Isabella Raine

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Let’s be real, you probably can't, or won’t skate every day– Reasons varying. Whether it’s because of the weather, your body needs rest, or you’re just too busy. I’ve seen lots of people documenting skating daily, but for many of us, that’s not realistic. What can you do when you can't skate? Ask yourself – why do you skate? What do you want to accomplish? 
I would think there are many answers to these questions, but we can look through some of them one by one. 

Roller Skating is arguably THE way to exercise. It’s incredible cardio, great for your heart, you build muscle in almost every group at once, and it has low impact on your joints. When I skated daily over the summer, I could feel my strength and stamina increasing with each day. Overall, my body feels amazing and increasingly capable when I’ve been skating regularly. It’s also the kind of exercise that feels way more like a fun hobby than a chore, or something that you’re just “supposed to be” doing. So what physical activities are there that can make you feel great in at least some of the same ways that you can do in the rain or inside?

Although roller skating is physical, I believe it's very expressive. Being able to move your body in a way that feels good is powerful and invigorating. There’s so many moves and types of skating, along with being able to choose and decorate your setup. Choosing colors, a theme, and accessories are all ways to express yourself within the act of roller skating itself. Personally, I chose a white boot, with red accents that I can switch out, and I love street skating with a good set of beats to cruise down the road to. 

Below is a list of other activities I think are similar, or great ways of self expression. 

In a perfect world, we would do more things because they are fun, or give us the euphoria of being alive. I often feel this walking outside on bright sunny days, or dancing to loud music while sweeping the wood floor. Although, for me, there's nothing better than the breeze when I’m gliding down the street on skates with music in your ears. When skating gives you that euphoria and you can’t skate, here are some that I feel can have a similar effect. 

You’ve probably noticed that not all of these are free, or possible in every home on the fly. Some, like aerial or pole, require either a studio, or scheduled classes. Although equipment can be installed in your home, if you have the means. Dance can be as simple as connecting your speaker to your phone; Hiking just requires knowing a spot, and for most of these, a few simple supplies will do. So the next time the roads are wet, or your body isn't quite in tune for a skate, and you don’t know what to do– refer back to this list to find just the thing to scratch the itch you’re having.

If you’re looking for the ultimate alternative, you may notice there are some activities I included on each list. Now, this is just my own personal list; Someone different may find something else is the case for them. Overall– I would say dance and aerial activities are in the same realm as skating. Now I just need to save up money to install trapeze and silks in my home…