subject: The health benefits of skating [print this page] The health benefits of skating The health benefits of skating
Those who are looking to improve their fitness, tone their bodies, or simply lose weight, would do well to consider taking up skating. Whether using roller skates, inline skates or ice skates, skating has been found by various clinical studies to offer major health benefits.
For a start, skating offers similar aerobic benefits to running. The main advantage that skating has over running however is that because skating is a low impact activity it does not share running's risk of incurring long-term damage to joints.
Secondly, because skating is usually carried out at a fairly constant pace, which can be gradually increased by the skater as he or she improves in skating proficiency, it can have a significant beneficial effect on both fitness and endurance levels. For the same reasons, skating makes for a highly effective calorie burner, with an average of approximately 285 calories burnt every half an hour.
The positions adopted during skating also help strengthen and build on muscles in the legs, back and abdomen. This is not just an advantage to those wishing to build up their body mass but also serves as an aid to slimmers by helping them to reduce fat whilst avoiding losing valuable muscle tissue.
Finally, skating is also of course the perfect way to improve one's balance.
Skating has the advantage over many other intense physical activities of being fun to participate in. This fun element helps the skater get through what would otherwise be a gruelling exercise session. Coupled with the fact that skating has the potential to be a much more socially interactive activity than other sports such as running or swimming, this enjoyable aspect to skating also makes it a highly effective therapeutic method of letting off steam'.
At Skates.co.uk we can advise on suitable skates and protective gear for anybody thinking of getting into skating, whatever their level of ability and experience.
