Transitioning from Quads to Inline

[Aerocat]

Hey everyone,

Just started a brand new speed team in Dayton, OH. Need a little advice. My speed career was over just before inlines took over. I’m very capable on quads, but would like to pick up inlines. Also, so far all of my skaters are from the derby team. We’re all on quads. All of us want to make the transition to inline.

Does anyone have any suggestions about steps to take to make the transition?

I went out and bought a low cut speed skate. I was smart enough to not go with a huge wheel, they’re only 4x100. However, I just plain don’t have the ankle strength yet to be comfortably upright.

Any tips on improving my stability?

Feel like I need a plan with baby steps. It’s been really frustrating to be a competent skater and be totally inept on inlines.

I’m having no trouble accelerating, but I can’t wrap my head around turning. Edges are very different from an articulating plate. Just feel like I’m falling over when I get on the edges.

Would it help to pick up a pair of recreational roller blades that have some ankle support to learn on or should I just go for it with the speed skates?

If so, what would you recommend? Don’t want what I do on recreational inlines to negatively affect what I’m trying to do on the speed skates.

[Mort]

Check out ice hockey videos for help with learning edges and general inline skills and form. They usually explain things well and while ice and inline are not a perfect transfer they are VERY close.

Speed skates are really hard to deal with for a new to inlines skater. I'd recommend an "urban" style skate with 4x80 setup. Keeps y low to the ground and starts to let you get a feel for those longer wheelbases. Even a 4x80 is 243 mm wheelbase. Where even most longer quad wheelbases on size 10 to 13 feet wont be over 190.
It's not the ankle strength, it's the stability and balance that needs work. Those small muscle fibers are controlling your skate that is now sitting on a couple mm of width instead of like 120mm of width. The pivoting point is farther away on inlines as well(boot to ground vs a quads boot to truck yoke:the cushions

Never worry about having different skates and different disciplines. They will compliment each other soon enough with some practice. You'll deepen your understanding with skates, their feel and how to use the best input to get the best output for multiple situations and multiple skate configurations.

[Aerocat]

Thanks for the tips. I started looking for a 4x80 setup.

I think the hardest thing to wrap my head around right now is that there’s not going to be a flex in my ankles while on inlines. My brain is wired to have me bend at the ankles during a turn because quads are always flat on the deck.

So when I try to keep my ankles straight it feels like I’m falling.

[Mort]

Originally Posted by Aerocat

Thanks for the tips. I started looking for a 4x80 setup.

I think the hardest thing to wrap my head around right now is that there’s not going to be a flex in my ankles while on inlines. My brain is wired to have me bend at the ankles during a turn because quads are always flat on the deck.

So when I try to keep my ankles straight it feels like I’m falling.

Ankles can still flex, most have articulating cuffs, which let's you have dorsiflexion and plantarflexion. Having the cuff a bit looser let's you have easy supination and pronation if so desired

Also urban wheels have a different profile than race wheels, and are far easier to handle.