Training & Nutrition - Inline skating for cross training?

My wife and I are trying to have a baby, and two doctors have told me to stop riding until she is pregnant. It has to do with the parts you sit on, enough said.

I am thinking of taking up inline skating for the time being. Anyone do this? Any tips? Is it cool to skate all of my cycling routes?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Hughes

Lots of speed skaters (see above post) bike in their off season, so why not? There's a fast guy on the local multi-level hammerfest group ride who sometimes shows up on inline skates (he does inline road races, too) and blades with a slower group. He has no trouble keeping up with us, is as fast or faster on climbs and faster on descents unless there's some sketchy pavement or turning at the bottom (can't slow down as fast). Drafting him is useless but he's cool when drafting others and I feel safer with him behind me than some of the other folks.

On higher levels of competition, track cycling coaches look to speed skating to spot talented sprinters to bring them to cycling. The transition seems to be easy as the muscle groups are already highly developed and the training routines and intensities seem to be quite similar.

I don't inline skate, but I play hockey and that is my focus during the winter. I find the 2 work very well together as a "periodization" type of thing.

I'm an inline speedskater that cycles and runs for crosstraining purposes. I find that cycle and running both complement my skating and have helped me to become a much stronger skater. And I would think that skating would help you become a stronger cyclist when it comes time to go back to cycling.

I skate both paved cycling routes and roads so it'd be cool for you to skate your routes. But before doing so, ensure that you are able to skate safely. Have you ever skated before?

I used to do a lot of aggressive inline skating in high school (~10 years ago). I was pretty good for a while and considered trying it again, but the idea of 26 year old me hanging around the skate park doesn't sound like fun. I also downhill and crosscountry ski.

I've never done aggressive but always wanted to ... it takes a lot more ummmm, ahhhh, cajones than I have. Balance wouldn't be your problem. Neither I assume would wearing the proper safety gear ... helmets especially and wrist protection as well.

You're next step would be to get some inline skates. There are so many different brands out there (K2, Rollerblade, Bont, Roces, and on & on) and many different kinds within the brand. I'd suggest you go to a sports store that sells skates and try on as many as possible. Stand in them, skate in them in the store and don't buy them if they don't feel right. Fit is extremely important when it comes to skating. You don't want to buy the wrong size skates, too tight and your feet and skating will suffer, too large and you'll not have proper control and your skating will suffer. And wearing 2 pairs of socks does not work. PM me if you want more details.

I used to do a lot of skating. I played hockey from age 5 to 33 and speed skated for maybe 10 years or so. The workout I get from riding feels to me exactly like the same workout I get from skating. Many of the same muscles are used.

The one thing I would caution about skating your cycling routes is this - be sure you can stop. There aren't any brakes on most skates (and the ones that have them don't work well). So, if you skate a route with a lot of downhill, about halfway down that hill you are going to have yourself one of those "oh, crap!" moments when you realize you are going faster than you want to go and don't have a way to stop.

With experience, you'll know how to regulate your speed, but I've seen a lot of beginners have a hard time coming to a stop from too high of a speed.

I used to do a lot of skating. I played hockey from age 5 to 33 and speed skated for maybe 10 years or so. The workout I get from riding feels to me exactly like the same workout I get from skating. Many of the same muscles are used.

The one thing I would caution about skating your cycling routes is this - be sure you can stop. There aren't any brakes on most skates (and the ones that have them don't work well). So, if you skate a route with a lot of downhill, about halfway down that hill you are going to have yourself one of those "oh, crap!" moments when you realize you are going faster than you want to go and don't have a way to stop.

With experience, you'll know how to regulate your speed, but I've seen a lot of beginners have a hard time coming to a stop from too high of a speed.

This is 100 % true! NO BRAKES !!!
I do mostly ice speedskating and ice skates stop right now.
(Well the short track skates do, never tried a hard stop with the clap skates)
But the inline's don't have any stopping in them.
The brake pads on recreational skates, don't stop you, they just make large noises to let people know that you can't stop!
The older inline skates had (5) 80mm wheels, the newer road skates have 4 (now 3) larger and larger wheels.
What seems like a great road surface on my bike , may feel like a gravel path on the skates.

There are many ways to stop without a brake safely .... it just takes practice. Here's a demo by Eddy Matzger ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VtOqBNWzdQ

I'm sure there are many other videos out that that can help. And I'm certain there is someone in your area giving skating lessons.

I'd call Eddy's methods slowing not stopping and they are all pretty much standard operating procedure although Eddy does them so much better than other skaters. I'm talking about "stopping". At 20MPH, I can stop faster on my skates (on ice) than I can on my bike on a dry road.

I'd call Eddy's methods slowing not stopping and they are all pretty much standard operating procedure although Eddy does them so much better than other skaters. I'm talking about "stopping". At 20MPH, I can stop faster on my skates (on ice) than I can on my bike on a dry road.

You're right Eddy does them so much better. He is the absolute best. And you are correct his methods are standard procedure. I use any number of ways to stop/slow down depending on the situation. While it's true none of those methods bring me to a dead stop, I find that the methods I use have kept me safe and out of trouble.

*Edit* Speedskater -- do you inline skate?

*Edit* Speedskater -- do you inline skate?

Yes - some, but mostly it ice now.
In the past we had some energetic people that were able to get inline road races in to running or biking events.
Recently all the nearby inline indoor clubs have disappeared.

*Edit* Speedskater -- do you inline skate?

Yes - some, but mostly it ice now.
In the past we had some energetic people that were able to get inline road races in to running or biking events.
Recently all the nearby inline indoor clubs have disappeared.


So you mostly skated indoors then. I skate outdoors only now. I did skate indoors for a couple seasons but skating in
circles drove me crazy.

I used to do a lot of aggressive inline skating in high school (~10 years ago). I was pretty good for a while and considered trying it again, but the idea of 26 year old me hanging around the skate park doesn't sound like fun. I also downhill and crosscountry ski.

I did this the other day, it was quite funny with all the kids 10-15 years younger around. Although it got old quick because you're the only one on inline skates and everyone else is on a skateboard.

for training purposes, aggressive inline skates might be more of a workout with their smaller wheels, but not so great for bumps in the road. I always did T-stops. Can you stop faster by putting your braking foot in front of you?