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Why is it only fitted on to the skate with no brake?
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What happens when you remove the Rolling-Star after the initial learning
period?
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Can I fit the Rolling-Star to both skates?
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How do you skate with a Rolling-Star fitted?
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Will someone using a Rolling-Star device know when it can be removed?
Why is
it only fitted on to the skate with no brake?
The improvement in terms of
balance and safety is such that it need not be fitted to both skates.
The skate with no brake
corresponds to the non-dominant foot (the left if you are right-handed
and the right if you are left-handed). Rolling-Star provides overall
stability when skating.
What happens when you remove the Rolling-Star
after the initial learning period?
A curious thing happens; you will notice
that you have learnt to keep your balance and will be able to skate
smoothly and naturally because Rolling-Star teaches you to do so
intuitively by adopting the correct position on the skates (that is,
with your head positioned further forward than your skates and pushing
backwards with the opposite skate to the one of the direction being
taken.)
When
Rolling-Star is removed, it does not have the same effect as removing
the stability wheels on childrens’ bicycles. Although they provide
stability, these wheels do not teach learners how to ride a bike, but
rather serve to allow the child to become familiar with the pedals,
brakes, height of the bike, etc... When the stability wheels are
removed, the child has to learn to balance on the bike, which has in
fact become more difficult given the dynamic rigidity of a tricycle
compared to a bicycle.
Can I
fit the Rolling-Star to both skates?
Of course, but remember that,
if fitted to both skates, one skate will not have a brake and therefore you
should learn to brake in a ‘T’ form. With Rolling-Star, this braking method
becomes easy. It would be advisable to skate on totally flat surfaces.
How do you
skate with a Rolling-Star fitted?
SKATING
You skate in exactly the same way you would without a Rolling-Star. To take
your first steps, place both feet in a “V” shape of approximately 60º with
your heels pressed together and push backwards with one skate and then the
other alternately, shifting your body weight on to the foot you are not
pushing with and initially taking small steps. Once you have gained some
momentum, the skates should be kept parallel to each other (concentrate on
your toes and move them slightly towards the left or the right in order to
correct your position). (See video in the gallery of images.) NOTE: this
information aims to speed up the learning process, but bear in mind that
skating is also intuitive and is mastered through practice.
BRAKING
To brake with the Rolling-Star fitted, it is not necessary to bend down or
perform any previous manoeuvre in order to shift the centre of gravity.
Simply tip the brake slightly forward until it touches the ground and you
will stop in a stable manner. (See video in the gallery of images).
TURNING
Inline skates are rigid which means they do not turn like a bicycle or car
does. To turn then, you should drag the tips of the skates in the direction
in which you wish to turn (your toes direct the skate, taking pressure off
them so that the skate moves on its front wheels). As we said earlier, this
technique is acquired almost instinctively in any case. Move forward
slightly with the skate on the side towards which you are turning and look
in the direction towards which you want to turn (try to avoid looking at the
floor).
Will someone
using a Rolling-Star device know when it can be removed?
Feeling a sense of balance
and safety is subjective, so some skaters will want to use it for a
longer period of time, even after they have learnt to skate and brake,
simply because the accessory will make them feel safer.
This is partly due to the
fact that 95% of Rolling-Star users will have previously experienced
unpleasant falls before acquiring the accessory, and will therefore
perhaps be reluctant to remove it once they have experienced the feeling
of safety that the accessory provides.
These skaters may only want
to remove the accessory when they want to learn more sophisticated
techniques such as crossing their legs, turning more sharply and quickly
etc. If however they only wish to skate in order to move from one place
to another and brake when necessary, the length of time the accessory is
used is largely irrelevant and will depend on each individual. The
accessory in any case will not hinder a skater in any way.
Other users who use
Rolling-Star from the beginning may want to reduce the time the accessory is
used because their learning process will have proved more quick and
effective and fear of falling will probably not have affected them.
Our advice would be to use the
Rolling-Star accessory as instructed and to remove it once you move and
brake with ease on the skates. Once you feel secure enough in this sense to
remove the accessory, you will probably not need to fit it again.
