How To Skate Faster On Roller Skates? [Pro Techniques]

As you learn to skate and ride a roller skate for a long time, you may decide to go faster, but you won’t be able to do that due to a lack of proper skating technique. Right?

In this article, you will learn how to skate faster on roller skates without losing balance, so you can skate faster without falling. We will share tips and techniques to help you skate faster, easier, and smoother.

You should also note that there is no universal method or secret formula for making you fit in roller skating. This depends entirely on your own abilities, skills, and efforts.

Now let’s get started.

How To Skate Faster On Roller Skates

As you move on to learn how to roller skates faster, keep in mind that even if you implement the tricks shared in this article, it will take you some time to learn and train yourself. This is not an overnight process.

Everyone has to go through this, so don’t be disappointed. You’ll need to be patient and constantly set new goals for yourself.

Once you have practiced and have patience, you will need the right technique to make you faster while skating. Everything else will be fine if you have good technique and balance.

Roller Skate Techniques To Ride Faster

It is possible to speed up your roller skating by using various techniques. Also, it depends on the type of skates you have, the road, the environment, and of course, how comfortable you are.

Additionally, skating faster does not have a defined method. To determine which technique suits you best, you must make your own personal choice based on your own personal taste. We will, however, share some of the most popular tips and tricks that will make you knowledgeable about them.

Power Distribution

The first and most important tip to roll faster is Power Distribution. It is common for skaters to fail because they can’t distribute their weight properly, which reduces their speed.

In simple terms, power distribution is how much weight you place on your toes and heels. You need to be comfortable, and the balance between toes and heels should be right. By doing so, you can skate faster without losing stability.

It’s a pretty common problem for skaters, so three types of skate boots are available to make it easier for you. Here they are:

Roller Skate Boot with Pivot:

If your skate boots don’t have a pivot, you will feel slightly discomfort distributing and balancing your weight equally while skating.

The Pivot Roller Skate Boot keeps your balance intact by distributing your weight evenly between your toes and heels.

Roller Skate Boots with Heel Support:

If your skate boots are uncomfortable on heel support, this boot will make things easier for you. It is more comfortable and easy to distribute weight evenly.

Roller Skate Boots with Solid Heel:

The people who don’t feel comfortable with any kind of assistance support should go for roller skates with solid heels.

Roller Skate Stride:

There are different kinds of strides, and you should choose the best one that makes you faster.

Roller Skate J-Stride:

This is a popular stride roller skating technique. You can roll faster with this stride, which is an ideal choice for everyone.

Roller Skate C-Stride:

If you are looking for more speed, then this stride is what you need. But you can’t use this stride to skate between people due to less stability.

Roller Skate Straight Stride:

This stride is ideal if you want to get away from the crowd.

Long Push Off

If you ever had any doubts about how skaters are able to skate faster, then this is it. The Long Push Off technique allows you to get more speed and power with every push. It is basically how much force you put into making a longer and faster stride.

However, if you don’t know when to push it in the right direction, there is a chance you’ll fall while skating. This is why it is important to practice.

You can use a railing or a wall to practice long push offs. Stand on one foot and use the energy it gives you to pull long strides.

Tips To Improve Your Roller Skate Speed

We have discussed various skating techniques, but it’s also important to consider various other factors to achieve high speeds.

You can speed up your skating by following these tips.

Wear The Right Shoes

While roller skating, the first thing you need to focus on is the type of skates you are wearing. If your skates do not fit you properly, there is a greater chance of you falling. If you’re not comfortable, then wear another type of skate that makes you feel good. You should also know the difference between roller skates and rollerblades.

Tighten Your Boots

This will improve your balance and prevent you from falling off the roller skates. By tightening your boots, you can prevent falling and losing your speed. Sometimes, as your feet grow bigger, you need to replace your roller skates with larger ones. However, if they are too loose, then it’s time to tighten them.

Don’t Pull your Toes

You should never forget to keep your toes straight and avoid pulling them, as pulling will only reduce the speed.

Practice: The more you practice, the quicker you become at roller skating. If you don’t practice, you can’t expect to be a professional. You can either practice independently or with an expert; that’s up to you. The more you practice, the faster you become.

Upgrade Wheel, Bearings or Frame

This might be a costly option to go for, but if you are not satisfied with your speed even after applying the techniques, then it’s time to spend your money on quality material. In the case of a low-quality device, the speed will be slowed down, and heavy falls will result.

If you ride for a long time, the wheels, bearings, and frame will wear out, and you will be slower in the long run. Therefore, if any of these parts are used, have them replaced to maintain a good speed.

These techniques and tips will help you achieve higher speeds while roller skating.

When To Replace Roller Skate Wheels?

The wheels and bearings of your skates may become worn and damaged over time when roller skating. In addition to slowing you down, this also causes injury to your body. Hence, it is very important to get the wheels replaced from time to time.

The frequency of replacing your roller skate wheels depends on several factors, such as the surface. If you ride on rough surfaces, the wheels get worn and damaged faster because the dirt and debris get into the wheels. And, if you ride on smooth surfaces like marble or wood, then the wheels last longer (but not more than six months if you’re a daily user).

Hence, if you ride with such wheels, you won’t be able to get good speeds, regardless of how good your riding technique is. Thus, consider your wheels and replace them when they need to be replaced if you wish to roller skate faster.

Additional Tips: To make your wheels last longer, you can do some other things like rub Vaseline petroleum jelly to make them shiny and prevent dust from getting in. You can also clean the wheels once a week with a cloth dipped in warm soapy water to keep the wheels shiny. If you maintain your roller skate wheels properly, you can make your skating faster and better for a few more months.

When To Replace Roller Skate Bearings?

The roller skates bearings are made of metal or ceramic balls. They come in various shapes and sizes. After a certain period of time, these bearings wear out and become damaged. When bearings become old, you feel a bumpy ride and slow down, which is not good.

When the wheel bearings don’t turn smoothly or run properly, it’s time to change them. When your wheels are rotating smoothly, you can determine if your wheel bearings are in good condition. If you want to learn to turn on roller skates you can check out our previous article.

In order to skate faster and enjoy your ride, always check the bearings from time to time and replace them when necessary to gain control over speed.

When To Replace a Roller Skate Frame?

Perhaps a roller skater’s best friend, the frame is more than just a support for the boot. The roller skates frame is made of various materials like aluminum, steel, or carbon fiber. The carbon fiber frame is the strongest and lightest, but it is also one of the most expensive options available.

In recent years, aluminum frames have topped the list of being lightweight and strong.

The downside is that they rust! In order to prevent corrosion, you can apply a coat of paint or lacquer every few months.

Develop Endurance

This will make your ride low to the ground, which is tough for short distance riding, but will give you faster speeds.

Endurance is the key to roller skating faster. Skating for an extended period of time without getting tired is possible if you have endurance.

Hence, you must be able to ride for long hours or miles in a day to improve your speed. Even though it is a tough task, it is worth the effort.

If you want to improve your endurance, try pedaling as wide and low as possible. To do so, push harder with your leg and lean forward. This will make your ride low to the ground, which is tough for short distance riding but gives faster speeds.

In addition to this, you must lift your legs properly without bending too much, so the muscles of the leg are not straining up too much.

There you have it! Everything you need to know about how to skate faster on roller skates. Keep these tips in mind and keep practicing to reach your goal.

Last Words

Thus, this article on how to roller skate faster comes to a conclusion. To summarize, some important points are wearing the right skate, tightening them, maintaining the wheels and bearings properly to increase speed, and considering replacing them as needed. You should also develop endurance to ride faster for longer periods of time.

This is all you have to do in order to skate faster. You will be able to reach your goal if you keep these points in mind and follow the techniques described above. Good luck!

Additional Questions

How do you get speed on a skateboard?

Getting speed on a skateboard largely depends on the technique of pushing off. A good, strong push-off is the first step to gaining speed. With your back foot on the ground, you need to give a strong push while the front foot stays on the board. This may take some practice to get right, but once you’ve mastered it, you’ll notice an increase in your speed.

As someone who's been skateboarding for years, I can assure you that your stance plays a crucial role as well. Maintain an aerodynamic posture which helps in reducing wind resistance. Lean forward with your back slightly arched and bend your knees slightly to get into this stance.

Your board and wheels also play a part in how fast you can go. Harder wheels will allow for more speed because they have less resistance on smooth surfaces. Choosing a board with the right amount of flex and with quality bearings can help you achieve higher speeds.

Lastly, learning how to pump on ramps and inclines can gain you extra speed without extra pushing. Pumping is when you increase your speed by timing your body movements with the contours of the ramp or incline.

While these techniques might seem complicated for a beginner, with persistence and practice, you can gradually see improvement.