Rollerblading is one of those sports that is known for being a fun, and yet at the same time, stunt-ready experience. Ice skating is very similar in that respect. After all, who hasn’t watched figure skating at the Olympics and marveled at the amazing tricks that people do?
It’s clear that rollerblading and ice skating both require a certain amount of dexterity, especially if you want to be one of the people who does artistic dance routines in your skates. If you’re new to either sport, you’re probably wondering which one is easier. After all, being able to master those tricks faster does sound tempting, right?
We were pretty curious about this matter, too. To find out the mechanics and ease behind each sport, we decided to take a deeper look. Here’s what we found…
Understanding The Mechanics Of Rollerblading And Ice Skating
The similarities between the two sports are very notable, especially when it comes to movements. When it comes to the basic moves, you’ll be doing the same thing whether you’re rollerblading or ice skating. With that said, there are going to be differences when it comes to how you experience it.
Terrain
The terrain in each sport will be different, and that means that one terrain will be easier than the other. Most people find that regular ground is going to be easier to stand on and less likely to cause a slip. So, in this sense, rollerblading is probably going to be the easier one for most.
Ice is known for being slippery. While this is great when it comes to gliding at a fast speed, it’s not exactly the easiest thing for novices to get used to. You only need to go to an ice rink once to see how many people fall on their butts!
Tricks
When it comes to skating tricks, it’s hard to tell which sport will be easier. Both sports have similar tricks, but require very different sets of skills to pull off. Between the differences in speed, balance, and skate engineering, you have a lot on your plate to think about.
With that said, the issue of tricks seems to be a matter of personal preference. Many people feel more balanced on rollerblades, which means that they feel that performing stunts is easier. However, others prefer being able to utilize the high speed of ice skating to finesse their moves.
Speed
Due to the differences in terrain, speed is one of the most noticeable things that divides rollerbladers and ice skaters. Ice’s smooth, slippery surface makes it a cinch to speed skate. It’s a thrill, and remains one of the top “sellers” of ice skating as a whole.
Regular ground isn’t as slippery, which puts you at a disadvantage if you’re looking to skate fast with ease. Rollerblading will naturally require more physical effort to achieve the same speed you’d get from casual ice skating. So in this sense, rollerblading can be more difficult.
Freedom Of Movement
Believe it or not, rollerblading doesn’t have nearly as much freedom of movement that ice skating has. This is partly due to the way rollerblades are engineered and partly due to the way the terrain behaves.
The increased range of motion is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it becomes a lot easier to slip and take a spill. On the other hand, it makes performing tricks way easier and also gives you a far wider range of stunts that you can do.
Hockey
If you’re rollerblading or ice skating because you like to play hockey, then you probably already have a personal preference. That being said, it seems like the jury is still out on which terrain is easier to play hockey on. Players seem about equally divided on the topic.
A quick glance at online forums show that many hockey players initially start out as rollerbladers, then “cross over” to the ice skating realm when they feel like they’re up for the challenge. Knowing that, one might get the feeling that ice hockey is slightly more difficult.
Why Is It So Hard To Figure Out Which Sport Is Harder?
Anyone who searches this question up online will see that the difficulty comparisons between rollerblading and ice skating remain a topic of debate. It seems like everyone has their own opinion, and in many cases, you might see people balk at hearing others who think differently. So, what gives?
The Many Meanings Of “Easy”
Truth be told, the term “easy” can mean different things to different people. When some people talk about skating being easy, they’re discussing speed. With others, it’s avoiding falling on your bottom. Still more may feel like “easy” means being able to perform cool tricks and stunts.
Personal Preference
The biggest issue that makes it so hard to figure out what’s going on is the matter of personal preferences. It just seems like some people are more inclined towards one type of skating than another. If you have a natural predilection towards rollerblading or ice skating, then it’s going to be hard to convince you that the other sport is easier.
Different Skate Styles
Both rollerblades and ice skates tend to favor certain skate styles over others, simply because of the design and mechanics of the skates that are being used. For example, if you’re looking for an elegant dance style on your skates, ice skates are probably going to be better due to the lighter build of the skates.
So, Is Rollerblading Easier Than Ice Skating?
While this is still entirely up for debate, there is a slightly larger group of people who agree that rollerblading is the easier sport. This is why many people tend to suggest starting out with rollerblading as a foundation, then moving onto ice skating once you get the basics down.
Which One Is Easiest To Learn First?
If you want to talk about learning difficulties, then the clear winner is rollerblading. It’s considered to be the easier one to learn. That’s why most people are willing to have younger children learn it first. Ice skating simply has a slower learning curve and also is a little safer due to the lack of blades.
Most people who start off in rollerblading make the transition to ice skating fairly quickly. Many skate pros also suggest that people who ice skate hit roller rinks from time to time, simply because it helps them keep their skills intact and improve their leg strength. So regardless of what sport you want to do, hitting the roller rink once in a while remains a good idea.
Do You Need To Rollerblade Before You Ice Skate?
Though many professional skating teachers encourage kids to rollerblade before they go to an ice rink, there’s nothing set in stone about this practice. In fact, the only evidence that suggests it’s a good practice is strictly anecdotal. There haven’t been any studies that link it to better results in the long run.
If you want to learn ice skating first, there’s nothing stopping you from doing so. If anything, learning ice skating might make rollerblading easier. So, if you think about it, this perk could go both ways.
Why Rollerblading Can Help Make Both Styles Of Skating Easier
Let’s say that you decided to start off with ice skating, took lessons, and loved it. That’s great, and it’s wonderful to be able to get into a brand new sport. Though ice skating might be easy enough for you, there are still some perks that may make regular rollerblading sessions a smart choice:
- It strengthens legs. Getting good length strength is a must if you want to be a great skater.
- Rollerblading can also help you get better balance. Rollerblading can help strengthen your core muscles immensely.
- It also keeps your skills fresh. You might have a hard time finding an ice rink in the summer. Rollerblading is another option.
Conclusion
If you were wondering which sport is going to be more difficult, it’s understandable. Both rollerblading and ice skating have their own unique sets of challenges that make it hard in their own way. Depending on your natural inclinations, one sport might naturally be easier to learn than the other.
With that said, most people seem to agree that rollerblading is marginally easier to learn than ice skating—at least, for the basics. That’s why skating teachers usually suggest that younger children start off with rollerblading, and why many hockey players suggest the same thing.
The bottom line is that a lot of pros have their faith in rollerblading as the easier go-to. What you want to think about, though, is your own natural skills. If you’re good with balance and love the slickness of ice, you might be one of those people who finds ice skating to be an easier sport.
