When it comes to cardio or exercise to aid weight loss, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been shown time and time again to be the most effective training style. And done right, inline skating can be one of the most powerful HIIT training tools at your disposal.
High-intensity interval training consists of short bursts of all-out effort followed by a longer period of exercising at a more moderate pace. The most commonly recommended standard time is 30 seconds of all-out effort followed by 90 seconds of more moderate energy expenditure while you catch your breath and your heart rate drops back down a bit. This pattern is repeated over and over for a total of 15 to 30 minutes and offers many more benefits to the body and weight loss effort than much longer sessions of steady-paced aerobics like jogging.
If you’ve been doing cardio or even HIIT training on a treadmill at home or at the gym, it’s time to consider getting out there and strapping on a pair of inline skates. For starters, running on an electric treadmill simply involves picking your feet up and repositioning them as the tread progresses. On inline skates, you have to push back and forth with each step, as you’re providing the momentum to move forward, not an electric motor.
Similar to cross-country skiing in this regard, pushing back and forth against road resistance activates muscles throughout the posterior chain with each stride. The day after his first 2-3 hour inline skating session he will be reminded of it, as he will be acutely aware of how effectively he used his hamstrings, glutes, and lower back muscles.
Another factor is the weight of your inline skates. Your legs are used to lifting your shoes over and over again every day, even when you’re jogging or running. However, in most cases, the leg muscles are not used to lift footwear that weighs as much as skates will. Not a big deal, but it all helps when you’re looking to condition or burn fat, right?
So how do you turn enjoyable time on your skates into HIIT training? The first method is the same as standard HIIT training: hill sprints. Find a paved road or street with a hill steep enough that it takes about 30 seconds to climb to maximum effort levels. Skate full force up, then slow down to a comfortable pace and go a little further, then change direction and skate calmly back to the bottom of the hill before running back up.
However, the second way can be more interesting and can be practiced anywhere you go on your lines: a road, a track, wherever. After a comfortable warm-up session, get into the stance of an ice speed skater. Lean forward until your upper torso is parallel to the ground and place one hand on your lower back, palm up. Let your free arm hang down and swing it back and forth laterally in front of you in rhythm with your strides to maintain balance.
This maneuver should only be used by experienced inline skaters wearing their helmet and full pads, as you will most likely find yourself going much faster than you are used to. As you get used to proper form for speed skating, you’ll be able to lean forward a bit more, which will require faster and longer strides and get you going even faster. Even the most experienced skaters will be surprised at the oxygen requirements when skating this way, and you will find that you are running out of oxygen very quickly. Stretch and skate comfortably for a minute or two until your heart and breathing slow down, then do another 30-second sprint.
A word of warning… Just like any extreme exercise session, HIIT training should only be attempted by those who are already somewhat fit. If you’re just starting out on your path to a fitness lifestyle, stick to recreational inline skating until you’ve practiced your skates well and have reached a better fitness level. New activities that deplete your oxygen stores can be dangerous, even deadly, until you know how to gauge what you can and can’t handle in your current condition. As with all forms of exercise, start light and build from there!