Ice skating and roller skating are two-sport with a similar history. You can participate in these games as a family, group, or singly. Some people participate in the game for relaxation, while others use them to sculpt their abs and do aerobics.
Whatever reason you have, the sport can help you reach your goals. If you are ready to start the journey of a lifetime and discover more about these games, then let’s start the excursion.
What is Skating?
Skating is a popular sport among youths and young adults who are adventurous. Skates are sports or recreational activities that involve traveling long distances on surfaces. However, there are three types of skating: ice skating, roller skating, snowboarding, or skateboarding. Our focus in this article is on the ice and roller skating.
History of Ice Skating
Ice skating was created in Finland over 4,000 years ago. The first ice skates were polished bones clasped to the foot. Over time that skate has been replaced with the modern metallic edges currently. To glide on the ice and better control while skating, a Dutch inventor included edges to the iron blades. Ice skating is now one of the sports performed during the Olympics.
History of Roller Skating
Roller Skate was created in the 1700s. The device was first used in London for theatre performers. In the year 1760, Sir John Joseph Merlin was documented as the first inventor of the roller skate, and the design he made resembled the inline roller skates now used. Roller Race squads, Derby’s, and Hip-hop dancers popularized roller skating, and it is now one of the sports performed in the winter Olympics.
Ice Skating Gears
The sport of ice skating has different branches, so when buying equipment, decide what type of ice skating game you want to pursue. There are three offshoots of ice skating, such as figure skating, ice hockey, and speed skates.
- Figure skating gears
For figure skating, you should get skates made of leather, and flexible razor-sharp blades due to the quick-paced activities in the game. The Figure skating boots have a blade attached below it with a toe pick in front, to enable users to jump and rotate with ease. In figure skating, the performer must jump, spin, and make synchronized moves, therefore, wearing close-fitting Figure Skating Skates, warm cozy clothing, not baggy tops, Helmet, and waterproof hand gloves are recommended.
- Ice Hockey skating gears
Ice hockey skates are made to bear physical tension because of the immense contact of the players. The skating boots are created flat, and light without a toe pick in the front. They give the wearers feet better support, and the blades are curved at the back. Things you need for this game are Ice Hockey skates, hockey sticks, Helmet with cage or visor, shin guards, gloves and shoulder pads, padded shirts, pants, socks, rash guards, and stick bag.
- Speed Skate skating gears
This game is a high-speed racing game on Ice, with speed skates that have long razor-sharp blades. The blades are not joined to the heel of the skate to avert, causing resistance, tunneling into Ice, and slowing the player. The item you should get are speed skates, skinsuit, skating gloves that are cut proof, protective Helmet, knee pads, skin pad -in suits, neck guards, and ankle protection.
Roller Skating Gears
The roller skate sport now has many other games. To play or practice roller skate’s games, you need gears like a Quad skate, Rollerblades, or Inline skates that comfortably fit your feet. Other things you need are comfortable clothing, a helmet, Knee pads, wrist guards, elbow pads, light gloves for the finger’s safety, a mouthguard to protect your teeth in the event you fall.
Differences Between Roller Skates And Ice Skates
The main differences between both are visible in the design, shape, and braking system.
Roller skates come with rollers or wheels for firm grasping of the surface, and effortless moving. Other differences are:
- Using inline skates for skating
- Its wheels have bearings that lower resistance to aid smooth movement.
- Has brakes for ending the skater’s movement and many feet locking methods for a firmer grip on the skates
- Simple to manipulate
- Bearings in the wheels support free movement and reduce friction.
- Roller skating is limited to hot weather to avoid accidents.
Ice skates come with blades fixed underneath the leather shoes, and sharp toe picks for an improved hold on ice. Other differences are:
- Blades to lower resistance on the surface
- No braking system added. To stop, shift your weight to the center of the skate and trim some ice to halt
- Blades offer less friction on an icy surface
- Mostly uses during the cold periods of the year.
Ice Skating and Roller-Skating Techniques
- Balance for Skaters
The roller skate’s wheels touch the floor fully while skating to enable you to stay balanced, but skaters must thrust firmly on the wheels when skating. For ice skaters, it is just a small part of the blade that touches the ice lightly, and as you skate, the connected spot continues to move.
- Surface for Skating
Roller skating is a sport performed on hard surfaces, both outdoors and indoors, like parking lots, footpaths, and many more. These hard surfaces may have uneven holes, paths, and different obstacles. Ice skating is performed on smooth icy surfaces such as lakes, frozen rivers, artificially created rinks, and many more that are free of obstacles.
- Stopping Procedure
Roller skates are fitted with a device used for stopping on the heels, which you can also apply for doing a sharp turn. Ice skates don’t have any integral brake system, so good skaters use the blade’s edge to stop moving.
Pros and Cons of Ice Skating & Roller Skating
Ice Skating Pros
- When you do Ice skating, it influences your physical and emotional fitness.
- Skating vigorously enhances respiration, averts repeated stroke, increases heart rate, and checks calories.
- Gives you relief from stress and offers much excitement to you
- You develop the capacity to concentrate fully
- Offer you an avenue to train for other types of sports
- It helps both kids and adults to develop perseverance
- You get life lessons that will help you in your life.
Ice Skating Cons
- You may fall and be injured seriously on the slippery surface of the ice.
- Pair skating ice is more dangerous because you are at the mercy of the other skater when performing the lifts.
- It takes too long to learn basic moves, and the continuous practice to master the routines could wear you out.
- The skating shoes are too costly. Even renting a pair is still too expensive.
Roller skating indeed offers many advantages from ice skating. See the list below.
- It is used as a low impact cardio training for the body.
- The vigorous actions involved in skating develop the muscles and shapes the body.
- It is a good strength workout exercise.
- It makes you learn to stay upright, which helps you to stay balanced.
- If you add aerobics to strength workout, it can help regulate the insulin levels, deal with diabetes, and firm the bones.
- Skating makes your heart healthier by increasing heartbeat to about 189 beats per minute
- It enhances your muscular strength, making you stronger.
- You may trip and get injured if the skating surface is uneven or cracked
- A car may hit you if you do roller skating in the streets
- More advanced roller skate is expensive to buy
- There is a potential danger of a fall if you do roller skating during the rainy season
- Wearing roller skates while climbing a mountain or a staircase, could cause a fall
- There is continuously fear that something may go wrong with your roller skates or while skating.
So Is Ice Skating Like Roller Skating?
While there are similarities between the two, both are not entirely alike. They differ in all the aspects from the origin to the techniques. Here is a summary table regarding the differences between ice skating and roller skating.
| Ice Skating | Roller Skating | |
| Origin | Thousands of years old | A few hundred years old |
| Speed | Comparatively high | Comparatively low |
| Surface | Icy surface | Hard Surfaces |
| Skates | Have blades attached to the base | Have wheels attached to the base |
| Difficulty | Comparatively hard | Comparatively easy |
Frequently Ask Questions
What is the requirement for roller skating?
Roller skating is a high-speed leisure sport. The players are called skaters, and they wear shoes that have wheels underneath with a braking mechanism. To use a roller skate demands a lot of practice to learn and how to apply the brakes at top speed to avoid striking the rink.
What is the requirement for ice skating?
Ice skating is a fun activity that some people use for exercise to keep fit. While skating, a player wears a unique flexible dress for easy runs and spinning and leather shoes with iron blades attached below. Skaters make careful moves like spins and turn in sequences on the smooth ice surface.
What are the risks involve when injured while ice skating?
Skating on the ice is not dangerous, but you must be very careful because the surface is greasy, and a fall on the solid ice surface could lead to a severe injury. Protective gear is suggested for use while skating.
Conclusion
Is ice skating like roller skating? The answer is no. But they have their similarities. We hope you can use the information provided above to update your knowledge on the subject and start skating today.
