Blades of Glory

Although I haven’t been rollerblading in years, I always remember what a great workout it was. My legs would be burning when I took my blades off, and I could almost feel my muscles developing. Rollerblading, also known as inline skating, is a professional sport that rivals skateboarding in many ways, but proves to be a better exercise as you're able to coast less. One website even compares the benefits of rollerblading to cycling and running, and in many cases, rollerblading comes out ahead. You can read about this here.

Some form of roller skates have been in existence for centuries. 1743 marks the date of the first recorded use of roller skates, which took place in a London stage performance, although the inventor remains unknown. In 1819, the world saw the first patented roller skate design, in France by M. Petitbled. While these early skates resembled today’s in a primitive fashion, they were not nearly as technically refined, allowing for limited movement only in straight lines or very wide turns.

Throughout the rest of the 19th century, inventors continued to improve the design of roller skates, and in 1863, the quad roller skates, with two pairs of wheels side by side, were invented in New York City by James Leonard Plimpton. Following the success of this design, which dominated much of the next century, came the opening of the first public skating rink in 1866 in Newport, Rhode Island. During the 1980s and 1990s the incredible success of the Rollerblades brand marked a return to inline skates, which are used in skate parks and for aggressive inline skating, which includes performing a variety of tricks as well as skating for speed. In fact, the Rollerblades brand became so well known that "rollerblading" is now synonymous with any form of roller skating. At the same time, quad roller skates have made a comeback recently, due to their use in roller derbys and the throwback feeling they provide.

Rollerblading can fulfill many different needs, and one could use it for such things as transportation, meeting workout goals, and feeling the wind in your hair as you're blading down the boardwalk. It’s good to know that on average rollerblading at a steady pace for 30 minutes burns 285 calories and produces a rapid heart rate of 148 beats per minute. These numbers can be improved by increasing the rate at which you are rollerblading and by going uphill. A pair of quad roller skates or inline rollerblades, whichever you prefer, can be purchased at your local sporting goods store. What makes rollerblading particularly intriguing is the fact that it does not require you to go to the gym nor to get your bike down from the attic; you only need a sidewalk to get out there and get moving!