A beginners guide to edges of inline skate wheels.

Click here for inline skating lessons & beginner group rollerblade courses.

A wise man once said, ” He who master edges of wheel will discover path of true enlightenment.”

He wasn’t wrong.

Learning to think about your wheel edges early on in your skating career is an important factor to developing a good all round technique.
Good edge control will help balance, make you more efficient, reduce muscle and tendon pain in your foot but most importantly allow you to control your direction.

As a general rule, center edges will allow you to go in a straight line and any other edges will cause you to turn.

Center edges. Oohh lovely. Knees bent and together. Very cool. Nicely balanced madam! Aim to skate in a straight line on center edges. Take it slow. As you return that “push leg” back under your body aim to put it down on the road right on that center edge. Very efficient, well done.

Center edges

Inside edges. I know they feel safe because you are spread nice and wide but you look like a duck as you skate and people are pointing. Your feet are inwardly ‘collapsed’ and that’ll hurt later.
Tips: Tighten those buckles and laces for a bit more support around those ankles. Return that “push” leg much closer to the other skate on each stroke. Slow down and persevere as your balance improves.

Inside edges

Outside edges. These feel a bit scary for a beginner as they require a more advanced level of balance and confidence to control. Later, when your ready we can use outside edges to add “turbo” to your stride, do fast short turns and a whole bag of cool tricks.

Outside edges

Corresponding edges. That’s one inside and one outside edge both leaning the same way to turn a corner in the same way a motorbike leans to go round a bend.

Corresponding or leaning edges