Learning how to skate backwards is the ultimate challenge for many beginner skaters, and it can be much harder to master without professional guidance on the best exercises and techniques to keep you rolling safely.
Most skaters teach themselves how to skate backwards with some kind of “backwards butt wiggle” keeping both skates on the ground as they try to propel. Imagine skating forwards in the same way – it wouldn’t be efficient or at all stylish!
In this new video on our YouTube channel I demonstrate the best way to learn backwards skating and explain why this method shown works for all ability levels – beginner, intermediate and advanced. It may look simple to just recreate how we all skate forwards, but it requires solid backward balance, steering and weight bearing on each leg.
Nothing will improve your backwards skating like this one exercise in the video and as you improve and get faster, the exercise gets more challenging. Using this exercise you’ll learn how to skate backwards faster than using any other method and you’ll also develop your weaker side more efficiently, reducing risk of injury and imbalances.
Click the image below to watch our YouTube tutorial on How to Skate Backwards:
Learning backwards crossovers and jumps
If you’re struggling to master more difficult backwards skating moves such as backward crossovers, backward jumps or landings, practicing this drill will really help.
A common problem in backward crossovers is skaters get stuck because they cannot put sufficient weight on their weaker leg at certain speeds. This means they keep both skates on the ground at all times which doesn’t produce fluid and smooth crossovers.
So, if the backward stride exercise in this video becomes your backward skating “homework” I promise you’ll improve surprisingly quickly in those more advanced moves. Kinda like magic!
Whatever level your skating is at, don’t underestimate the importance of these basic foundation skills (e.g. equal balance ability on each leg backwards) when learning and mastering harder skills. Skipping these is what makes the road to improvement much longer and more frustrating.
For more in-depth tuition check out my full How To Skate Intermediate online course:
Read more Skatefresh blogs:
- 3 wheels or 4 on inline skates – which is best?
- How to roller skate smoothly without fear
- How to start inline skating in 4 simple steps
- How to skate without falling
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