Inline Skating Lessons and Class Options

Woman on inline skates looking at mp3 player
Getty Images/Tom Merton

Inline skating is a fun way to get some exercise, and if you learn the basics properly and stick with it you'll enjoy a lifetime of skating safely for fitness and recreation. Preparing to participate in any of the specific roller sports disciplines can be a challenge without accurate knowledge and proper training. Lessons, workshops, camps, classes, and team or club membership are among your choices as you learn to skate or work to advance your current abilities. Classes are usually available by age, skill level, discipline or a combination of these, so there is something for everyone. These are some of the benefits you will discover in a good skating lesson program:

  • Learning the correct inline skating techniques
  • Having a qualified inline skating instructor to supervise maneuvers and give feedback on your development
  • Finely-tuned inline skating skills 
  • A higher level of confidence
  • Supervised training to keep you from forming bad skating habits that may be hard to break

Group Inline Skating Classes

Group inline skating lessons are a good choice for beginners, skaters who need a tune-up, or skaters who need to learn a specific technique. They're also a great option for those not ready to commit to weekly lessons over a long period of time. Group programs usually run several weeks in length (five to eight weeks is common). Group inline skating classes are less expensive than private or semi-private lessons while still offering a solid opportunity to try inline skating. The downside is group lessons offer very little individualized one-on-one skating help and there is usually no flexibility in scheduled lesson times. However, they do provide opportunities for social interaction and sports networking in a safe learning environment.

Inline Skating Workshops and Camps

Inline skating workshops and camps are a good choice for beginners who want a different perspective, intermediate skaters who just need a refresher or advanced skaters who need in-depth help with specific techniques. They usually are offered by guest instructors or coaches and typically run for 1 to 5 consecutive days of accelerated training for specific levels of skating. Workshops and camps are sometimes expensive (especially the residential ones) but usually pack a lot of information in a short period of time. Workshops and camps provide a combination of some individualized inline skating help and group training activities. They provide plenty of social interaction and sports networking for participants.

Semi-Private Inline Lessons

Want to learn to skate with a small group of friends or peers? Semi private lessons have much of the flexibility and benefits of a private lesson with the added fun of learning in a small group of two to five skaters. These lessons are specifically designed for small groups of family or friends and provide the benefit of shared fees with a lot more one-on-one instruction than a workshop or group class could offer.

Private Inline Skating Lessons

Individual or private skating lessons offer a chance to advance at your own rate of learning. All ages and ability levels can benefit from private lessons because they provide one-on-one instruction that can speed up the progress of your inline skating development. Anyone who is serious about a specific inline skating discipline, considering competitive skating or just needs personalized help for any reason is a candidate for private instruction. Private inline skating lessons are understandably more expensive than other types of lessons, but they are usually more productive.

Learn to Skate with a Team or Club

A skating club or inline skating team may offer a more professional environment in which to learn to skate and practice your inline skating sport. Each club facility or team offers a different selection of services but most offer various types of training to support the disciplines within the club or team.

Whether your goal is inline recreation, fitness, aggressive, freestyle, figure or hockey skating, there's a skating program available to help you master your sport. As soon as you decide to learn any the various inline skating techniques, find a qualified instructor and get to training; it's more fun than self-directed skating and gets faster and safer results at the same time.