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Aggressive Inline Skating: Extreme Sports
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Published: November 1, 2006
When many enthusiasts think of inline skating, their first thought involves cruising at high speeds. For most beginners, the peril of falling down is a bigger concern. Only for a select few does inline skating immediately bring to mind images of stunts and aerial competition. This extreme breed is called aggressive inline skating.
Aggressive inline skating is a high-risk, high-velocity pastime which began as a spin-off of other extreme sports, such as skateboarding. While inline skates were first pioneered on a mass-scale by Rollerblade in the early 1980s, they did not become popular for nearly a decade. Stunt skating lay waiting to emerge among inline enthusiasts as skateboarding was thriving in the 1980s.
Skateboarding established a culture of gutsy participants: kids who had the patience to master the ollie and the grit to take serious punishment from the pavement when they lost their balance. From their tenacity and desire to push the limits, the world of extreme sports began to identify itself apart from other athletics.
Though skateboarders were the original and are still the most numerous members of this world, inline skaters were not far behind. Circa 1981, young skaters A.J. Jackson, Pat Parnell, Doug Boyce and Chris Morris began wearing their inline skates in the same parks dominated by skateboarders. They were the first to use the equipment for stunts and borrowed many of their tricks, such as grinds, from skateboarding.
To this day, aggressive inline skating and skateboarding hold a zealous rivalry — skateboarders typically consider themselves to be the original extreme sport and inline skaters shrug off their taunts, knowing the speed and maneuverability of their skates cannot be equaled on a board. The founding of the Aggressive Skaters Association in 1995 signaled the sport was here to stay.
Aggressive inline skating requires different skates than recreational and speed skating. The sport requires differing wheel size, frame thickness and shell design. The shell is the plastic housing enclosing the skate’s boot. Aggressive skate shells are thicker and harder than other varieties of skates, and are cut higher on the ankle. These features enhance the skater's ability to grind successfully and increases ankle support for stunt landings. The thicker frame helps the skater with harsh tricks — speed or fitness skate frames simply cannot stand up to the damage. Aggressive skates have surprisingly small wheels as compared to speed or recreational skates. This is to help skaters control their speed and enhance their balance and maneuverability.
One question for aggressive inline skaters is whether or not to rocker their wheels. Aggressive skates are designed so all four wheels are touching the pavement, but the skater can adjust the wheel position so only two wheels are touching. This is preferable for certain tricks.
The most popular rockering looks like the curve of a hockey blade, in which the two middle wheels touch the pavement and the front and back ones are elevated. This reduces the size of the wheel base, giving the skater a smaller turning radius and greater agility. Another popular approach is known as anti-rocker, in which the two middle wheels are elevated or removed altogether. This set up gives the skater less control, but is specifically designed for grinding.
Whatever the skates, tricks or terrain, aggressive inline skating requires care and patience to master. Skaters should be mindful of their safety and should wear proper equipment, such as a regulation helmet, at all times.
Sources:
Aggressive Skating available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aggressive_skating, last accessed October 10, 2006.
Aggressive Skating Association available at http://www.asaskate.com/, last accessed October 10, 2006.
Inline Skating available at http://www.hickoksports.com/history/inlineskating. shtml,
last accessed October 10, 2006.
History of Aggressive Inline Skating available at http://www.cincyusa.com/gcsc/MSS/Media_2002/Histor y_Aggressive_skating.doc, last accessed October 10, 2006.
Related Articles
Aggressive inline skating is a high-risk, high-velocity pastime which began as a spin-off of other extreme sports, such as skateboarding. While inline skates were first pioneered on a mass-scale by Rollerblade in the early 1980s, they did not become popular for nearly a decade. Stunt skating lay waiting to emerge among inline enthusiasts as skateboarding was thriving in the 1980s.
Skateboarding established a culture of gutsy participants: kids who had the patience to master the ollie and the grit to take serious punishment from the pavement when they lost their balance. From their tenacity and desire to push the limits, the world of extreme sports began to identify itself apart from other athletics.
Though skateboarders were the original and are still the most numerous members of this world, inline skaters were not far behind. Circa 1981, young skaters A.J. Jackson, Pat Parnell, Doug Boyce and Chris Morris began wearing their inline skates in the same parks dominated by skateboarders. They were the first to use the equipment for stunts and borrowed many of their tricks, such as grinds, from skateboarding.
To this day, aggressive inline skating and skateboarding hold a zealous rivalry — skateboarders typically consider themselves to be the original extreme sport and inline skaters shrug off their taunts, knowing the speed and maneuverability of their skates cannot be equaled on a board. The founding of the Aggressive Skaters Association in 1995 signaled the sport was here to stay.
Aggressive inline skating requires different skates than recreational and speed skating. The sport requires differing wheel size, frame thickness and shell design. The shell is the plastic housing enclosing the skate’s boot. Aggressive skate shells are thicker and harder than other varieties of skates, and are cut higher on the ankle. These features enhance the skater's ability to grind successfully and increases ankle support for stunt landings. The thicker frame helps the skater with harsh tricks — speed or fitness skate frames simply cannot stand up to the damage. Aggressive skates have surprisingly small wheels as compared to speed or recreational skates. This is to help skaters control their speed and enhance their balance and maneuverability.
One question for aggressive inline skaters is whether or not to rocker their wheels. Aggressive skates are designed so all four wheels are touching the pavement, but the skater can adjust the wheel position so only two wheels are touching. This is preferable for certain tricks.
The most popular rockering looks like the curve of a hockey blade, in which the two middle wheels touch the pavement and the front and back ones are elevated. This reduces the size of the wheel base, giving the skater a smaller turning radius and greater agility. Another popular approach is known as anti-rocker, in which the two middle wheels are elevated or removed altogether. This set up gives the skater less control, but is specifically designed for grinding.
Whatever the skates, tricks or terrain, aggressive inline skating requires care and patience to master. Skaters should be mindful of their safety and should wear proper equipment, such as a regulation helmet, at all times.
Sources:
Aggressive Skating available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aggressive_skating, last accessed October 10, 2006.
Aggressive Skating Association available at http://www.asaskate.com/, last accessed October 10, 2006.
Inline Skating available at http://www.hickoksports.com/history/inlineskating. shtml,
last accessed October 10, 2006.
History of Aggressive Inline Skating available at http://www.cincyusa.com/gcsc/MSS/Media_2002/Histor y_Aggressive_skating.doc, last accessed October 10, 2006.
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