose yourself). But also the newsletter of Mark Manson brings the much needed and no-bullsh*t honest eyeopeners about motivation, how to overcome your fears (you have made up yourself) and that being different of even weird isn’t weird at all.
Only by doing strange stuff – like me and you going inline skating at “our age”- is stretching our comfort zones. Eventually we will get feeling comfortable on our skates. And hopefully we are undertaking another weird challenge when that happens 😏
Happy to share some usefull saying (at least they are for me):
- “Focus of the process and the result will take care of themselves”. If the goal – like being a really good inline skater – takes a while, please love the path of going there. Otherwise you will get stuck.
- When you get another anoying comment of a complete stranger 👉 “No matter what you do (or don’t do), there’ll always be someone judging you for it. Might as well be judged for living your idea of a good life over someone’s else’s”.
- Yes you will mess things up, but “Be patient. Goals are behavior changes, and behavior changes require a lot of energy – of which you have a limited amount and will undoubtedly screw up a few times”.
I’m completely aware that words only won’t get you from the couch and get motivated. You will have to do it yourself. But reading his pages really helps my to lift my mindset and develop a better overall mindset. Oh and yeah, I really like is sort of rude kind of humor 😁
Practice at home with Tatiana Santana
I know myself, and I know exactly when I’m trying to find excuses not to go out and skate. But like right now is has been snowing and the asphalt is slippery and therefore too risky for me to practice outside.
Glad there is someone who has so much ideas to practice at home, even inside. It is Tatiana Santana from @Tatinline. I think she’s from Portugal or Brazil? I can’t understand what whe is saying, but that really doesn’t matter, her video’s are very clear what you can do in a small place.
She even inspired me to clean out my garage and made a training area for inline skate excercises!
Besides the workouts on skates, she also shows which movements are valuable to do without skates. Uhhh, without skates? Yes! You can train for example your balance and posture with no wheels.
A round of applause for Tatiana 👏 and look around on her Youtube channel.
Advanced flexibility with Stay flexy
Honest, I just had to look up what’s the name of the “stay flexy” guy, but he’s called David Thurin. David is an enthusiastic promotor of flexibility. And how flexible he is, is definitely showing in his instagram account. Which is again a real recommendation to follow, because he combines his knowlegde with humor.
The reason I’m motivated to train my flexibility is that I really want to learn a mohawk transition like @rollerbearding does in this reel below 👇
Shamefully my legs won’t go further at this moment like this…..
Because I’m not that flexible, my turn won’t be in the direction I want it to be. Which irritates me, and training my flexibility will improve this. So lets go! On the website of stay flexy you can find 4 different free (whoohooo, free!!) ebooks.
Tips and tricks with rollerbearding
I mentioned him in the paragraph before, but I think @rollerbearding has great short video’s about techniques. Even though he is a professional, as a beginner you’ll also get the confidence that you can learn this. Some skills for beginners he is showing on instagram (and I think they’re usefull);
- Transitions
- Off skate drills to work on your balance
- T-stop in easy steps
- Ways to skate downhill
- Top 5 ways to turn
Oh god I’m really jealous of his transitions. While doing this move myself, my hands are waiving like a wounded pigeon, and he looking so smooth. But looking at these reels just motivate me to go out and try this technique.
And yes, also this guy is combining information with some satire, which makes me laugh. And a smile on our face is the best there is 😁💥
Rollerskate tips for inlineskaters: why not?
Yes I know there is probably a big difference when you’re on your wheels if you are on rollerskates (quads) or on inline skates. But I’m sure that there are overlapping techniques we can use from one another.
On the youtube channel of Moxi Roller you can find some very nice video’s from Kid Ace called “No Skates? No Problem! with Kid Ace“. She shows you – like Tatinline – which excercises without your blades, can improve your movement with your blades on 🛼
She shares lower body strengthening training, feet excercises to prepare you for roller skating (who hasn’t got sore feet in the beginning…), ways to prevent injuries and so on.
First improvements with Ricardo Lino
Last year – when I decided to pick up my inline skates – the first skill I wanted to learn was making a turn. Yes indeed, I couldn’t turn on my wheels. Or my turns were so broad I needed the whole width of a road. Which of course is very dangerous.
The honour to the man who learned me how to turn is Ricardo Lino and this is the video I’m talking about:
If you are out there Ricardo: many thanks! Because of you (and all the others) I mentioned above I really got further, even with video’s you can train yourself.
And if you read this, don’t underestimade the power of looking on the right kind of instructions online. I believe they can really help, when you choose wisely and pick those which match your skill level at that moment.
The end (for this week!)
I really don’t know what this week is going to bring to me. The weather later this week is cold but should be dry (and sunny, yes sun!!!). Hopefully the ice on the road melts away, so I can go out and skate. Otherwise I’m going to use my new indoor “skatepark”. Thinking it is going to be a good idea anyway to train my technique. Especially the T-stop, why is this one so hard on me??! It should be the most easy stop to comprehend.
So next week’s subject is going to be a suprise 🎁 Untill we meet again!