Skate skills:

SKATE TIP OF THE WEEK
Inline secrets from the world's top skaters and coaches

This week's tip:
Putting in the Time

By Joey Mantia
(Posted on Aug. 25, 2006)

Want to improve your skating? First, make sure you are fully comfortable on your skates.

How? By simply putting in time on your skates, whether it be at public sessions, strolls around the neighborhood, or local practices.

Skate at least 45 minutes a day, six days a week. You don't have to go hard every day. Just putting in the time is enough.

After you get comfortable on your skates, work on the basics to learn proper technique. Without it, you won't be an efficient skater and will always fall short of your potential.

To polish your technique, sign up for a seminar, such as the banked track clinics organized by USA Roller Sports.

***

Joey Mantia has emerged in the last two years as one of the top inline speed skaters in the world. At last year's World Speed Skating Championships in China, he won three gold medals (in the 500 meters, 20,000-meter elimination and marathon). This year, Mantia, 20, appears to be even stronger. He set two new U.S. records at the national indoor championships last month and scored easy victories in this year's Disney and Saint Paul inline marathons. Today, he is headed to Anyang, South Korea, to compete in the 2006 World Championships, which start next week. With the help of his sponsor, Luigino Racing, he is working to organize a series of workshops in the United States for skaters of all levels.

Related links:

• Luigino web site.
• Skate Tip of the Week Archive.

• Joey Mantia Podcast.
• Beginners Guide to Outdoor Racing.

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