Skate Skills:

Rec/Fitness

Trish Alexander's guide to inline skating

Veteran skate teacher Trish Alexander shares her knowledge of skating in her Rec/Fitness column on the Inline Planet.

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Oct 17, 2007

Taking Clues from Wheel Wear

Can paying attention to the pattern of wear on your wheels help improve your technique? Yes, definitely! Wheel wear reveals a lot about how you skate.

Here's what to do:

Take off your skates and look at the wheels. Which edges (the inside or outside) show the most wear? (The inside edges are on the big-toe side of your skates; the outside edges, on the baby-toe side. The center edges are between the two.)

Don't be surprised if your inside (or center edges) show the most wear. They usually do, especially for new skaters. It means that you are skating with short or uneven strokes.

To fix this, make an effort to bring your feet together at the end of each stroke. Also, focus on bending your ankles (and knees) more than your waist.

Another thing to check for is the wear of your front, as compared to your back, wheels. If you are like most skaters, the ones in front, especially your toe wheels, will show the most wear.

This is the result of our tendency to push back, rather than to the side, when we stride.

To fix this, visualize a clock while you are skating. Traveling in the direction of 12 o'clock, force yourself to push your skate in the direction of 4 o'clock, rather than 5 o'clock (or later). At the same time, keep your weight over your back, rather than front, wheels.

Summary:

Wheel wear can tell you a lot about your skating. Pay attention to it and take the advice outlined above. Soon, you'll be a better skater.

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