Whether you’ve never tried rollerblading or just consider yourself a fair weather blader, you could probably use a refresher course. Antonia Court goes to skate school and reports back

Forget those scooter things – the hip wheels to sport these days are in-line skates. After a year or two out of the fray, in-line skating is becoming seriously cool again. You only have to take a look around parks and along promenades to see how many people get their skates out at the first sight of sun. Rumour has it that Kylie perked up her bum through skating and that Gabrielle swears by her skates for staying fit.

Last summer saw the launch of the Betty Blade, London’s version of the weekly mega-blade held in Paris, New York and Amsterdam where hundreds of people take to the streets on blades for a 12-mile skate-a-thon. This spring, Reebok are launching their own programme, called Skate Reebok, which is the world’s first in-line skating fitness and safety class.

‘Skating is a great cardiovascular workout, as it uses loads of energy and really gets your heart pumping,’ says Skate Reebok trainer Steve Barrett who’s based in Bath. ‘On top of that, you have to work to keep your balance, so you strengthen your core stabiliser muscles, which are responsible for giving you a flat stomach and helping keep your back strong.’ In-line skating is also brilliant for toning your lower body, especially your thighs and buttocks.

It may look as though skating is about simply gliding along without much effort, but by varying your speed and adding in new techniques you can burn as many calories as you do running. ‘That can be up to 500 calories an hour, if you’re really pushing yourself,’ notes Barrett.

Although the benefits of in-line skating can give your physique a makeover, the perks go way beyond a streamlined body shape. Skating improves your balance, which means you’ll be more agile when doing day-to-day activities. Plus, blading once or twice a week adds variety to your exercise programme, which helps you stay motivated to work out regularly.

The Skate Reebok programme, which provides all these perks, is based primarily on safety and skill. ‘It involves a series of exercises that improve balance, agility, power and endurance, and tones your quads, buttocks and abs – all the muscles that are used in skating,’ says Steve. Each exercise is based on a tiny element of the complete skating motion, so, as well as toning and strengthening muscles, you’ll improve overall skating technique and confidence.

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