Be Fit Fitness Blog

I just bought a new pair of K2 Power Rollerblades today. The customer service at SportChek was just amazing. The pair I bought took me a very long time to choose. I tried on and tested various sizes and models of K2 for the right feel and fit.

Also, I only buy K2 rollerblades because I think they are simply the best and I would recommend them to anyone!

What I was looking for were a pair of rollerblades that were very durable so that they could withstand all the bumps of the roads. They had to offer a lot of stability and manoeuvrablity, especially when you need to turn or stop quickly. They have to be fairly fast. It’s nice to have speed when you need it. They also have to fit comfortably, look nice and be reasonably priced. In my opinion, I no longer think it’s worth buying a very expensive pair due to the quality of the roads and subsequent wear and tear on the blades. I think it’s better to buy a reasonably priced quality pair of rollerblades and then just replace them more often rather than an expensive pair and have to repair them frequently for the long-term. Also, I try to match the type of rollerblading I will do with the type of rollerblades I wish to buy.

How much did I pay? Well, they were on sale for $109.99. They only have ABEC 5 bearings and 80mm wheels, but I tested a pair with ILQ 7 bearings and 84mm wheels and I really didn’t notice a difference in the blading or comfort-level. I actually think that the ones I purchased are manufactured better and offer better stablility and a comfortable, smooth ride which I would not trade in for the extra speed of ILQ 7 bearings! Sure it was a tough choice for me to make: more speed or stick to the type of blades I am used to!

Anyway, for the majority of people, rollerblades with ABEC 5 bearings are more than sufficient. Unless you are really into speed and racing, these blades are perfect for the grind of city streets and pathways.

Also, these rollerblades are basically the same as my old pair for which I paid $179.99 or $199.99 about six years ago. I’m surprised they have lasted this long because I average about 1,200 kilometers annually. Actually, it’s because I’ve spent a lot of time maintaining and repairing them every year but it’s come to a point where all the patchwork may now comprise my safety, so it’s time to give-in and replace the old pair.

So basically I have discussed what I look for in a new pair of rollerblades. When you choose a make or brand of rollerblades consider what you are looking for in a pair of rollerblades based on the type of rollerblading you plan to do and and how much you wish to pay! Take the time to try on various makes to find the ones that offer you the best fit.

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The weather has warmed up and now is the time to get those rollerblades out and start rollerblading. It’s an amazing way to get in shape and also an enjoyable way to stay in shape.

Before you dust off your rollerblades for use, it’s important to do a little maintenance on them. Maintaining rollerblades can seem like a lot of work, but it really doesn’t have to be if you do it right and follow my maintenance tips.

First of all, you should rotate the wheels. How often you do this, depends on how often and where you rollerblade. I rotate my wheels after 20 times of use. If you don’t rotate them, the wheels will get worn out on 1 side and very lob-sided!

To clean the rollerblades, I recommend that each time you rotate the wheels you wipe the dirt from the bearings and wheels with a damp cloth. After doing that I apply some lubrication or oil to the bearings. I use 3-in-1 oil. It’s inexpensive and works just as well or better than the expensive lubricants.

Every three months I recommend that you pop the bearings out of the wheels and clean them, lubricate them and reassemble them in the wheels. You can also rotate the wheels at the same time. This is a much bigger job and you really don’t need to do it often, but it will help your rollerblades to last and perform better.

From time to time, you may want to lubricate the bearings without taking the wheels off. This should be done especially after rollerblading in the rain. You just apply a little lubricant and spin the wheels to spread the lubricant.

It’s also a good idea to check the tightness of the wheels. Rarely will the screws come lose, but it is better to be safe than sorry!

All of this may seem like a lot of work, but it really isn’t. Only taking apart the wheels and fully cleaning rollerblade wheels takes a long time, but that doesn’t have to be done very often if you follow my rollerblading maintenance tips.

Do you want to teach yourself how to rollerblade or do you want to teach someone you know how to rollerblade? I’m going to attempt to describe how to teach someone else how to rollerblade as simply as I can in words. This also works best with your partner, but it can be frustrating at first, so you have to be really patient and positive.

First of all, you’ll have to teach them how to put on and tie up their pair of rollerblades. Ask them how they feel and if they are tight enough. They should not be too loose nor really tight, just what feels comfortable. You can get away without using padding, but I suggest that you wear long pants like jeans. Since you will be rollerblading very slowly, chances are if you fall, it will be a very gentle fall.

Next, you have to stand them on their feet. It’s best if you do not lace up your pair of blades and remain in your shoes. Once they are standing, make sure their feet are around hip-width apart, the wheels are straight (not bending inwards), they have a slight bend at the knees and upper body is bending slightly forward (for better balance). Make sure the upper body never bends back. Tell the person you are teaching this, otherwise that person is bound to lose their balance and fall backwards.

Now you are ready to begin moving on the rollerblades. I think the easiest way to do this is to mimic the walking movement on skates with a slight glide. When you do this, it’s best to hold both hands of the person you are teaching and you are walking backwards in front of them. Once the trainee is more comfortable on their rollerblades, you can lace up your pair and rollerblade together with you being at the side, but still holding one hand. Eventually, the trainee will feel more balanced and more comfortable enough to let go of their hand.

By the second or third rollerblading session, they should also be comfortable to rollerblade with you or on their own. Eventually they will also achieve the proper and natural skating motion when it comes to rollerblading.

This is a difficult topic to put into words, but I hope I have done a decent job in attempting it.

Rollerblading is one of the most enjoyable ways to exercise if you want to lose weight or just stay in shape. So if you are bored exercising on Treadmills and other indoor fitness equipment, why not try rollerblading?

Some of the benefits of rollerblading are that it improves your cardiovascular system and you get to do it outside, in the fresh air. It also strengthens your legs, buttocks and tones your mid-section. For women, it’s an effective exercise for toning your thighs and buttocks.

It’s not very difficult to learn how to rollerblade especially if you ice skate. In fact, it’s probably a little bit easier to learn than ice skating. If you are starting out, I recommend that you go with a friend who will be patient enough and able to teach you how to rollerblade or take a few rollerblading lesson. After about three times of instruction, you should be fine by yourself. If you are unable to go with someone, I suggest you wear some protection like elbow, wrist and knee pads and maybe a pair of jeans so you won’t bruise yourself in case you fall.

Also, you may want to purchase a pair of rollerblades. I recommend a pair in the range of $99 to $160 (US and Canada). The best time to purchase them is when they are on sale. If you get a pair that is really cheap and low in quality, you may never enjoy rollerblading.

Also, many cities have amazing bike paths along lakes, oceans and rivers where you can rollerblade. Take for example, Toronto.

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We have the Martin Goodman Trail that literally stretches from the west end of the city all the way to east end along the lake. In addition, there are other paths that criss-cross the city along the rivers. For other people who may live in cities like in Hong Kong, it may not be possible to rollerblade outdoors due to the lack of paved bike path paths or safe areas to rollerblade.