It’s that time of year again. Cookies, pies, and candy are everywhere you look; sugary coffee drinks and cocktails abound; holiday shopping leads to mall snacking; there are rich holiday meals; and to top it all off, many people find the holidays exceptionally stressful. If you find it challenging to maintain balance during the holidays, you’re not alone! 

According to Harvard neuroscience newsletter On The Brain, it’s more common than not to experience higher stress levels during the holidays. With busy schedules and rich foods all around, many folks feel like they’ve fallen off the wellness wagon by the time New Year’s rolls around. 

Wondering how to balance fun with fitness and self care this holiday season? We’ve got the answer: Just strap on some roller skates and get moving! 

3 Reasons to Roller Skate for Wellness

Roller skating has too many benefits to list here, but these are some of the best reasons to skate during the holidays. 

Roller skating relieves stress. 

Roller skating and other forms of exercise are scientifically proven to reduce stress. While it’s easy to put your fitness routine on the back burner during the holidays, making time to get your heart rate up and move your body will pay off with reduced stress levels. We have public skating sessions Thursday through Sunday (not including select holidays), so take a break from the holiday hustle and bustle and join us!

Roller skating is a good way to burn off holiday calories.

One of the biggest traps people fall into during the holidays is thinking that they’ve “blown it” by simply enjoying some treats. Just because you ate an extra cookie doesn’t mean you might as well finish off the whole plate, and just because you chose a party over the gym doesn’t mean you should just resign yourself to the couch until New Year’s Day. Instead, think in terms of balance. Enjoy those holiday treats, but also make time for fun, active pursuits like roller skating!

Skating is an excellent aerobic activity, meaning it’s good for your heart, and you can actually burn a surprising number of calories during an hour of roller skating—over 500 on average. Add to that the fact that roller skating strengthens core and lower-body muscle groups, maintaining muscle that is key to sustaining metabolism. 

Roller skating is fun for the whole family. 

With free time in short supply during the holidays, it’s not only challenging to hit the gym, but also to spend quality time with your friends and family. Consider meeting up with friends at the skating rink to multi-task when you need some time away from family. You can catch up and get some exercise all at the same time! Got family visiting from out of town? Don’t just sit on the couch watching the same Christmas movies as last year; gather everyone up and go skating to let the kids burn off some energy and the adults reminisce about their youthful skating rink shenanigans. 

There are so many reasons to buy your own skates. However, one of the perks of renting skates from the skating rink is that we maintain the skates. Just like a car needs oil changes and regular maintenance, roller skates need a little TLC to keep them rolling at 100%. Fortunately, maintaining your roller skates is easy once you know what to do. Check out our tips below to learn what to do when your skates need some love. 

How to know when your skates need maintenance

If you realize that your skate wheels are not rolling as easily, you definitely need to give them a tune-up. Other reasons you may want to inspect your skates include pulling to one side, hearing clanking noises, or if something just doesn’t “feel right” when you’re skating. 

While the reasons listed above definitely warrant a closer look (and probably a cleaning and adjustment) of your skates, you should also be doing some basic roller skate maintenance on a regular basis as part of your skating routine. 

Roller skate maintenance and when to do it

• Cleaning and drying skates
  • When: Every time you skate
  • Why? Even skating indoors on a skating rink, you’re going to pick up some dirt, dust, and debris while you skate, not to mention that your feet sweat in your skates. All it takes is a quick wipedown with a soft, dry cloth to keep your skate boots and wheels from accumulating gunk. When you get home, bring your skates in with you and let them air dry. Do NOT sit them directly in front of a fire or radiator, and do not try to dry them with a hair dryer! They need to dry out slowly without an intense temperature change. A strong heat source can warp your boots, ruining them. 
• Tightening/adjusting trucks, nuts, and stoppers
  • When: Once a week if you skate regularly
  • Why? The vibrations that occur while skating can cause some parts of your skates to loosen up. It’s a good idea to inspect your skates often to make sure everything is in working order and to tighten up parts that may have wiggled loose during your last skating session. 
• Cleaning your skate bearings
  • When: Depends on several factors, but usually every 1-3 months.
  • Why? Skate bearings help your wheels roll freely, but the more you skate, the more debris gets stuck in the bearings and causes friction—the opposite of what you want! Cleaning your bearings removes dirt and grime and keeps you rolling smoothly. If you don’t know how to clean your bearings (or do any other type of roller skate maintenance, for that matter), just head to YouTube or Google. There are tons of great tutorials to help you learn how to maintain your skates. 

If you’re looking for roller skate parts, accessories, or just expertise, visit our pro shop at Skate Moore! We’re always happy to answer questions and help you find exactly what you need. 

Temperatures are dropping, leaves are changing and clothing is becoming thicker. There is no doubt fall is upon us, with even our tires shivering out air from the cold. Here at Skate Moore we love everything about fall from Halloween to Thanksgiving and all of the fun in between.

However, today we are here to talk about a different kind of fall: the one you try to prevent while on roller skates. Falling on roller skates is what most people try to prevent. We are here to tell you that there is no way to prevent it completely. We are also here to teach out how to prepare for a fall, which will help prevent injury.

Did you know there are certain ways to fall to help prevent injury?

Falling backwards can cause injury to your head, tailbone, neck and/or back. Whereas, falling forward can cause injury to your face and everything on/around it.

The Art of Falling

Here is the BEST way to take a tumble while roller skating:

• Keep the body slightly forward
• Sit down using one side of your buttocks and a thigh
• Do not sit back too far and put your tailbone in jeopardy
• It is almost the same technique as a safety stop in ice skating

It is important to remember that there is no way to prevent a fall, so make sure to wear all proper safety equipment. Because of the simple fact we just mentioned, it is important to practice and prepare. We know it may sound crazy to practice falling on roller skates, but intentionally falling will help a ton when it actually happens.

Perfecting the Fall

So, how do you practice falling? We are here to give you some tips to master the art of the roller skate fall:

• Go through the steps mentioned above in your backyard without skates on. This will help your body get used to the motion.
• Now, practice the fall in your backyard with your skates on.
• Now, practice your fall while skating slowly.
• Increase speed as you practice.
• Once you feel comfortable, incorporate your fall practice into your skating.

We hope your fears of falling on the skating rink will fall away with our tips and tricks above. If you want to come practice with us, check out our open skate times and pricing. We will be closed on October 31st to celebrate our spooky staff and give the ghosts and ghouls a chance to roller skate. Also, make sure to stay up to date with our special events page for theme nights and events to show off your new skating (and falling) skills. Our next special event is Fall Late Skate from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. on November 1st.

October is known for a lot of our favorite things: Halloween, the changing of the leaves, and baseball playoffs, just to name a few. Did you know that October is also National Roller Skating Month? Instead of watching the same old horror movies, switch it up with roller skating classics, like Xanadu, Boogie Nights, Roll Bounce, Brink, or Skateland.

We are celebrating all month long at Skate Moore Skate Center, but today we’re going to share some of our favorite things about roller skating, including fitness facts , some cool history, and some fun facts you may not know about skating. Hold on to your roller skates and get ready to learn something new!

Why the Skating Rink Is the Best Gym in Town

Did you know that skating is a great aerobic and cardiovascular workout? It’s also a lot safer than many of kids’ and families’ favorite healthy hobbies. Check out this helpful infographic about the health benefits of roller skating from the Roller Skating Association International. For example, did you know that one hour of roller skating burns an average of 600 calories? Check our our times and upcoming events to come in and get some exercise while having a blast!

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Here are some other fitness facts you should know about roller skating:

• Roller Skating is proven to be a complete aerobic workout, incorporating all of the body’s muscles—including the heart.
• Skating strengthens the heart and improves blood circulation.
• Using your lower back and abdominal muscles while roller skating will help improve balance, agility, and coordination.
• Strength training and aerobic exercise are two types of suggested physical activity to prevent diabetes. Roller skating is considered both.
• It’s also an endurance-building sport.
• Skating is a low impact sport, which means it reduces the chances of injuring joints and muscles while exercising.
• It’s fun! And that’s not an opinion, it’s science. Cue the endorphins and let your stress roll away.

Roller Skating Is a Time-Honored Tradition

Skating may be our favorite way to stay in shape today, but we’re not the only era that was all about the roller skating lifestyle. Above is a picture of the first person to create and use roller skates, John Joseph Merlin. Along with his picture is an image of the kind of roller skate he created. Looks tough to balance on, right? That’s where James Leonard Plimpton came in. He designed the first four-wheeled, turning roller skates in 1863. Obviously, roller skating became increasingly popular during the 1970’s and the disco era. However, long before disco fever hit America, England hosted the first roller skating competition in 1875. Over the decades, there have been many improvements and innovations that keep propelling roller skates forward, from toe stops to multi-wheel to completely new kinds of roller skates.

Think roller skating is a thing of the past? Here are some current statistics about roller skating in America:

• Skating centers belonging to the Roller Skating Association host about 47,000 parties each month or 564,000 parties each year nationwide.
• Roller skating centers host 23 million visits per year from kids in grades fifth through seventh plus 18 million visits annually by kindergartners through fourth graders.
• An American Sports Data survey revealed 10.8 million people roller skate. Another 29 million inline skate.

It’s plain to see that National Roller Skating month is more than worth celebrating. What’s your favorite thing about roller skating? Roll by the rink this month and let us know.

Happy National Roller Skating Month!!

If you’re a “rink rat” or habitual skater, roller skating is just a part of who you are. You’d rather be skating than doing almost anything, and you’re the first to hit the rink and bust out some fancy footwork when “your song” comes on. But does your roller skating show off your personal style? Read on for some tips on expressing yourself as a skater at Skate Moore Skate Center. 

How to Show Off Your Skate-sona (Skater + Persona = Skate-sona!)

• Develop a signature move – or several. If you’ve got the basics of roller skating down, kick up your style with a cool new move like the Moonwalk or Crazy Legs. Once you’re super confident on skates, you can even master some of these impressive roller skating tricks!
  
• Customize your roller skates. Aside from the type of roller skates you buy (quad or inline, low or high top boot, color, brand, etc.) there are a ton of ways to customize your roller skates. Change the colors of your laces, toe stops or plugs, and wheels; add accessories like pom poms, skate lights, light-up wheels, custom toe guards, or side blocks. You can even deck out your skate bag with enamel pins, buttons, stickers, vinyl decals.
  Visit our pro shop to buy quad or inline skates, plus wheels, bearings, and many other skating accessories to express yourself, and keep an eye out for cool accessories to add to your gear.
  
• Achieve your skate squad goals. If you love to skate with friends, a roller skating party is a great way to combine your love of skating with your social life! You can even make group t-shirts to show that your skating squad are your BFFs on and off the rink.

No matter how you show off your unique personality, be yourself and have fun! We’re here whenever you want to hit the rink and let loose. 

Most people are familiar with indoor skating at a skating rink, but might not be as familiar with other types of skating. If you’re wondering what the differences are between indoor, outdoor, and ramp skating, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn how these types of roller skating differ, but remember that they’re all great ways to have fun while exercising!

Indoor Skating

Most indoor skating is done at a skating rink (or roller rink), a hard, smooth surface designed for skating. Because it is indoors in a controlled environment where it can be maintained and cleaned, the skating rink floor offers a much smoother ride than if you were to go outside. Indoor skating uses harder wheels, allowing you to roll faster. 

Outdoor Skating

Outdoor roller skating is a great way to enjoy nature while getting some exercise, but don’t just take your indoor skates outside! You’ll need to change to different wheels for outdoor skating. These wheels are softer, providing grip and shock absorption on the less even surfaces you’ll find outside. Outdoor skate wheels will allow you to roll over small cracks in the sidewalk or leaves on a paved path without too much trouble. However, there are a lot more hazards to roller skating outside, so be sure to wear protective skating gear including wrist, elbow, and knee guards, as well as a helmet. All it takes is one stick or patch of gravel to cause a fall, so wear your pads and be as safe as possible. 

Ramp Skating

While ramp skating can be done inside or out, most skate parks are outdoors. Ramp skating is kind of like the daredevil version of roller skating, using the ramps, bowls, pipes, and other features of the skate park to push your skating skills to the limit. If you’re interested in learning how to ramp skate, check out this great ramp skating for beginners lesson on YouTube. And of course, don’t try any of these moves without the proper safety gear! It’s best to start small and work your way up.
Whether you just want to have fun with friends or train for a sport like roller derby or ramp skating, practice is a must. Check out our schedule for open skating sessions in Moore, OK!

New classroom assignments and shiny new school supplies means another school year is about to begin. Meeting new teachers, parents, and students can be exciting yet nerve-wracking. We all remember the excitement of picking out your backpack, school supplies and first-day-of-school outfit. While back to school shopping can be fun, Skate Moore is here to keep the summer vibe alive.

Just because summer is over, it doesn’t mean the fun has to be over too!

Here are some fun ways to keep the summer rolling into the school year:

• Scheduling a PTA Skate night at Skate Moore is a great way to get to know the teachers, parents and students at you or your child’s school.
• Plan an after school classroom outing with the new class and parents. Check out our hours for open skate.
• You could also schedule a private party for the classroom. We have awesome rates and availability.
• Grab your best girlfriends and have a Mom’s Night Out at Skate Moore once school is back in session.
• Have everyone grab their favorite Hawaiian shirt and come enjoy one of our late skate nights.
• Plan a scout troop, Sunday school or other team bonding activity with your child’s new teammates

Whether you are going back to school or sending your kids off for another year, the summer fun does not have to end. So grab your kids, friends or new classmates and come down to Skate Moore and keep your summer fun going!

**Please note that we will be closed from August 31st until September 4th for Labor Day Weekend**

There’s no feeling quite like the joy of gliding around on roller skates – but what happens when your skates aren’t rolling like they should? Don’t worry, you just need to learn some basic roller skate maintenance! Read on for some roller skate maintenance tips from the pros at Skate Moore Skate Center in Moore, Oklahoma. 

Skate Maintenance Basics

• Dry your skate boots – The boot is the upper part of your roller skate, and it can become wet if you perspire while skating. When you’re done with skating for the day, it’s important to let the boots dry! Wipe down the inside and outside with a soft cloth to remove as much moisture as possible, then loosen the laces and open the boot as much as possible to facilitate faster drying. DO NOT try to speed up the process by using a heat source, as this can warp the boot and ruin the fit!
• Check your toe stops and trucks– Sometimes your toe stops can loosen up or change position while skating. Just take a quick look to see if they need to be tightened or repositioned. You should also check the trucks to make sure they are still fitted snugly against the skate boot. Both skates should be equally tight for a smooth ride. 
• Make sure your wheels and bearings are rolling smoothly – First, check for wear and tear on your wheels. If they’re worn out or damaged, you should replace your wheels. Give your wheels a spin and notice if they’re spinning easily or seem to be slowed down with dirt and debris. You may need to take them off for cleaning, which will also give you a chance to clean your skate bearings. These need to occasionally be removed, cleaned, and lubricated for optimal performance. Learn how to clean your skate bearings.