10 Roller Skating Tricks For Beginners

I’ve been itching to do the insane stunts I used to see professional skaters perform in the skating rinks ever since I first placed my foot inside some roller skates.

You could get goosebumps from some of them, but initially, it may be prudent to stick to roller skating tricks for beginners.

You can work your way up to more complicated tricks but if you enjoy skating you’ll never know the exhilaration unless you give it a go!

When I looked deeper, however, I found that it was more difficult than thrilling because I was still discovering how to stop and balance on skates.

They are some fancy roller skating tricks out there but they can also be dangerous if caution is not taken.

So, based on my personal experience, I’d want to issue a word of warning to all newcomers: WAIT to try new roller skate tricks until you master the fundamentals.

When starting to roller skate, perfecting your stance should be at the forefront of your priorities.

The procedures for balancing and halting come next. You are now prepared to go to the rink for a bit of amazing acrobatics once you have gone this far and feel secure enough to stay steady and stop purposefully on your roller skates.

By doing some strange but safe maneuvers as a beginner, you can advance your skating abilities. Here are some strange quad roller skating moves you can learn.

After mastering the fundamentals, you might want to go on to the fun portion of learning certain roller skating tricks.

Learning these moves will help you improve your roller skating skills and make your skating sessions more enjoyable.

1. Spinning

After you get proficient in stopping and balancing, you can try spinning. It is enjoyable to do and simple to perform well in front of others.

You can spin in a single direction or even change directions in the midst of your act.

• Moving into the center of the skating rink will prevent you from colliding with another skater while you perform the roller skate spinning motion.
• Your arms should be extended wide while your knees should be slightly bent (90-degree angle).
• Keep your arms centered in front of your body’s center as you begin to slowly rotate them in that direction. Most skating and spinning techniques depend heavily on your core muscles.
• Lift your body as you move forward. To execute a perfect spin, bring your skates together.

Additionally, spinning can be performed by beginning with a few strong glides and thereafter turning your skates to change course.

To keep spinning, make sure to keep your skates rotated. Just raise your feet straight if you wish to cease spinning.

2. Jumping

Many roller skaters at the starting level are drawn to jumping. Jumping comes in a variety of forms, and after you’re confident skating at a particular tempo, you can learn easy jumping.

You can leap by bending your legs slightly and hopping while refocusing your body’s center of gravity. Immediately after your skates meet the ground after each jump, keep skating at the same momentum.

Start with a few tiny hops. Push yourself harder and aim for higher or longer jumps as your muscles becomes used to them. Additionally, you can practice jumping over obstacles like cones.

Keep the following things in mind if you’re learning jumping skills for roller skating:

• Before attempting the jump, start with a few glides but also make sure you keep up a solid tempo.
• Keep your balance and remain as steady as you can while you jump.
• It’s not a good idea to jump when you’re moving too quickly or when you’re still. You need to skate at a medium speed to maintain greater control of your body and your skating abilities in order to ensure a smooth shift between the jumping stages.
• Keep your skates parallel to one another as you get ready to leap. In this manner, you will land after the leap in a parallel gliding posture (instead of sliding down) and so maintain balance.
• To acquire stability, it’s crucial to tense up your core. You can raise your arms to the sides if you need to maintain balance.
• Keep your skates close together while crouching and jumping, and gently bend your knees. Then go into action. Once the jump is complete and both skates are returned to the ground, the squat stance aids in regaining balance.
• Once you have mastered tiny hops, you can attempt jumps that are longer or higher.
• It’s crucial to put your jumping tricks into practice if you want to improve them and graduate to more difficult maneuvers. Make sure you move at your individual pace (initially slow as you’re learning and practicing), and as your body becomes more at ease, increase your speed, height, or length.

3. Skating Backward 

Keep any obstacles out of the way before you begin learning this skill.

The very last thing you’d like to happen is to run into another skater or a wall. For information about skating backwards, refer to the following:

• Using your roller skates, form a V shape with your toes pointed inward. Your knees must be slightly bent, and your weight should be evenly distributed over both legs.
• Apply gentle pressure on the toe of your prominent foot to go backward while gently lifting the other foot. You will move backward as a result of this action.
• Lift your prominent foot this time, while placing the elevated foot back down and pushing with its toe.
• Continue toe-swapping as you slowly skate backward. Verify that your core is fully activated. Skate backwards and keep an eye over your shoulder to be aware of your surroundings. You want to avoid falling or being in an accident at all costs.

4. Backward Cross

You might have tried crossovers, which involve crossing one foot over the other to move ahead, if you have been working really hard to learn some skating skills.

The only difference in the backward cross is that you go in the opposite, backward direction. It is comparable to performing crossovers in the other way.

Skate backwards on 2 feet to begin. Next, cross your legs by lifting one of your feet and putting it over on the other skate’s floor.

Once you’re rolling backwards properly once more, lift up the leg that is at the back and position it beside the crossed foot.

Since we usually move counterclockwise around skating rinks, you must always cross over the left leg over the right leg.

Continue working on crossing with the front foot over your back foot in both directions. Change your feet and move in the reverse way once you become proficient at traveling in a circular direction.

5. Moonwalk

You’ve probably seen the renowned dancer and musician Michael Jackson’s signature move. In this technique, we’ll essentially perform the identical maneuver but on wheels.

You can master moonwalking in time after you are comfortable enough to skate backward.

For this trick, you must maintain one skate on the ground and point the other skate downward while being held in place by your toe stopper.

Release the toe stop and use the other skate to skate backward. To resume your moonwalk across the rink, switch sides often. Never rush.

Take modest steps at first, then pick up speed once you feel confident enough to pull off the maneuver without difficulty.

6. Spread Eagle

Want to demonstrate your skating prowess in a less formal setting? Consider the spread eagle. Warning:   If you don’t want to see a bad fall, make absolutely sure you have balance under control.

The trick is easy to do if you understand how to maintain your equilibrium. Simply skate forward while bending your knees, spread your legs slightly, rock back onto your heels, then balance on the 2 back wheels. Glide ahead gradually, and presto! That’s it.

7. Crazy Legs

As the name implies, it is one of the silliest tactics that a beginner might try.  It creates an odd series of actions as you stride forward by fusing the excitement of crossovers with forward and backward mobility.

In this maneuver, you cross straight, then backward, before continuing sideways in the same direction. Keep in mind to use the same leg you started with for both crossovers.

8. 4 Wheeler

A fantastic trick for improving balance. This maneuver can be performed using either the back or front wheels of the both skates.

The idea is to roll each skate using just two of its four wheels. Start the feat by rolling forward on one foot while keeping the other one flat and moving backward on two wheels.

Lean back, shift your weight to the back wheels, and gently press off the flat foot. Maintain equilibrium. Throughout the exercise, be careful to have one foot firmly planted before the other. By shifting your heels from side to side, you can pick up speed.

9. One-foot Skating

It’s as easy as it seems! The only requirement is that you stay balanced on one foot. Before building up to larger strides, you can start with small spurts.

To maintain balance, remembering to shift your weight to the foot that you’re gliding on. You just need to practice and be patient to get the trick down.

10. Grapevine

It’s yet another crazy stunt that people either adore or detest. Both skating to the front and skating in reverse.

Your action somewhat mimics the twisted grapevine stems, therefore the name. Throughout the drill, maintain your legs bent and your body low. Relax and flex your ankles.

Learning to move backwards and forwards while skating on your toes is a prerequisite for doing grapevine.

You begin by going forward with your right leg, turn and step a little backward with your left leg, turn again to move forward, and finish by moving forward with your right leg.

Roller Skate Trick FAQ’s

Is Bending Forward Required To Maintain Balance?

The question itself is quite clear. In order to skate, you must maintain a correct stance having the feet shoulder-width away from each other, your body straight, and the knees slightly bent.

Your body remains balanced while you roll on the wheels thanks to the stance, which also helps you keep your center of gravity steady. Just a tiny forward bend will fine; you don’t need to lean too far.

How Do I Do Scissors?

To perform this technique, you must stand straight with your arms out to the sides to help you stay balanced.

To create a V shape, keep your heels close together and your toes spaced slightly apart. As you walk forward, swiftly bring your toes back together and straighten your knees.

Begin by bending your knees and softly pushing your toes apart. To continue the scissors technique, make the same movement again.

I Wish To Pursue A Career As A Professional Skater. What Should I Do Next?

First and foremost, practice as much as you can while attending training classes led by professionals or licensed trainers.

Joining a local rink could give you a head start. You can also ask more seasoned skaters at the rink for help. Once your rollerskating lessons are over, you might consider competing in local zonal events.

What Safety Equipment Do I Need To Use When I Perform Tricks On My Roller Skates?

When you try out these maneuvers for the first time, I strongly advise that you use a roller skating helmet and roller skating protectors (knee pads, wrist guards, and elbow pads) for the best level of safety.

You might discover that you don’t require the additional equipment when your skating proficiency increases and your balance improves. However, it’s always preferable to safeguard oneself at the beginning.

On Roller Skates, Are Ice Skating Maneuvers Possible?

Yes! In actuality, a lot of the roller skate tricks, such as the jumps, spins, and one-skate turns, are the basic ones used within figure skating.

On roller skates, you may perform all of the maneuvers that Olympic figure skaters perform professionally. Just a lot of preparation is needed.

What About Tricks Using Rollerblades?

All the maneuvers listed above may also be performed when inline skating or while using rollerblades.

The sole difference is the fact that the four-wheeler transforms into a two-wheeler while wearing inline skates.

Can Novices Perform Crossovers?

Many newcomers find it difficult to perform crossovers when they initially start out. Skate forward on 2 feet to execute this maneuver.

Cross your legs as you take your right skate up and place it on the opposite side of your left skate. Reposition your left skate close to your other foot after picking it up.

Since we usually move counterclockwise around the skating rink, the ideal place to start is by learning how and where to cross the right foot over the left.

Final Words

A fantastic approach to test your limits is to learn various roller skating skills. Make sure you practice these maneuvers in an area free of obstacles.

Prior to starting to learn new tricks, you should also refine your fundamental skating abilities. Even though learning all of the roller skating tricks could seem very alluring, especially if you’re just starting out, you must be proficient in skating, stopping, and balance methods.

Before attempting new stunts, it’s also a good idea to put on roller skating gloves as well as other protective gear.

Additionally, practice will lead to perfection. Nobody ever masters a new skill the first time. Continue to practice, and before you realize it, you will have mastered each technique individually.