Skike -Nordic Skating

Nordic skating began sweeping the world in the 1990s. The sport was developed during the Nordic trend. Nordic skating simulates the movements of ski skating, only you do not need snow as you would with skiing or ski skating. Most roller skiing in the style of skating falls under the Nordic skating category. It was first done on inline skates. Since inline skating was so highly popular then, most outdoor sports enthusiasts owned at least one pair of inline skates. Once the poles were added a new sport was born. Nordic skating, or Nordic blading as it is sometimes known, is a sort of cross between cross-skating which is done with a special off-road skate, and street skating. The physical benefits of Nordic skating are similar to those of cross-country skiing. The skater gets a full-body workout, since both the arms and legs are used. The increased speed of Nordic skating on plastic rollers provides the muscles in both the arms and legs to gain the benefits of the workout, although they are not quite as effectively trained as in cross-country skiing. Still, for a good cardio workout while enjoying fresh air and the great outdoors, Nordic skating provides an excellent way to keep in shape.

If plastic rollers are used on the skates then Nordic skaters are limited to asphalt or paved roadways. The pneumatic tires used on most Nordic skates offer the ability to choose more routes for training or competition such as off-road, side streets and even bicycle lanes. The poles are used to grab the terrain more comfortably giving the skater an even better advantage when traveling over non-paved areas. Braked rollers provide an improved training effect and ensure that any potential falls are taking place at a much lower speed which helps to guard against serious injuries.