Some two years back, I took G1 to have a whirl at ice skating. Halfway around the rink, I discovered what a terrible idea it was. One bit of advice we got from the ice skating coach was to try rollerblading first because it is a little easier than ice skating. So here we are…
Rollerblading / Inline Skating Lessons
To date, I only know of two places where you can get lessons:
1. Skateline at Kiara Park in TTDI and the Skateline Outlet in Section 17
- outdoor only
- available weekdays and weekends
- group or individual
- require own gear for lessons at TTDI
- RM250 for 5 x 1hr sessions
2. Roller Sports in Bangsar Shopping Centre
- indoor roller rink
- must pre-book
- one-to-one only
- gear provided
- RM50 per 1hr session
Roller Sports in Bangsar Shopping Centre
Since G1 was demonstrating an interest to try rollerblading, I signed him up for one lesson at Roller Sports in BSC.
Why Roller Sports instead of Skateline?
- Because a smooth indoor surface is kinder to the skin if you fall and I didn’t want G1 packing up to go home after his first fall.
- Also because there are walls in an indoor roller rink that provide “support”.
- Last but not least, they provide gear – I wasn’t sure that G1 would want to go blading again after this. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure if he would last the hour long lesson.
To G1’s credit, and his instructor’s, he lasted more than the hour. In fact, he did much better than I had hoped for. He began the session with a death-grip on the instructor’s hand:
Within minutes, he could rollerblade without holding onto the instructor:
And here he is after the lesson – going it alone:
We like to think that just because we know how to do something that we are capable teachers for it. Unfortunately, I have discovered that when it comes to my son and activities like these, I am the last person to be “teaching” him how it’s done. It doesn’t matter that I can rollerblade – he will never let go of my hand because I am Mum and he will always cling to my apron strings unless I cut him loose. I think I have come to accept that.
Benefits of Rollerblading for Children
According to Active Activities, Rollerblading:
- strengthens and tones the thighs, calves, and hamstrings
- is a great cardiovascular workout
- develops balance, coordination, and agility
- is a good precursor to other sports like ice skating, biking, skateboarding, skiing, and snowboarding
Related:
Nurture for the Future 