Friday Roller Disco anyone?
This month we are highlighting different types of physical activity and exercise which might not be considered sport but still keep you fit and healthy.
This week’s blog is an interview with Rebecca Ryan, California based roller skater extraordinaire who has amassed a great following on social media with her tips, tricks and moves! Rollers skating is making a comeback and people like Rebecca are helping people to get their skates on again. If you’re worried about whether it’s really exercise, Stylist magazine explains,
“‘It offers an effective full-body workout, because you’re working every muscle group in the body.’ While it might look like a sequence of graceful glides, what many people don’t realise is that ‘roller skating is a sport which works a number of the muscles in the lower body simultaneously with some muscles in the upper body, too.’”
How old were you, Rebecca, when you started skating and why?
I started my skate journey in August 2019 at 30 years young! It all started when I saw Emily & Billy England perform their incredible roller skate act in a show in Las Vegas. I was so inspired by their athleticism, skills, talent, grace, it sparked a roller skate light inside of me. Shortly after I rented skates in Venice (in Los Angeles) and as soon as I put them on I knew I found a piece of my soul waiting for me to discover it! A week later I was in the Moxi roller skate shop in Venice buying my first pair of Moxi Lollys.
What sort of training do you do?
I am an LA based yoga instructor, SoulCycle instructor, personal trainer, and fitness professional that has been teaching for over 10 years. People know me as a teacher, and coach, but I will always be first and foremost a student. I have spent years learning and teaching many different styles of yoga, movement, and training. With a background in dance and a passion for movement, I understand the body and how the combination of posture, balance, strength, and flexibility are key elements for lifelong wellness (on the inside and out).
I have brought together my love for fitness, yoga, and roller skating, as I feel like they immensely go hand in hand! I have created a 31 day #STRETCHINSKATES challenge for the month of March - this challenge is for everyone and anyone who wants to stretch more regularly, increase flexibility, and just feel great about moving! The best part is that all of our stretches are done in our skates! You will find that your skates are an incredible tool to help assist your stretching routine. Each daily stretch is accompanied by a YouTube demonstration to show you how to safely get in and out of your stretch and one daily stretch will lead into the next, so after 31 days you will have an entire stretch in skates flow!
I also teach a Roller Fit class LIVE on my Instagram @loveinskates every Friday at 5pm PST.
What inspires your Instagram reels?
I roller skate every day, and document my practice and progress on my Instagram @loveinskates. My reels consist of whatever is happening in my day. Sometimes it's a move I am working on, tips, tutorials, and sometimes it's just me skating with my puppy!
Tell us about the skate community
The skate community is one of the most inclusive and friendly communities I’ve ever been a part of. I feel the community as a whole inspires and encourages each other to skate, and is welcoming to all!
I have made so many LIFE LONG friends in person, and online through roller skating. Being a part of this amazing community is definitely a personal highlight!
How does skating make you feel?
Skating means everything to me! It feels like I have unlocked part of my soul! It’s pure joy in motion, it's pure love, it's my movement meditation!! It makes me feel free, strong, and beautiful!! I feel like my truest self when I am skating!
Skating clears my mind, just like movement meditation. If I’m ever having a hard day I just put my skates on and I instantly feel better! Roller skating will teach you how to trust your body, catch yourself before you fall, pick yourself back up, and love it exactly the way is it!! It's the biggest form of self expression, and a super power!!! This helps every part of my life!! With a background in ballet and competitive dance, being a part of this supportive, welcoming, non judgemental, non competitive uplifting, body positive community has changed my life in the best way!!
What would you say to someone considering skating?
You can absolutely start roller skating at any age!! It’s never too late to skate!! I would say if you are considering skating, take this as a sign to GO FOR IT!!!
What's the best way to start?
Find local skaters to meet up with!! The roller skate community is so welcoming and inclusive and excited to meet new skaters, and learning from others is the best! There are so many amazing tutorials on You Tube, and there is an amazing community of skaters on Instagram that support each other daily. You will always feel very welcomed and supported in this amazing community!
Thank you for answering our questions Rebecca - we love what you do! Check out Rebecca’s Instagram page @loveinskates for some gorgeous reels and her tips and tricks!
All photo credit - Rebecca Ryan